HRV senior Julian Lara plays a ball into the goalie box during a game last season.
Senior Aran Garcia (20) during a game last season.
HRV boys soccer head coach Alvaro Lara
The Hood River Valley boys soccer team is gearing for another title run during its 2024 OSAA Class 5A season. A year ago, the Eagles advanced to the 5A championship game for the first time since 2015 — when they won a second straight state title.
The Eagles (13-5 in 2023), guided by second-year Coach Alvaro Lara, lost 1-0 to Summit in the 5A state final. The loss to the Storm snapped the Eagles’ eight-game win streak.
“Last year was great going to the finals and now these guys have a high goal of reaching the championship game again this year,” Lara said. “They’re excited about the season, and we feel like we definitely have a chance to get back there again, so we all have a very positive outlook this year. We have a lot of returning players from last year and these guys are all ready to go.”
The Eagles return their top two goal scorers, senior forward Aran Garcia (17 goals) and senior midfielder Julian Lara (16 goals). Lara and Garcia earned Northwest Oregon Conference first team all-league awards in 2023. Other returning players who earned NWOC recognition last year include senior defender Oscar Moline (first team), junior goalkeeper Emmanuel Galindo (honorable mention) and senior midfielder Felipe Mendez (honorable mention).
Despite losing 13 seniors from last year’s squad, the Eagles have another experienced squad that includes 11 seniors. The trio of Eagle goalkeepers, Judah Caudill, Galindo and Eamon Anslinger will rotate the position in front of the net to help lead the defense. All three of the keepers are capable of playing other positions on the field, as well.
“It’s always tough when you lose the older guys on your team, which really hurts because they had so much wisdom to provide to the other players,” Lara said. “The advantage that we have right now though is that we have lots of returning seniors who have had lots of experience playing on club teams in elite leagues throughout their career. I feel pretty confident that our new incoming seniors will step into their roles and fill in the spots from the graduated seniors just fine.”
HRV’s defense allowed an average of two goals allowed per game. Defenders Carlos Linares, Oscar Moline, Ethan Sheppard, David Baeza and Nguyen Le will be counted on to make significant contributions, as well. Offensively, the Eagles averaged three goals scored per game in 2023.
HRV finished second in the nine-team Northwest Oregon Conference in 2023 behind league champion La Salle Prep.
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