The Dalles boys soccer team won a first round playoff matchup against Marist Catholic on Nov. 5.
The Dalles boys soccer team won a first round playoff matchup against Marist Catholic on Nov. 5.
The Dalles boys soccer team won a first round playoff matchup against Marist Catholic on Nov. 5.
The Dalles boys soccer team won a first round playoff matchup against Marist Catholic on Nov. 5.
THE DALLES — The Dalles High Riverhawks reached the Class 4A boys soccer state playoffs a second straight year and the third time in the last four years.
The fifth-ranked Riverhawks (12-4), guided by fourth-year Coach Jesus Granados, won their first-round game, 4-1, over visiting Marist Catholic on Nov. 5, but lost in the quarterfinals, 2-1, at Henley of Klamath Falls.
The home game versus tenth-ranked Marist (10-5-1) was the fifth straight win for the Riverhawks, and allowed them to move on to the quarterfinals for a second consecutive season.
“The boys came out feeling hungry for a win and we were hoping to take care of business early,” said Granados. “We shut them [Spartans] down right away, too, and we had a strong offensive performance in building a 3-1 halftime lead.
“Our goalkeeper Marcos Meza [six saves] allowed just one goal and he’s doing a great job, especially considering that this is just the second year that he’s played that position.”
The Dalles senior midfielder and leading scorer Hulises Najera (18 total goals, 12 assists) scored two goals to help spearhead the Riverhawk offense. Najera scored a goal in the first half, and he put another one into the net in the second half to help Riverhawks go up 4-1.
“We just tried to play our game and then everything worked out well and we got a big win,” said Najera. “I’m just trying to enjoy the season in my last year on the team and I’m just having a lot of fun with all of my teammates. It feels great to get a win in the playoffs and move on to the quarterfinals again. It’s actually been a very fun season and I’m just trying to enjoy it and have some more fun before it ends.”
The win over Marist propelled the Riverhawks on to a Nov. 9 quarterfinal match versus the No. 4-ranked Skyline Conference champion Henley High Hornets (10-2-2). The Hornets extended their unbeaten streak to six games with a 2-1 win over the Riverhawks to end their season. The Hornets advanced to the Nov. 12 semis against the No. 1-ranked Stayton High Eagles (15-0).
The Riverhawks trailed 2-0 at halftime, and injuries to Marcos Quiroz and Ivan Santana kept them out of the second half. Najera and sophomore midfielder Orlando Heredia had solid second-half scoring opportunities, as the Riverhawks outshot the Hornets, 15-4.
“It was one of those games that we dominated the entire time,” said Granados. “We were the better team, but unfortunately, that's how the sport is and sometimes the best team doesn’t always win.”
The loss snapped the Riverhawks’ five-game win streak, and it was their first loss in nearly a month. It also marked the final game of The Dalles prep soccer careers of seniors Abel Figueroa, Marcos Quiroz, Anthony Santana, Arnulfo Flores, Charles Rankin and Najera.
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