THE DALLES Riverhawk Aldo Rivas (top) dribbles the ball around Redmond goalkeeper Humberto Ruiz to score during Thursday's non-league varsity matchup in The Dalles. Rivas had a hat trick, with all three goals in the first half, to lead his squad to a decisive 8-1 victory.
THE DALLES Riverhawk Aldo Rivas (top) dribbles the ball around Redmond goalkeeper Humberto Ruiz to score during Thursday's non-league varsity matchup in The Dalles. Rivas had a hat trick, with all three goals in the first half, to lead his squad to a decisive 8-1 victory.
It is always great to score goals, execute well and play in front of a large home crowd, but early in the season, The Dalles boy’s soccer team has seen onr of its newest membersdevelop on the varsity roster – starting goalkeeper, Angel Lopez.
The junior made eight saves and teammate Aldo Rivas netted a hat trick to lead the Riverhawks to an 8-1 victory over Redmond Thursday in a non-league soccer matchup in The Dalles.
In last week’s three-match jamboree in Hillsboro, Lopez posted three shutouts. He continued his stellar play Thursday as the lone Redmond tally came on an own goal.
With such a strong presence between the pipes, head soccer coach Greg Burkart said the confidence emanates through the entire roster.
“It takes a lot of pressure off us,” said the first-year coach. “We know that if the other team creates opportunities, we do our best to protect him, but there will be times in the game when he’s got to step up and take control of his area and make a save. He did that on numerous occasions tonight. He had a really fine game and I am really pleased. He is a real stabilizing factor in goal.”
On offense, the Riverhawks hammered home five first-half goals, three by Rivas, to take control of matters early in play.
Just 11 minutes in, Rivas snared a pass from Sant Strassheim and coasted down the left edge of the sidelines past a slew of Redmond defenders before depositing a low shot to the short side to beat Humberto Ruiz to make it a 1-0 game.
Seven minutes later, Rivas was up to his old tricks again, as he poked home rebound on his own shot to ring up a 2-0 margin.
One minute later, after a turnover, Manuel Ruiz was the recipient of a pass from Aldo Manzo and he tapped home a shot to swell the Hawk cushion out to 3-0.
Later in the opening stanza, the Panthers inched closer on an own goal off a free kick, but that tally did not deter the Riverhawks from piling on as Rivas completed his hat trick on a coast-to-coast trip from midfield all the way to the front of the net.
The veteran deked the Panther goalkeeper and made a move before rifling his shot to the back of the net to make it 4-1 with 10 minutes still left in the half.
Manzo scored a goal at the 33rd minute and Daniel Santillan joined in on the fun six minutes later to make it 6-1 at the break.
As an impressed observer, Leo Hernandez liked what he saw from the forwards, especially since two freshmen were getting their trial-by-fire.
“They were great,” Hernandez said. “They followed each ball and made through runs and everything. They crossed each other, they talked and they communicated well. They played their best and I am really happy about it.”
The Dalles added to its lead with two more second-half markers to produce one of its most lopsided outcomes in recent memory.
While the regular season is still in its infancy, Burkart likes the direction the team is headed.
With the leadership of Rivas, the solid play of the forwards, midfielders and defenders, the best is yet to come, he said.
The biggest thing is playing at their best in October, not September.
“It’s a good feeling for me, but more importantly, it is a good feeling for them. It is a good group of kids,” Burkart said. “Once again, there are bigger challenges, but it’s a good first step.”
The Dalles (1-0 overall) heads to Milton-Freewater for another non-league matchup versus the 4A Mac-Hi Pioneers at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Thursday, the hawks are back at home for play opposite St. Helens.
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