By Don Ketchum

Phoenix Carl Hayden boys soccer coach Abner Calderon likes to preach fundamentals to his players.

“They are important, but even more important if the games are close. It can mean the difference in whether you win or lose,’’ he said.

The 14^th-seeded Falcons had a close first-round game in the Class 5A Division II state tournament on Wednesday (Feb. 2) against No. 3 Phoenix Central at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in north Phoenix.

They were patient, waiting for the right moment. It came early in the second half, when Jose Rivera booted home the only goal of the game as Carl Hayden advanced with a 1-0 victory.

Carl Hayden (12-5) atoned for a 1-0 loss to Central (19-4) earlier this season. The Falcons move on to the quarterfinals on Saturday (Feb. 5) against either No. 6 Scottsdale Chaparral or No. 11 Glendale Deer Valley at a site and time to be determined.

“It feels good to win, but we’re not worried about being a No. 14,’’ Calderon said. “We just have to come out and play together, do the little things, and we should be all right.’’

The Falcons won the (Mesa) Dobson tournament earlier this season and have played Class 5A Division I teams tough.

“Doing well in games like that and again tonight (Wednesday) gives us confidence,’’ Calderon said.

A cold wind was blowing in from the north, at the Falcons’ back, in the first half. It helped them keep the pressure on Central, with several shots just missing, including one that hit the right post and bounced away.

It seemed logical that the wind would go in Central’s favor after the scoreless first half, but Carl Hayden clearly was the aggressor and kept the pressure on the Central defense.

Rivera slipped in front of the Central goalkeeper and got the goal. Central did have some scoring opportunities later in the game, but couldn’t complete the task.

“We worked hard and knew we would get our chance. We stayed calm,’’ said Carl Hayden junior captain Amado Sanchez.