By James Day
For the second consecutive season the Silverton High girls soccer squad came within one goal of its first league title since 1990.
Last season the Foxes fell 3-2 to Corvallis in a winner-take-all regular-season finale that gave the Spartans the Mid-Willamette Conference title. This season Silverton again closed the season against Corvallis with a conference title at stake and battled hard before falling 2-1 to the host Spartans.
“This was what we wanted,” Silverton coach Gary Cameron said of the Corvallis matchup. “But It didn’t happen. We have to figure things out and make some adjustments. We’re not where we want to be, but I’m really proud of the team. This is the best senior leadership we’ve ever had.”
Sofia Garner scored on a 15-yard blast on an assist from Mylene Gorzynski from the right side in the first half. Garner also provided the cross to Jordan Taylor for a header that gave the Spartans a 2-0 lead 17 minutes into the second half. The Foxes were not able to answer until the final minute of the match when Baylie Camerson curled in a left-footed shot to the right post.
“They have a good program,” coach Camerson said of the Spartans. “We’re just going to keep digging until we get that conference title. You gotta walk before you can run. We don’t have a history of going deep in the playoffs … and we gotta start that.”
Cameron said he thought this squad layed a “little frantic, with too many long balls to the keeper.”
Corvallis, meanwhile, finished its chances better and took advantage of its size to control the air.
“That’s a big deal,” Cameron said of the Spartan’s finishing ability, “and they are really good on aerial balls,. We needed to do a better job of not serving it up to them. But we’re a springy bunch … resilient.”
As the second-place team in the league the Foxes will avoid the Class 5A play-in round and must fiinish in the top eight in the final rankings to get a home match Nov. 3 in the round of 16.
Silverton’s boys, meanwhile, came within one point of a bye in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs as they closed the season with a 1-0 home loss vs. Corvallis.
The Foxes, under third-year coach Kyle Calder, opened the Mid-Willamette season with losses to Lebanon and Woodburn but then went on a tear, reeling off four consecutive wins.
“A big part of winning those games has been playing a full 80 minutes of soccer as a team,” Calder told Our Town. “We have been playing really smart defensively and haven’t allowed more than one goal since our loss to Woodburn. We are really just hitting our stride and even still have areas where we can improve our game. With the type of soccer and formation we are playing this year, I knew it would take us time before we would see the success we are now.”
Ethan Crofts has been leading the way offensively. The junior forward scored nine times in a 12-game span and hit the back of the net in five of the first six league games.
“He brings a lot to the table with his speed and technical ability, which makes him really hard to defend,” Calder said.
The loss to Corvallis means the Foxes, 6-5-3 overall and 4-3 in the MWC, will have to battle through the play-in round to get to round of 16 in the playoffs.
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