By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

AURORA, Ore.–  The Lader Sisters of Adrie and Caile have been putting in the miles this Summer with the sport of Soccer.  Camps over the Summer before heading out to Spain with the Albion SC Portland 05 DLP team where they reached the Finals of the Albion Cup before falling in PK’s overseas.  The younger Lader, Caile who’s a junior, picked up an International assist as the duo returns to the North Marion pitch for one more season together.

Voted third in the initial OSAAToday Coaches poll, the Lader sisters hope to bring back their Summer success to a Huskie team that were on the verge of the 4A State Championship Game this past Fall.  The older Lader, Adrie, was a vocal voice during their intrasquad scrimmage at the end of practice Tuesday morning.

“It really brought our skill to a whole different level being in Spain.  All those girls we never played with, but they were so good and them being good helped us get better,” Adrie Lader describes.  “But it was also such a fun experience, all of us were so close in Spain so it brought Caile and I closer.  As teammates now we know how to pass to each other, we’re just better teammates.”

For North Marion, they’ve lost five girls from their 4A State Semifinalist team that includes Minga Huapeo, Tegan Welch and Mallory Pazter who were first-team Tri-Valley Conference selections at Forward, Defender and Goalkeeper respectively.  Adrie and Caile Lader were second and first-team selections respectively last season with Vanessa Valenzuela (second team midfielder) named to the TVC returning in 2022.  Not to mention others like Saylor Swanson, Sofia Vachter, Melanie Kirstein, Chloe Comerford and Domnikka Lyon also returning in a big returning core for North Marion looking to fill the void left behind by some big time seniors.

Communication will be key as they head to Nelson High School on Friday for their jamboree with the 3A/2A/1A State Runner-Up in Oregon Episocal to start the season on September 6 at North Marion High School.

“It’s going to be very important because Minga was our leading scorer, so we definitely need to step it up big-time and put goals in,” Adrie Lader said.”From Ally (Coulombe) in the back, telling us things that we can’t see and for us on top to talk to each other so we can make the right pass, the right runs and score as much as we can,”

“It’s good to have good communication, on any team.  As a goalie I can see the whole field, so it’s important for me to let them know what’s happening in the field,” adds Coulombe.

Coulombe admits stepping in for Pazter will be a daunting task.  As a senior last year Pazter and her defense allowed eight goals all year with 11 shutouts to their resume, Pazter is a freshman at Central Washington University this Fall, but Coulombe points to how the now-Wildcat freshman inspired her going into this season.

“It’s going to be hard for me because…talking is not my strong suit and Mal, that was her strong suit.  I’m going to try my best with that  this year,” Coulombe starts.  “She’s a big inspiration for me.  I was lucky to play with her.”

Their season-, and home-opener against OES will be one of two to start the year before North Marion hits the road for three-games that includes their Oregon West Conference-opener against Newport on September 22 before hosting Stayton on September 27 for their league home-opener.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald