The third time was not the charm for the Silverton High girls soccer squad.
The Foxes, who were denied a Mid-Willamette Conference title by Corvallis the past two seasons, entered Tuesday night’s home contest against the Spartans with the same stakes: winner takes the league title.
The two sides battled to a scoreless first half, but Corvallis struck for a pair of second-half goals to win 2-0. The No. 11 Spartans, 6-0-1 in league and 8-2-4 overall, claimed the MWC title for the fourth year in a row and earned a bye into the Class 5A’s round of 16, which will be played Nov. 1. The sixth-ranked Foxes end the regular season 5-1-1 in conference and 10-3-1 overall. Silverton was set to host a play-in game Oct. 28.
Marina Arrendondo scored from about 20 yards out on an assist from Aja Bumpus in the 50th minute and Claire Atwood added a header from Jordan Taylor in the 73rd for the Spartans. The Foxes had opportunities, particularly between the two Corvallis goals, but could not find the back of the net.
“I think it’s mental, honestly, for our team,” Silverton midfielder and captain Hannah Munson told Our Town. “We play differently against them. It was a good game and they were a good opponent. It’s frustrating, but we’re ready to put it behind us and get after it in the playoffs.”
“It just wasn’t our night,” said Foxes coach Gary Cameron. “We just couldn’t find the net. Our keeper played awesome and so did theirs. They’re a good squad and we respect their coach staff. They play the right way and I know they feel the same about us.
“We just have to iron out a few things and see if we can still ride the horse to the barn (in the playoffs).”
Boys soccer: The Foxes boys squad also fell to Corvallis, 4-0, in their regular-season finale, but the squad is safely in the playoffs.
Third-year coach Kyle Calder thinks the program is making good progress.
“We have been developing a brand of soccer over my past three years here, and I think we are really starting to see it come to life in this team,” Calder told Our Town.
Key contributors include midfielders Ethan Crofts, Jonathan Reyna and Isaac Doyle and goalkeeper Ethan Risby. Crofts and Risby were first-team all-MWC a year ago, Reyna was a second-teamer and Doyle received honorable mention.
“They have all stepped up into leadership roles this year along with their skill and talent on the field,” Calder said.
Calder said he has a strong freshman class, with Brian Leon and Cory Garlinghouse earning varsity minutes. “They are both very skilled and smart players, who play well above their age in their mentality and confidence,” he said.
Football: Silverton has finished the Mid-Willamette season with an improbable four-game winning streak and was closing out the regular season with a game Oct. 28 against non-league opponent Woodburn.
The fourth-ranked Foxes improved to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the MWC with a 28-25 come-from-behind win Oct. 21 at Central. Silverton trailed 12-0 early, but a Spencer Clements interception and touchdown catch before the half gave the team a lift.
The second half featured three lead changes, with the Foxes scoring on a pair of sneaks by quarterback Levi Nielsen and a 3-yard run by Perry Davis. The Panthers scored with 1:27 left, but Nielsen recovered the onside kick and four Kobe Garcia runs helped run out the clock.
Earlier, the Foxes defeated Crescent Valley, Corvallis and South Albany after opening the league season 0-2 with losses to Dallas and Lebanon.
“Good teamwork and a lot of hard work in practice,” senior lineman David Espe said. “We never take a day off, we’re a very physical football team and we never give up.”
Kennedy, meanwhile, has improved to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the Tri-River with a 14-6 league win Oct. 14 vs. St. Paul and a 41-7 thumping of Corbett in a nonleague game Oct. 21. Bishop Mitchell raced 65 yards for a score 20 seconds into the St. Paul game and Jack Suing rushed for a pair of touchdowns vs. Corbett.
The third-ranked Trojans hosted No. 6 Santiam in the Tri-River finale Friday after presstime. Kennedy is all but assured of playing a home game when the Class 2A playoffs start the weekend of Nov. 4-5.
Cross country: Kennedy junior Kaylin Cantu battled through soggy conditions to shatter a school record on the Bush’s Pasture Park course with a time of 18:47.3 at the pre-district challenge meet Oct. 20. Cantu broke her own record on the Salem course by 35 seconds and won the race by 40 seconds. The Trojans placed four runners in the top 20 and won the team competition. The Kennedy boys placed fifth, paced by senior Noe Jines (16th in 18:04.9).
Silverton, meanwhile, participated Oct. 19 in a four-way meet at Waterloo Park in Lebanon that also included Central, Woodburn and Lebanon. The Foxes finished third in the girls competition, led by runner-up Jori Paradis (20:56). Hosea Catterall (16:45) and Haile Stutzman (17:09) finished second and third, respectively, in the boys race, which was won by Central. The Foxes did not field a complete team and thus did not score. The junior varsity boys squad placed four runners in the top five and claimed the team title.
Note on districts and state competition: Silverton participated in the Mid-Willamette Conference district meet Oct. 26 at Waterloo Park and Kennedy took part in the Special District 2 meet Oct. 27 at Bush’s Pasture Park. Both meets took place after Our Town’s presstime. Look for a report on the district and state meets in the Nov. 15 edition of Our Town.
Volleyball: The Silverton volleyball team has moved within one victory of making it to the state tournament. The Foxes downed Thurston of Springfield in four sets (25-23, 25-18, 19-25 and 25-12) and were set to play Oct. 29. The Foxes are 14-10 overall and ranked No. 10 in Class 5A after an 8-6 Mid-Willamette Conference season.
Kennedy finished 8-4 and tied with East Linn Christian for third in the Tri-River Conference behind St. Paul (10-2) and Central Linn (9-3). The Trojans fell in five sets (25-19, 25-18, 19-25, 22-25 and 15-13) to East Linn Christian in the league tournament, but their high OSAA power ranking earned them a spot in the Class 2A playoffs. Kennedy visited Grant Union on Saturday after Our Town’s presstime.
