The first 35 seconds of any match usually doesn’t decide the outcome but it did for the Scorpions on Tuesday, Dec. 6, when they allowed a goal in the first minute of regulation to the Sand Devils in a tough 1-0 loss.

“It was like a half-court shot in basketball at the end of a half or something,” fifth-year Sedona Red Rock High School girls soccer Head Coach Tom Cadigan said. “It was a prayer, and it just went in. I mean, even they [Sand Devils] were surprised it went in.”

Page High School was awarded the first possession of the match Tuesday, and took full advantage, lofting a ball over several Scorpion defenders and past Sedona goalkeeper Sierra Winters for a 1-0 lead.

“It was a really hard loss for everyone,” Winters said. “We dominated most of the game and when it came down to it the first 35 seconds of the game made the biggest difference. We are learning from our mistakes and the loss will only make us better.”

The remaining 79 minutes of play was a battle between both squads, one that Sedona clearly won with 15 shots on frame to the Sand Devils’ seven.

“We dominated the game. But we couldn’t get anything to hit the back of the net for a score,” Cadigan said.

Winters eventually recorded six saves on the night in the 1-0 loss to Page. With the loss, Sedona drops its record to 1-1 overall this season.

The Scorpions opened the 2011-2012 campaign at home against Bradshaw Mountain on Dec. 1 in a thrilling 2-1 shoot-out victory.

The two teams were tied at 1-1 and played both 10-minute overtime periods without a score. Bradshaw Mountain and Sedona went to the first shoot-out, which they tied, 2-2.

On the second shoot-out, Sedona’s Catrina Lee-Wilkins gave the Scorpions the lead which was the deciding goal, giving Sedona a 2-1 win.

The 1-1 Scorpions are currently ranked No. 38 in the Arizona Interscholastic Association power point polls, which were released Thursday, Dec. 8.

Next up for Sedona, the Scorpions are set to travel north to play Flagstaff High School on Tuesday, Dec. 13. It is the second to last match before Christmas break for Sedona, and it is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Sedona will return home Thursday, Dec. 15, to face rival Mingus Union High School. Official start time against the Marauders is scheduled for 6 p.m.