By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

HILSBORO, Ore.– On paper, both Sister and Stayton are evenly matched.  Combined for a record of 29-0-3 and scoring 132 goals to allowing 21, you would expect a great game in the 4A OSAA Boys Soccer Title game at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.

But the youth of Stayton Boys Soccer caught up to them in the end as they’re second half rally was met by the foot of the Outlaws Malachy Sundstrom  in the 2-1 loss.

Eagles Head Coach Chris Shields admits that his team didn’t live up to their full potential in the loss as they didn’t step up until the second half of the match.

“We fought in the second half, we didn’t fight in the first half,” said Shields.  “We looked like a team who was scared, unsure of ourselves.  We didn’t go out there and give everything we needed to and we paid the price.”

For senior forward Ivan Navarro, in his last game in the Stayton Eagle uniform said that even though it was nice to be back in the finals, his team could’ve done better.

“It’s a great feeling to be back at the finals,” he said.  “In this game I feel like we didn’t start out as good as we wanted to and that kind of affected us a lot because they came out wanting it more than we did at the beginning.

“Towards the second half we woke up and start playing hungry and kept the ball more on their side (of the field).”

Down 1-nil after a Colton Mannhalter 22^nd minute goal entering the second half, the Eagles came out swinging at the fences and played with a sense of passion that wasn’t fully there in the first half.

Both Ivan and Freddie Navarro’s had shots at Ryan Funk, but would hit the crossbars numerous times as Sisters sent the ball back out to the midfield.

Stayton’s defense stepped up their game as they met the quickness of the Outlaws as the team tried to make up lost time around their opposition and around penalties.

The resiliency of the team would pay-off as Freddie Navarro will receive a pass from the midfield and ran down the field like a speedy running back to goal .

He pulls up around the goalie box and fires, and ties the ball game with 14 minutes to go.

But the quickness would have them looking as Sundstrom hit the game-winner with 11 minutes to go.

“They’re really fast up front,” said Alex Cramer.  “They’re really fast and our defense hasn’t had a quick team like that to challenge them.”

Freddie Navarro would have one last clean shot at goal four minutes later but once more found the crossbar as the Outlaws kept sending it back to field whenever the Eagles got close to goal as Sisters gave Stayton their first loss on the biggest stage.

Despite finishing second to the eventual champion for the second-straight year, Shields understands how frustrating it is but knows he’s happy to even have a chance for the Championship.

“I’m happy to be here,” he said.  “I’m always happy to be here, but what frustrates me is when we don’t play well.”

SCORE                   1              2              —             T

OUTLAWS           1              1              —             2

EAGLES                 0              1              —             1

GOALS- SISTERS- Mannhalter, C (22’).  Sundstrom, M (69’) STATYON- Navarro, A. (66’)

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!

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