Raiders romp to regional title
Arcadia forward Christopher Urbina showed out in the Raiders’ playoff opener against Tri-County last Tuesday, scoring four goals in the first half of a 9-0 romp. (Times photograph by Zach Rastall)
There’s winning a regional title and then there’s what the Arcadia boys soccer team did to bulldoze their way to sectionals.
After earning a first-round bye in this year’s Division Four playoffs, the Raiders obliterated both of their first two playoff opponents on their way to a regional title, winning by a combined score of 18-0 over Tri-County and Nekoosa.
Arcadia’s quest for a third state tournament berth of the 2020s continues to run through the friendly confines of Cashen Field. The Raiders host No. 2 seed Amherst — who beat Pacelli/Iola Scandinavia and Richland Center by a combined score of 16-0 — in the sectional semifinals on Thursday at 4 p.m.
The winner of that game plays either No. 3 seed Three Lakes/Phelps or No. 8 seed Amery in a sectional final in Arcadia on Saturday (tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m.) with a state berth hanging in the balance.
Arcadia 9 Tri-County 0
Fueled by a sensational scoring showing by Christopher Urbina, the Raiders completely overmatched No. 8 seed Tri-County in their regional semifinal clash last Thursday in Arcadia.
Urbina scored the first two goals of the game for Arcadia as part of a first half that saw him find the back of the net four times, including a brilliant diving header for his fourth.
The ball rarely got back to midfield during Thursday’s match, let alone deep enough for Tri-County to generate any real attacking presence, and the Raiders raced out to a 7-0 halftime lead before adding two more in an academic second half.
Arcadia 9 Nekoosa 0
Just like Thursday’s match, Arcadia was in complete control and steamrolled its way to a lopsided shutout of No. 5 seed Nekoosa in Saturday’s regional final at Cashen Field.
The Raiders raced out to a 5-0 lead at halftime against the Papermakers, with Ony Zaragoza scoring twice and both Justin Pina and Johncarlos Uribe getting onto the scoring ledger in the first half.
The final goal of the first half came in the 31st minute, where Oliver Salmeron chipped a high arcing shot from way out wide to the left side nearly parallel to the goal, which somehow got over the outstretched arm of the Nekoosa goalkeeper and found the back of the net.
Arcadia tacked on four more goals for good measure in the second half to put the finishing touches on a dominant regional title.
