By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

AURORA, Ore.–  The regular season for the North Marion High School Boys Soccer team can be looked as an successful one.

Finishing 11-1-1 overall, 8-1-1 in the Oregon West Conference and a game out of the top spot to eventual champions Stayton, the Huskies Head Coach Rafeal Pelaez is happy with his squad this year.

“Well I think every coach’s thoughts during a season would have to be the team trying to improve their level and work hard always thinking that we have opponents as the Stayton team,” said Pelaez on the season.

North Marion is entering the OSAA 4A playoffs as the third-seed in the field of 16, but won’t know who their opponent is until Saturday’s play-in games are completed.

Pelaez has reminded his team that their expectations are always high despite not being the number one seed in the field.

“Our expectations are always the highest,” he said.  “I think every coach should always think they have a chance to get into the playoffs and we always think we can win every game, sometimes we do, sometimes we are  not.

Pelaez also added that for his team to get better and to repeat as champions at the 4A level is to find some consistency in their game and not to have so many highs and lows out on the field.

The trick now, as the Huskies have a week in between games, is to stay fresh and challenge themselves while they wait for their next opponent; whoever it may be.

“Well I think it’s always like that because during the first round of the season also do not know how it will play every team,” said Pelaez.  “You maybe a little different in the playoffs because teams after ten games are much improved and play much stronger.”

Regardless who North Marion is lining up against on Tuesday afternoon at home, Pelaez’s message is the same:

Not to worry about what the other team is doing and worry about what you can do.

“I think we should not think about what the other team will be able to do, we should worry us as we are able to do.”

Watch the OSAA brackets Saturday night and Sunday to see who the Huskies are playing!

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!