Dallman happy with team’s progression

Madras at The Dalles, 4 p.m.

Prep Girls Soccer

Madras at The Dalles, 4 p.m.

Prep Volleyball

Dufur at Ione, 5 p.m.

S. Wasco at Condon, 5 p.m.

Arlington at Sherman, 5 p.m.

Hermiston at The Dalles, 6:30 p.m.

FRI., SEPT. 16

Prep Football

Arlington at S. Wasco, 7 p.m.

Dufur at Adrian, 7 p.m.

Sherman at Ione, 7 p.m.

Mac-Hi at The Dalles, 7 p.m.

Prep Volleyball

Sherman at Ione, 5 p.m.

SAT., SEPT. 17

Prep Cross Country

TD at Oregon City Inv., 10:30 a.m.

Prep Volleyball

Dufur vs. St. Paul and Culver at double dual in Culver, 1:30 p.m.

TDat Lakeridge Tourney, 9 a.m.

MON., SEPT. 19

Prep Football

Culver (JV) at Dufur, 4 p.m.

Since starting the year with a 3-0 victory over Redmond on Aug. 30, The Dalles boys’ soccer team has lost three matches in a row by a combined margin of 16-2.

At first glance, it may seem to be a concern, but head coach Matthew Dallman said at this point in the season, results don’t matter to him, as long as the team is showing progress, which they are.

Over a span of the last four halves of action, the Riverhawks have been outscored 4-0, 3-0, 3-0 and 1-1 in their last game Tuesday, a 4-1 loss to the 6A classification’s No. 14 team, undefeated Tualatin (2-0-1 overall).

“What I keep telling the boys is we are far from a complete team at the moment and we haven’t come close to hitting our potential,” Dallman said. “If we were playing our best soccer and these were the results, it would be a lot harder to take. That’s progress and I am happy that it’s going in this direction. Maybe not as fast as I, we would like, but it’s a process.”

Dallman called Tualatin, probably the best team, besides Hood River Valley, his group will play against this season.

In the opening half of Tuesday’s contest, the Timberwolves took advantage of two Hawk giveaways and tacked on another goal off a corner kick.

TD got on the scoreboard in the second half of action, as Reed Twidwell put expert pressure on the Tualatin midfield, forcing a turnover, which gave possession to Alberto Gallegos.

Gallegos dribbled in deep and fired his shot from 30 yards out for the tally.

Senior defender Brandon Bustamante also hit the crossbar from a deep shot in the first half, so the Riverhawks gave themselves every opportunity to put some pressure on the Wolves.

TD (1-3) has three non-league games before starting Columbia River Conference play at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 against Hermiston.

Dallman wants to iron out a few details over the next three games, the first tonight at home versus Madras (0-2).

The Hawks then head to Ridgeview and hosts St. Helens on Sept. 22.

“Although results aren’t going our way at the moment, our team is showing improvement every practice and every game,” Dallman said. “Every game we continue to learn ways we can improve as a team during this preseason before our first conference game. I am still working with the lineup and our system, as we prepare to take on conference teams.”