After watching the first half of Hamilton and Salpointe in the 5A-I boys soccer quarterfinals the advantage was clearly to Hamilton. The only problem was the Huskies lacked a goal to show for it.

No. 2 seed Hamilton remedied that problem 12 minutes into the second half Saturday and posted a hard-fought 1-0 win over the No. 7 seeded Lancers at Red Mountain Soccer Complex.

Hamilton (19-2-3) advances to Thursday's 7 p.m. semifinal at Campo Verde High School where it will take on No. 6 Gilbert, a 2-1 winner over Mesquite. Salpointe closed out another successful season at 20-4-1.

"We told the team at halftime if we stayed vigilant and kept our shape in transition it would work out," Hamilton coach Nick Markette said. "I felt we were the better team, and it was just a matter of time and (goal) would come. Salpointe has a long history of being one of the top programs. They played us very tough."

Hamilton got the game's lone goal in the 52 minute. The Huskies leading scorer for the season, Danny Arrubla, did the honors like a golfer with a one-foot tap in.

"Blas Minor got it wide and got it to me on a crosst," Arrubla said. "I was able to touch it and get around their keeper."

Niether team got  of f a lot of shots , but Salpointe had two or three at best for the entire match.

"It's always disappointing losing your last game of the season when it's in the playoffs," Salpointe coach Wolfgang Weber said. "A 20-4-1 record is a good season in anybody's book. Hamilton was the better team today. Bigger across the board and they took advantage of that."

Markette again singled out his defense, which has recorded double-digit shutouts this season.

"They didn't get many opportunities, even late when they were making a puysh," Markette said. "Our back line players and keeper are solid."