Cienega improved to 10-1 on the year in power-ranking matches after the Bobcats defeated Nogales 9-0 at home Thursday night. Ranked No. 5 in the 5A Conference, the Bobcats have one match left in the regular season with No. 23 Desert View (5-5) coming in next Thursday. The teams will be playing for the 5A Southern Region title that day but there is more at stake for both teams.

Cienega is playing for a higher seed to avoid the play-in tournament and the Jaguars need to stay in the top 24 to qualify for the play-in phase set for Wednesday, Feb. 9. The first round of the 5A state playoffs is slated for Saturday, Feb. 12.

No. 38 Nogales fell to 2-7 in ranking matches which is an improvement from an 0-9 campaign last winter. The Apaches were overwhelmed by a prolific cast of forwards and midfielders at Cienega but the 10 direct saves were impressive and forced the Bobcats to regroup like they have so many times before. In all, the Bobcats recorded 30 shots with nine finding the net.

Junior forward Kenna Kiefer recorded a hat trick with goals in the 17th, 22nd and 23rd minute and she assisted senior Isabella Narvaez to get things started in the 12th minute and she found senior Kaylin White in the early moments of the 23rd minute. Freshman Alawna Goodin scored in the 37th and the 55th and junior Elizabeth John scored in the 49th and 57th minute. The mercy rule in high school soccer is eight or more goals ahead after the 60th minute.

The Bobcats outscored their last seven opponents 42-0 and the last three victories came with 8 or more goals scored. The one loss was to 4A No. 7 team Walden Grove on Dec. 18. Nogales will host No. 26 Buena (4-5) next Tuesday.