By James Day
The Cascade High boys soccer squad is on a roll. The Cougars, in their third year under coach Tim Farr, were 4-0-0 heading into Oregon West Conference play, which began Sept. 25, after Our Town’s presstime.
Cascade has outscored its opponents 20-0, with Farr’s sons Jordan and Nic both scoring hat tricks in an 8-0 win Sept. 18 against Yamhill-Carlton. Jordan, a senior, and sophomore Nic both play in the field and at goalkeeper.
“These guys can put away multiple goals in a half and defend the goal with near perfection for the other half of the game,” said Coach Farr, who has gone from 2-10-2 in his first year to 10-3-2 last year.
Jordan Farr is part of a strong senior class that also includes Ammon Teubner, Truman Clark, Chris Bladorn, Orion Wright and Federico Rocha.
“I am very pleased with the team so far,” said Farr. “My expectations are high this season, and the guys know it.”
Cascade made the playoffs for the first time in 2011 and lost a hearbreaker to La Salle on penalty kicks. Farr is convinced that “an Oregon West team will win a state championship this year.” Top contenders besides Cascade including defending league champion Stayton, Newport, Philomath and Central.
Stayton, which was 2-0-2 heading into league play, won the 2010 OSAA Class 4A title and lost to Phoenix in the 2011 semifinals. Both of the Eagles’ ties have come against Class 5A schools (Sherwood and Wilsonville).
Cascade visits Stayton Tuesday, with the teams playing at Cascade on Oct. 23.
Meanwhile, Cascade’s cross country team turned in strong performances at the Silver Falls Invitational on Sept. 12 on the “Monster” course at Silver Falls State Park. The boys finished third among large schools, and the girls were fourth.
“We haven’t run a fast 5K course yet. When we do I am certain our times will demonstrate this is a very talented group of kids,” said long-time Cascade coach Dan Petersen. “Our girls have been district champions the past three years and they are as just as good or better than those teams. Our league is very good too. So it won’t be easy. This group of guys is as driven as any recent team and capable of great things too.
“Our senior leaders (Grant McGill and Calvin Vetter) look great. We are led by junior John Roth, who is the complete athlete: fast, hardworking, outstanding student, talented. Our girls our led by Kristen LaChapelle and Freya Christensen. Both are amazing athletes and perfect training partners.”
Petersen has his largest squad ever, more than 40 runners, which allows each runner to have a group of training partners.
Football update:
Scio is adapting well in its first year at Class 3A. The Loggers, the 2010 OSAA Class 2A champions and runners-up last season, are 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the PacWest. Scio’s lone loss was a 7-6 defeat against Dayton, last year’s Class 3A runner-up.
The Loggers faced undefeated Pleasant Hill on Sept. 28 and will host perennial PacWest power Santiam Christian on Oct. 11.
Regis is 2-2 heading into Friday’s Tri-River opener against Culver despite the turmoil of a coaching change. First-year coach Drew Carter was replaced after two games by offensive line coach Tom Beckett. Rams athletic director Don Heuberger described the move as a “personnel decision … that will remain confidential.”
Cascade was 4-0 heading into its Sept. 28 Oregon West opener at Newport. The Cougars, under first-year coach Steve Turner, who won a state Class 5A title last season at Mountain View of Bend, have defeated Banks, Crook County, Clatskanie and Sisters.
