By Don Ketchum

Chandler Broadrick used her head and Tianna Stewart used her feet on Saturday (Feb. 5) to help Phoenix Arcadia’s girls soccer team defeat Phoenix Thunderbird 3-1 in the Class 4A Division II quarterfinals at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in north Phoenix.

The Titans know that the hard work will need to continue if they are to achieve their ultimate goal.

Arcadia will face unbeaten Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep in a semifinal match on Wednesday (Feb. 9) at Phoenix Paradise Valley High. The match will begin at 5 p.m. and will be followed by the other semifinal between Cottonwood Mingus and Flagstaff.

Arcadia had split two games with Thunderbird during the regular season, and was well aware of the challenge that awaited on Saturday.

Broadrick scored the first of her two goals on a header about midway through the first half, and Arcadia had a 1-0 lead at the half.

“The girls believed in themselves,’’ said Arcadia coach Daniel Polan. “They knew they would have to elevate their game (in the second half). I told them they needed to keep pushing, keep believing, keep fighting, and it showed.’’

Stewart used her speed to dribble around a defender and scored the Titans’ second goal about 10 minutes into the second half.

Jessie DeLeon scored on a free kick for Thunderbird to make it 2-1 about halfway through the second half.

The Chiefs kept the pressure on, but Stewart’s speed surfaced again when she dribbled around a defender and set Broadrick up for her second goal of the day with only a few minutes left. Arcadia had some much-needed breathing room.

Polan saw Notre Dame coach Scot Bemis sitting near the corner of the field watching the game after Notre Dame defeated Bullhead City Mohave. Arcadia narrowly lost to Notre Dame 1-0 earlier in the season.

“It was a great game and this next one will be, too. People ought to come out and see it,’’ Polan said. “They are going to be ready for us and we will be ready for them.’’