TD moves into second-place tie after 3-0 triumph

Ione at Dufur, 5 p.m.

Condon at South Wasco, 5 p.m.

Sherman at Arlington, 6 p.m.

FRI., OCT. 7

Prep Football

Monument at S. Wasco, 7 p.m.

Arlington at Dufur, 7 p.m.

Sherman at Mitchell, 1 p.m.

The Dalles at Rainier, 7 p.m.

Prep Volleyball

Arlington at Dufur, 5 p.m.

SAT., OCT. 8

Prep Volleyball

TD at St. Helens Tourn., 9 a.m.

Hope Run set for 9 a.m. Saturday

The 26th annual Hope 3k and 5k run is on tap for 9 a.m. this Saturday at Kiwanis Pocket Park in The Dalles.

Entry fees open at $12 for each adult and $7 for students.

Fees are waived for pledges of $40 or more.

Prizes, music and refreshments are available for all in attendance.

For more information, call 541-296-9566.

ACTS offers flag football games

The ACTS sports program is inviting boys and girls to play flag football every Saturday until Nov. 7 at TD Middle School.

From 9-11 a.m., athletes from the third-through-fifth graders will hit the gridiron, and the sixth-through-ninth graders play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Participants need to bring $2 each week.

No one will be turned away if they cannot afford the cost.

For additional information, call 541-298-4277.

Losers of seven of the past eight games heading into the start of Columbia River Conference action Tuesday, first-year head coach Matthew Dallman made a call to juggle the personnel to get the Riverhawks off to a good start.

Whatever the changes were, they worked to perfection.

Jack Bonham, Pedro Lopez and Pedro Ayala scored goals and the Riverhawk defense stood tall to lead the team to a 3-0 triumph over Pendleton in a critical Columbia River Conference match played at Pendleton High School.

“This was our best team effort of the season,” Dallman said. “We had a game plan going into the game that everyone bought into, and the scoreboard was the result of their discipline to that game plan.”

Through the majority of the first half, TD and Pendleton played to a scoreless draw until the 30-minute mark when the Hawks went to work.

Ayala went on a run down the middle of the Buckaroo defense and laid off a pass to Bonham, who slotted a shot to the far post low for the tally to give TD a 1-0 lead.

“Jack has been fantastic for us this year coming off the bench making a big impact in the games,” Dallman said. “The Dalles is lucky to have him for the next couple seasons.”

Out in front by a goal to start the second stanza, Dallman said he knew his group would be hit with an early Pendleton flurry, but his defense was up to task, stopping their attack.

Four minutes into the second half, Abraham Garibay sent a cross pass into Lopez in the six-yard box. Lopez made a quick move to avoid defenders and tapped his shot past the Buckaroo goalie to make it a 2-0 lead.

“Pedro Lopez could have had three or four goals in this game,” Dallman said. “It was great for him to put one of his chances in. A lot of times you see players miss chances and mentally, they check out of the game. You could see Pedro became more confident as the game went on, and that goal was a result of his confidence.”

Pendleton had its best chance to score at the 55-minute mark, as a penalty kick was awarded.

TD goalkeeper Adan Ortiz made the stop to keep Pendleton off the scoreboard to keep momentum on his team’s side.

“That save was huge for us,” Dallman said. “Having a two-goal lead is the most dangerous in soccer. Players get comfortable because you are two-up, but when a team scores to make it only a one-goal game, the momentum almost always shifts because the team that’s down feels like they are right back in it.”

Still ahead by two scores late in the second half, Ayala added an insurance marker at the 75-minute mark in action.

Ayala went on a run through several Pendleton defenders and fired a shot off the left post and into the net.

Not only did the Riverhawk offense break through to tie a season-high in goals, the defense kept a clean sheet for its second shutout of the year and first since Aug. 30.

“Our defense, all-around, was fantastic,” Dallman said. “Omar Rodriguez really stepped up in this game and had our back line organized. We have a great balance of defenders back there that all complement each other. I really feel for how good of a defense we have. The results haven't shown it this year. With the exception of one or two shaky moments, our defense didn’t put a foot wrong in this game.”

With the win, the Riverhawks are now tied for second place with No. 7-ranked Hermiston with four matches left in the regular season.

Dallman said the victory was important to save the season and the team’s playoff aspirations and it will boost their confidence entering next Tuesday’s 4 p.m. road showdown against the defending state champion and No.1-ranked Hood River Valley Eagles.

“Everyone knows Hood River is a good team and what they are capable of when they are playing comfortably,” Dallman said. “Our game plan, like against Pendleton, will be to make Hood River uncomfortable, so we can have more of a control on the game.”