Hood River Valley clinches spot in 5A boys state soccer playoffs

HOOD RIVER — A three-match win streak has qualified the Hood River Valley (HRV) boys soccer team for the 2025 Class 5A state playoffs once again.

The Eagles (6-6-2 overall, 4-2-1 Northwest Oregon Conference) outscored opponents 11-3 during the streak, which included wins over Parkrose, Canby and Hillsboro. Coach Alvaro Lara’s team has qualified for the playoffs three successive seasons and enters its final regular season match — Oct. 28 at Milwaukie — ranked tenth in state among 5A teams.

Hood River dominated play, especially in the first half, in the 3-1 win over visiting Canby on Oct. 21. Sebastian Clarkson scored the opening goal. A shot from 30 yards out bounced off the turf and off the Canby goalie’s chest. The ball bounced out just enough for Clarkson to lob a shot from 10 yards away over the recovering and advancing keeper.

HRV took a 2-0 lead on Solomon’s Parson’s 30-yard bomb, and the Eagles led 3-0 after Ernesto Solano hit a one-touch from 18 yards off a ball that was cleared by the Canby defense — but not cleared far enough. Solano was hanging around about 20 yards out on the left center of the field. He anticipated where the ball would land and booted it with his right foot into the upper right corner.

Two days after the Canby win on senior night, HRV solidified its playoff standing by winning, 4-0, at Hillsboro. The Eagles dominated play in that match, although Hillsboro was hurt by the fact that its starting goalkeeper, Giovanni Alvardo, had to leave 10 minutes in because of a non-contact injury on the artificial turf.

HRV took advantage, as Santiago Flores ran onto a long through ball down the right side, tapped it ahead 10 yards, and converted a 25-yard goal into the upper left corner. In the closing seconds of the first half, HRV reversed the ball from left to right. Miguel Lopez beat his defender to the ball, dribbled to create some space, and then sent a great cross in front of the goal. Parson started near where the original ball reversal came from, but he followed the play and ran onto a header a few yards in front of the goal line.

Hood River’s second-half tallies came from Anthony Hernandez’s tap-in on a cross from Solano, and Rohan Gutierrez’s weaving, solo dribbling in the middle of the field culminated by a line drive boot from 35 yards away.

Hood River completes its regular season schedule Oct. 28 at Milwaukie; the Mustangs and Eagles tied, 1-1, on the last day of the regular season in 2024.