This original Louie Cernicek Invitational Tournament trophy has been retired and the trophy now used is one that the winning team can take home. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

By MIKE COTE
Sports Writer
Los Alamos Daily Post

The annual Louie Cernicek Invitational boys soccer tournament opens bright and early Friday morning.

The Louie Cernicek Invitational is one of the marquee events for Los Alamos’ boys soccer program. The Hilltoppers will be at home Friday morning to host the Artesia Bulldogs in the first round.

Friday’s opening round contest will be just the second game of the 2025 season for the Hilltoppers, who dropped their season opener 4-1 to the Santa Fe Demons Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are off to a strong start in 2025. They have won 3 of 4 contests to open the season and have outscored their opponents 20-3 in those victories.

 On Tuesday, Artesia earned a 3-2 victory on the road at Roswell ahead of Friday’s tournament opener.

In Friday morning’s game, Los Alamos will have to keep an eye on Moises Corza, who has 4 goals and 3 assists on the season so far.

In Monday’s game against Santa Fe, Taelin Stanfield scored Los Alamos’ lone goal, off an assist from Ryder Hill.

Los Alamos finished third in the Louie Cernicek Invitational a year ago. After a tournament-opening victory over Goddard, Los Alamos was shut out 1-0 by Capital in the semifinal, but would bounce back in the third-place game to shut out Lovington, also by a score of 1-0.

The Louie Cernicek Invitational is named in honor of the first head coach of the Hilltopper boys soccer program.

Here is the schedule for the 2025 Louie Cernicek Invitational Tournament. All games are at Sullivan Field.

Aug. 29

• Artesia vs. Los Alamos, 8 a.m.
• Capital vs. Goddard, 10 a.m.
• Los Lunas vs. Clovis, noon
• Aztec vs. Lovington, 2 p.m.
• Artesia-Los Alamos loser vs. Capital-Goddard loser, 4 p.m.
• Los Lunas-Clovis loser Aztec-Lovington loser, 6 p.m.

Aug. 30

• Artesia-Los Alamos winner vs. Capital-Goddard winner, 8 a.m.
• Los Lunas-Clovis winner vs. Aztec-Lovington winner, 10 a.m.
• Seventh-place game, noon.
• Fifth-place game, 2 p.m.
• Third-place game, 4 p.m.
• Championship game, 6 p.m.