Valadez-Paz Has Hat Trick as Men's Soccer Cruise Passed Paradise Valley

The Pima Community College men's soccer team (9-1-1, 9-1-1 in ACCAC) put on a scoring display in the second half of its game against Paradise Valley Community College on Saturday at Kino North Stadium.

The No, 6 ranked Aztecs scored five goals in the half to win 7-1. Sophomore Carlo Valadez-Paz (Westview HS) produced a hat trick in the second half. He scored his first goal 57 seconds in the half to put the Aztecs ahead 3-0 on an assist from freshman Chris Cooper (University HS). Valadez-Paz scored on a penalty kick in the 55^th minute to make it 4-1 and added one more insurance goal in the 67^th minute with an assist from fellow sophomore Hector Banegas (Rincon HS). The score was 6-1 at that point. Valadez-Paz also had an assist in sophomore Lorenzo Rodriguez's goal in the 58^th minute.

Freshman Julian Gaona (Tucson Magnet HS) put the Aztecs on the board in the 38^th minute on a rebounded shot that found the back of the net. Gaona assisted in Cooper's goal in the 41^st minute as the Aztecs took a 2-0 at the break.

Freshman Andrew Bianchi (Salpointe Catholic HS) scored Pima's seventh goal in the 70^th minute.

The Aztecs outshot the Pumas 12-3 for the game and sophomore goalkeeper James McWilliams (Sahuaro HS) finished with two saves.

The Aztecs swept the regular season head-to-head meetings with the Pumas. Pima outscored them 16-1 in their two games.

The Aztecs hit the road on Tuesday as they play at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix. The game starts at 1:00 p.m.

Pima goals: Gaona 38^th minute; Cooper (Gaona) 41^st minute; Valadez-Paz (Cooper) 46^th minute; Valadez-Paz (penalty kick) 55^th minute; Rodriguez (Valadez-Paz) 58^th minute; Valadez-Paz (Banegas) 67^th minute; Bianchi 70^th minute.

Carlo Valadez-Paz/Photo by Ben Carbajal