Sports briefs for July 5

Saturday, Strikers from years past will challenge Lovrin’s most recent, and most successful, group of young boys, the U14 Hood River Strikers, in a friendly match aimed at generating a buzz about the team’s trip later this month to compete in the National Premier League finals in North Carolina. Players and fans are invited to the game, 5-7 p.m. at Horizon Christian School.

The Strikers qualified for the elite NPL championship tournament – a first in Hood River history — after finishing 10-2-2 in the NPL of Oregon season and wining the league championship. The tournament runs July 10-14 in Greensboro, N.C.

Wachsmuth earns national wrestling title

Standout Hood River wrestlers Noah and Jeremiah Wachsmuth traveled to regional and national contests last month, where they completed their 2014 seasons with measured success.

For Noah, the older of the two brothers wrestling in the 90-pound Schoolboy division (age 13-14), an ill-timed flu bug drained him of energy during the Asics Kids Freestyle and Greco Nationals tournaments in Orem, UT. As defending national champion, he went into both tournaments as a favorite for the finals, but in both he finished well out of contention.

This time around, Jeremiah got the glory. The 44-pound Bantam division (age 8-9) wrestler went 4-0 in both freestyle and Greco tournaments to claim national titles in both. He finished the season 39-12 with 14 pins and 20 tech falls.

Although from Hood River, they train in Portland, under the Cobra All Stars club.

Gorge FC ties Inter United 2-2 in last game of season

Raul Marquez scored twice Saturday night to lead Gorge FC to a 2-2 tie against Seattle’s Inter United FC in men’s semipro soccer action at Hood River Valley High School. The game was the last of the season for the Hood River-based team, which saw great improvements through its first season competing in the National Premier Soccer League’s Northwest Division.

After undergoing management and coaching changes this spring, Gorge FC built considerable momentum late in its 13-game season. The team won its first game last weekend in a 5-1 rout of Seattle Sporting FC and played to a tie Saturday against Inter United – a team they had lost to twice and tied once previously this season.