Benson beat Desert Christian 2-0 on Tuesday at Udall Park to improve to 4-2 overall and 1-1 power-ranking games. Both teams compete in the 2A South Region but this match was not part of region play. Desert Christian (1-5, 0-2) missed the state playoffs for the first time in program history last year and it looks like this year will be part of a continued rebuilding effort for the power program.

The 12-team state bracket for the 2A Conference was trimmed down to an 8-team playoff in 2016 but the Eagles finished ranked No. 14 with a 3-8-1 record in power-ranking games last year so the team would have missed the playoffs even if the old system was in place. Likewise, Benson finished ranked No. 10 last year and missed the playoffs for the fifth year in a row.

The AIA rankings for this season are slated to be released next Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Benson looks to be in the running for a playoff berth along with 2A South Region foe Willcox (2-0). The Cowboys were the only team from Southern Arizona to qualify for the state playoffs last year.

Sophomore forward Alexis Torres put Benson up 1-0 early and Alex Romero added the second goal right before the half against Desert Christian. In all, the Bobcats took 14 shots on goal and the Eagles put together seven shots.

Benson hosts Academy of Tucson (0-2) on Wednesday and Desert Christian will host Camp Verde (2-1) on Saturday.

Desert Christian will host the Old Pueblo Soccer Classic in October and Phoenix Country Day will not be part of the field this year because the 2-time defending state champion moved up to the 3A Conference this year and will compete in the winter. State runner up Chino Valley and state power Blue Ridge will be competing.

 

Old Pueblo Soccer Classic

Udall Park: Oct. 4-5

 

Friday, October 4

Patagonia vs. Ash Fork/Seligman, 1 p.m.

Benson vs. Holbrook, 1 p.m.

Chino Valley vs. Snowflake, 1 p.m.

Desert Christian vs. St. Johns, 1 p.m.

Willcox vs. Bisbee, 3 p.m.

Page vs. Blue Ridge, 3 p.m.

Snowflake vs. Benson, 5 p.m.

Holbrook vs. Chino Valley, 5 p.m.

St. Johns vs. Patagonia, 5 p.m.

Desert Christian vs. Ash Fork/Seligman, 7 p.m.

Bisbee vs. Page, 7 p.m.

Blue Ridge vs. Willcox, 7 p.m.

 

Saturday, October 5

Willcox vs. Ash Fork/Seligman, 8 a.m.

Patagonia vs. Holbrook, 8 a.m.

Desert Christian vs. Snowflake, 8 a.m.

Page vs. St. Johns, 8 a.m.

Bisbee vs. Benson, 10 a.m.

Blue Ridge vs. Chino Valley, 10 a.m.

Holbrook vs. Desert Christian, noon

Ash Fork/Seligman vs. page, noon

Snowflake vs. Patagonia, noon

St. Johns vs. Willcox, noon

Chino Valley vs. Bisbee, 2 p.m.

Benson vs. Blue Ridge, 2 p.m.