HRV Eagles open league play with boys soccer win

HOOD RIVER — Hood River Valley’s (HRV’s) boys soccer team shared the scoring load in a league-opening win, 5-3, on Sept. 25.

The Eagles dominated the first half en route to a 5-0 lead over Rex Putnam, and Coach Alvaro Lara substituted freely after intermission. Hood River, ranked 10th according to the Oregon Scholastic Activities Association, had goals from four different players and four players also recorded assists — attesting to the versatility of HRV’s roster this season.

That roster figures to be tested Sept. 30 when Hood River (3-4-1) plays its second Northwest Oregon Conference game at Wilsonville (5-1-1).

Hood River dominated play in the opener. The first goal in the 11th minute was set up by slick passing and the finish by leading scorer Rohan Gutierrez. Anthony Hernandez took a throw-in from Kristian Gomez on the right side. Hernandez took a dribble left, then back kicked a return pass to Hernandez as he broke down the right sideline. He crossed the ball to the left side of the goal where Miguel Lopez headed a pass on one hop to the middle. Gutierrez ran onto the pass and nudged the ball past the Putnam goalie.

The second goal, five minutes later, was started by Moises Vega’s through ball. Gomez controlled the pass and sent it to Santiago Flores, who fired a cross to the middle. Once again, Gutierrez was in the right place and converted the pass into a goal.

It was 3-0 midway through the half after midfielder Solomon Parson looped a pass over the top of the Putnam defense. Hernandez beat a single defender to the ball and scored in the right side of the net.

Benjamin Tama added the fourth goal, a curving right-foot bomb from nearly 40 yards away after Putnam twice failed to clear the ball out of danger. Tama assisted on the final goal, pushing a crossing pass from Ernesto Solano further to the right, where Parson had an easy time beating the Putnam goalie one-on-one.