By Steve Ritchie
The Stayton High School boys’ soccer team has something to celebrate – being the 2010 OSAA 4A soccer state champions.
The team’s journey began with winning its round one game with a 3-0 score against North Bend High School.
In the quarterfinals match on Nov. 13, Stayton defeated Phoenix High School, 2-1. In the semifinal match, the Stayton team pulled off an upset by beating McLoughlin, 1-0.
In a close match for the state title on Nov. 20, Stayton scored a late goal on a penalty kick to edge Hidden Valley 1-0 and win the OSAA 4A state championship.
The Eagles finished the season 17-1, with the record’s only blemish a mid-season loss to league rival Central High School.
Stayton and Hidden Valley High schools were quite evenly matched throughout the contest, played at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.
With both teams scoreless in the fourth quarter, it appeared the match was headed for overtime.
However, in the last minute of play, Stayton’s Jose Ramirez was fouled in the box and the referee awarded a penalty kick to the Stayton High Eagles.
Sophomore Richard Gomez was called on to take the kick, and he confidently put it past the goalkeeper’s reach.
Earlier in the match, Stayton’s goalkeeper Rolando Garcia deflected a Hidden Valley penalty kick to keep it scoreless, and set the stage for Gomez’s goal.
Gomez also scored the only goal in Stayton’s semi-final 1-0 victory over McLoughlin, which was the top-ranked 4A team in the state entering the playoffs.
Stayton outshot Hidden Valley 11-9 during the championship match, and had five shots on goal versus Hidden Valley’s four shots.
Gomez and Hidden Valley’s Richard Kellogg were named players of the game.
In the Oregon West Conference for boys’ soccer, Stayton’s Jose Ramirez was named Player of the Year, while the Eagles’ Chris Shields was named Coach of the Year after winning the league title at 9-1 and going 17-1 overall. Rolando Garcia, Jaime Tenorio, Isidro Topete and Martin Navarro were named to the first team; Javier Topete, second team, and Guillermo Diaz and Carlos Tiznado, honorable mention.
