The Dalles High Riverhawks boys soccer team nearly got its first Tri-Valley Conference win on the road Sept. 20 at Crook County before settling for a 2-2 tie.
The Dalles senior forward Kenny Martinez and sophomore midfielder Anthony Santana scored goals in the tie with the Cowboys at Crook County High School in Prineville.
The Riverhawks (0-1-1 league, 4-2-1 overall) returned home for a Sept. 22 game against Estacada High and lost 4-1 to the No. 4 Rangers (2-0, 5-1). The four goals allowed by The Dalles was the highest total for an opponent this season.
The Dalles was seeking to get its first league win on the road against the No. 7 ranked Madras White Buffaloes (1-1 TVC, 3-1 overall) Monday (result was after the printed edition deadline). The Riverhawks next game is Thursday at 6 p.m. versus the Gladstone High Gladiators (0-2 TVC, 1-5 overall) at Gladstone High School.
The Riverhawks, guided by second-year Coach Jesus Granados, were shorthanded while playing without starters Daniel Contolan, Oswaldo Heredia, and leading scorer Hulises Najera, who suffered a season-ending injury Sept. 6. The Riverhawks made a valiant effort against a very tough Ranger squad, whose only loss was 3-0 to No. 2-ranked Philomath.
“We had about four opportunities to score within the first eight minutes, but we couldn’t capitalize on them,” said Granados. “We created some good scoring chances throughout the game. This wasn’t the outcome we were hoping for, but the guys worked hard and unfortunately, we just couldn’t come up with the win. The team morale has certainly gone down since Hulises is out with a season-ending injury.”
Martinez, who had two scoring chances that forced saves by Ranger junior goalkeeper Cole Myers, said the Riverhawks need to increase their intensity in practice. “I think if we would’ve went at it harder in practice, then we definitely could’ve came out and played better and it would’ve been at least 4-3,” said Martinez, who has scored five goals. “They (Rangers) are definitely a very tough team. Honestly, it is what it is, and we’ll bounce back in the next game for sure.”
The Rangers jumped in front when they scored a goal in the seventh minute and then they added two more to build a 3-0 lead by the 24th minute. Martinez kicked a ball in from seven yards out on the left side, making it 3-1 in the 32nd minute.
“It’s tough playing without three starters and we were just like an attacking machine when we had everyone healthy,” said Granados. “Hulises was averaging three goals per game.”
In the second half, junior midfielder Jaeden Bullard, senior midfielder Alexander Kjoelseth, junior midfielder Angel Rodriguez and Santana each had good scoring opportunities for The Dalles. Myers again came up big for Estacada in the 64th minute, stopping a direct free kick from 25 yards from freshman midfielder Juan Camarillo.
The opportunistic Rangers extended their lead to 4-1 in the 75th minute, despite a diving save attempt from The Dalles junior goalkeeper Luciano Alvarado (six saves).
“It was an unfortunate loss and there’s not much we can do now except just move on and get ready for the next game,” said Alvarado, who earned the OSAA Columbia Gorge Toyota Athlete of the Week Award for the week ending Sept. 18, which was the first time in the last two years that a Riverhawk player received the award.
Myers made another save on a Rodriguez penalty kick in the 76th minute. “Their goalkeeper (Myers) did a good job, and he played well,” said Granados. “We thought we were going to get that one in for a goal for sure. Sometimes a keeper saves a penalty kick, but usually a high percentage of them are converted into goals.”
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