By Jeremy McDonald

STAYTON, Ore. — OSAA 4A Number One Boys Soccer Team in Stayton had a slow start to their Oregon West Conference game against Yamhill-Carlton Thursday afternoon.

But all it took was 27 minutes for the young Eagles (9-0-2, 5-0-2 OWC)  squad to warm up as they took a 6-0 lead into halftime and took the game 7-0 to continue their undefeated season.

“Our issues are we’re returning two starters (this year), I have a bunch of guys who played off the bench that are starters this year,” explained Stayton Head Coach Chris Shields on the slow start.  “I think we understand what it takes, they just don’t always go out and always execute.

They look to 14 All-State selection Ivan Navarro who opened up the scoring in seventh-minute and was followed up by a 13th minute goal by brother and 2014 First Team All Conference Alfredo “Freddy” Navarro.

The goals were sprinkled around a slow start with shot selection.

“We came out really, really slow.  Low intensity, that’s how our team is,” said Freddy Navarro.  “As soon as the game starts, we start to warm up and then we start to play our own game.  Control the whole game.”

Ivan Navarro would be the spark plug of the Eagle Engine by the 27th-minute with his second goal, good for the “Brace-feat”

Alex Cramer followed the goal a minute later with a goal of his own.

Ivan wasn’t done yet as six minutes later he would complete the Hat Trick of goals in the 34th minute as Stayton led 5-0.

“It’s been our issue all year,” said Shields on the first half.  “When we create legitimate 30, 40, 50 chances on goal and we get five or six (goals).  Against Casacade when they came back, had a miracle and tied it up with ten seconds left.  With the talent that we have, we should be good.”

Eric Rockwell tacked on one more goal a minute later as the Eagles entered halftime 6-0.

“Once we get into the game, we have to let them wake us up,” explained Ivan Navarro on the slow start.  “They have to start shooting on target and get us worried and get us (to) wake up, trying to play with intensity.”

Yamhill-Carlton came out for the second half playing aggressive fútbol with their strikers and attackers, something you would not expect with them being down by six.

However, the Tigers slowed down as Stayton neutralized the attack as the Eagles backups received some action 10 minutes into the second half.

Jose Gomez scored the first goal of the second half in the 58th minute, and that proved to be the only goal in the second 40 minutes of action.

“They have a bright future,” said Ivan.  “It’s a young team out there playing and they’re practicing together right now.  They’ll learn how to connect, score and figure it out.”

Up next for Stayton is No. 3 North Marion (10-0-1, 6-0-1 OWC) in Aurora Tuesday afternoon.  The Huskies defeated Philomath 7-1 Tuesday and the game is setting up for who will win the OWC.  Kickoff at 4pm.

SCORE LINE                       1          2          —  T

TIGERS                                 0          0          —  0     

EAGLES                               6          1          —  7

GOALS— STAYTON– Navarro, I.  3- (7’, 27’, 34’).  Navarro, A.  (13’).  Rockwell (35’).  Gomez (58’).

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!