THE GORGE — The Dalles and Hood River Valley had state playoff high school girls soccer teams a season ago and each school will feature a strong nucleus of players who could lead them to the postseason later this fall.
The Dalles sophomore Lilyana Gonzalez (9) plays some defense.
Mike Weber photo
A year ago, The Dalles Riverhawks enjoyed their finest season ever as they won the Tri-Valley Conference championship and advanced to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Class 4A girls soccer state quarterfinals. The Riverhawks, guided by 12-year Coach Colby Tonn and assistant Coach Darcey Hodges, have qualified for the state playoffs four straight seasons. They lost just three seniors from the 2024 team and the returnees include TVC player-of-the-year Natalia Elias (one of five Riverhawk seniors). Junior twin sisters Ariana and Lilyana Gonzalez combined for 44 goals last year and were TVC first team all-league players.
Tonn said: “We have mostly everyone coming back from last year and the girls have been putting in a lot of work in the offseason to help them improve … I’ve been really impressed with the skill development that they’ve shown from a year ago.”
The Riverhawks (8-0-2 TVC, 12-2-2 overall in 2024) will again rely on their defense which recorded 10 shutouts last season. Goalkeeper Olivia Prado led a defense which allowed seven goals — the third fewest out of 32 Class 4A squads.
The Dalles had an 11-game unbeaten streak — which included a 5-0 home state playoff win over Pendleton — before its season ended with a 3-2 loss at North Marion in the state quarterfinals. The Dalles plays its first game Sept. 4 at Pendleton.
Tonn said one goal this season is to get more players involved offensively, including sophomore Willow Ziegenhagen. Defensively, the back line of Yaritza Torres-Escobedo, Bryce Newby, Abril Rincon, and Kaiya Doty all return. “As long as everyone stays healthy, then we expect to have another fun season,” Tonn said.
Hood River Valley faces a tough road back to the 5A state playoffs, as the Eagles must first navigate a demanding Northwest Oregon Conference schedule. Wilsonville is the four-time defending state champion; La Salle Prep also has won a state title and the Falcons finished second in the past six seasons the championships have been held. Putnam and Canby also have won state playoff games in each of the past two seasons.
Hood River was sixth in the deep nine-team NWOC with a 3-4-1 record, 8-6-2 overall. HRV finished the regular season ranked 14th in Class 5A which earned it a playoff berth for the first time since 2019. The Eagles lost, 6-0, to Caldera High of Bend in the first round of the playoffs.
Hood River junior Magnolia Clermont (9).
Noah Noteboom photo
Long-time Hood River coach Kevin Haspela takes over the head coaching duties for the Eagle girls program. HRV had seven players selected for 2024 NWOC all-league awards, including five underclassmen: midfielder Magnolia Clermont, a senior who was HRV’s leading scorer with eight goals in 2024; forward Josie Faaborg, who was the Eagles’ second-leading scorer with seven goals as a freshman; goalkeeper Valeria Miramontes (senior), defender Lily Clermont (sophomore); and defender Hazel Haspela (senior).
Hood River opens its season Aug. 28 at Henderson Stadium against visiting 6A Century High, an experienced team with nine seniors - each who played for the Cougars in 2024.
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