La Cueva outlasts ABQ High in emotional resumption of suspended quarterfinals match

It took several days, heartbreak and grit, but top-seeded La Cueva outlasted stricken Albuquerque High 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the boys Class 5A state soccer championships Monday.

The match originally began Saturday but was postponed when the grandfather of a Bulldogs player collapsed in the stands 12 minutes into the second half with the Bears (18-1-2) holding a 4-1 lead. La Cueva advances to play No. 5 Hobbs in Wednesday’s semifinals.

The match was halted moments after La Cueva goalkeeper Isaiah Orozco was given a red card and ejected from the game and the Bulldogs converted the subsequent penalty kick.

“We knew this was going to be an awkward one,” Bears coach Easy Jimenez said. “But we can’t get wrapped up into them, because it’s a whole different format in play.”

The match resumed Monday afternoon and after a moment of silence for the man who eventually died, Albuquerque High (13-8) came out roaring against a La Cueva squad that was down a man.

“I thought the players really, they answered the call,” said Bulldogs coach Orlando Ramirez.

Eight minutes into the resumption, Charlie Groves volleyed in a pinpoint header from Javier Salvador-Pedersen for Albuquerque High from the top of the penalty area and it seemed momentum was tilting toward the green.

With eight minutes remaining, River Applegate hammered a shot from 35 yards out that found the upper corner to make it a one-goal match.

“It’s just a dog fight,” said Bears forward Brice Clark, who scored twice Saturday. “Put everything aside and just go in there with our everything 100% and make sure there’s no mistakes. It’s very scary moments. I mean, it’s just what we come down to. The good teams are going to get through those moments, even if they’re just near goal or they’re not. I mean, we just fight, fight through.”

The Bulldogs continued to pressure as La Cueva tried it best to hold them off, but the Bears got a breakaway and eventually a poor tackle led to a penalty kick that Winston Starr converted with about two minutes left to take away any possibility of an Albuquerque High miracle comeback.

“It’s just getting inspiration and Albuquerque High came and found it,” Jimenez said. “They have 28 minutes to play hard and try to come back. And they did.

Kudos to them. Hats off to them. They were playing for more than just their season. They were playing for this grandfather, playing for the parents and hats off to Albuquerque High. That’s all I can say. So well done. Well done on their part.”