As impressive as Lakeridge has been to start the boys soccer season – racking up wins against teams ranked in the top 10 of the OSAAtoday coaches polls -- the Pacers knew that Monday night's nonleague game at reigning 6A champion Jesuit would be telling.
And they passed the litmus test, winning 2-1 to end the Crusaders' 31-game home unbeaten streak.
“Games against Jesuit serve as a benchmark because they're the team to beat every year,” Lakeridge coach Alan Cox said. “It's more than just a result, I think it was a statement of intent from us. We feel really, really good about it. They don't lose many games at home.”
By beating the No. 6 Crusaders (3-2-2), No. 1 Lakeridge improved to 6-0. It was the Pacers' third consecutive win over Jesuit, counting a 3-2 win in the 2023 state final and a 3-0 home victory last season.
“It's a big win for us,” Cox said. “We didn't really consider losing, though. We have a winning mentality at the moment.”
Lakeridge now has five wins over ranked opponents. The Pacers also beat 6A No. 8 McNary 2-1, 6A No. 5 McMinnville 2-1, 5A No. 2 Summit 5-1 and 5A No. 4 Woodburn 2-0.
For the third time this season, the Lakeridge spotted its foe the first goal and came back to win. Jesuit struck midway through the first half, but the Pacers answered in the next two minutes on goals by junior Pablo Spilk and sophomore Jackson Romero.
Down 2-1, the Crusaders turned up the heat late in the second half but Pacers junior goalkeeper Collin Cernitz was up to the task, making three saves that Cox branded “top quality.”
Romero's goal proved to be the winner. It was the team-leading seventh goal of the season for Romero, who scored five goals all of last season.
“He's just a bulldog,” Cox said of Romero. “The kid's got an eye for the goal. He loves being inside the 18-yard box. He'll do anything to get a shot on goal. He's one of our go-to guys.”
The Pacers once again showed their maturity by shaking off surrendering the game's first goal. With all but three starters back from last year's 6A quarterfinal team, Lakeridge is a seasoned squad.
“Going down, no one panicked,” Cox said. “Everyone knew there was still a long way to go. We're certainly capable of scoring goals. The kids we have in those areas are ruthless, and take the chances that they get.”
Senior midfielders Dom Lemuz and Max Harris-Inman are key to Lakeridge's attack. Romero and junior Zavier Lara (three goals this season) apply pressure up front, and Spilk directs traffic at center back.
“He's so cool and calm and collected on the ball,” Cox said of Spilk. “He does a really good job of organizing everyone in front of him.”
The Pacers still have three players that were reserves on the 2023 title team in Lemuz, Cernitz and junior forward Liam Kutella, a Timbers Academy member who has yet to play this season due to an injury. Kutella is likely to return next week.
The Pacers are encouraged by their play this season, but “aren't getting carried away with it,” according to Cox. Last year, they took the No. 1 seed into the state playoffs and lost 3-1 in the quarterfinals to Grant, ending a 15-game winning streak.
“We know that was a lack of experience,” Cox said. “We know what the problems were and we feel like equipped enough to deal with them this year.”
Lakeridge has four more games before entering Three Rivers League play. The Pacers have gone a combined 15-0 in the TRL the last three seasons.
Highlights from around the state:
Catlin Gabel, ranked No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 3A/2A/1A coaches poll, defeated No. 2 Oregon Episcopal 2-1 at home in a Special District 1 showdown Friday. Nolan Swaim scored in the 11th minute to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. OES got the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 69th minute, but Levi Whalen Stewart netted the game-winner in the 76th minute. The teams meet again at OES on Friday. … Jesuit won at 5A No. 1 La Salle Prep 3-2 in a battle of reigning state champions Sept. 15. Jet Perry scored a last-second goal for the win. The Crusaders tied McKay 1-1 at home Sept. 18. …
Stayton, No. 1 in 4A, has outscored its opponents 21-1 in a 4-0 start. Nick Pelayo, Noah Klampe and Isiah Dixon have scored three goals each for the Eagles. Klampe got two of his goals to help beat Seaside 5-0 on Sept. 9. … Freshman Lisandro Arizaga found the net with 12 seconds on the clock to give Eagle Point a 1-0 win over visiting Phoenix on Sept. 18. … Cleveland's Oscar Johnson provided the game-winner in a 1-0 home win over Sherwood on Sept. 16 and had two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win over visiting Centennial two days later. … Central Catholic knocked off 5A No. 3 West Albany 2-0 on Saturday at Delta Park, its third consecutive shutout. The Rams got goals from Jamaury Axley and Stellen Blomberg. …
Oregon Episcopal's Lincoln Weiler scored twice in the final six minutes to allow the Aardvarks to come back and win at Creswell 3-2 on Sept. 9. He assisted on the only goal in a 1-0 victory at McLoughlin on Sept. 13. … 5A No. 10 Wilsonville topped two 6A schools last week, beating Tualatin 1-0 and Oregon City 4-0, getting shutouts from goalkeepers Michael Candrian and Noah Spisak, respectively. Layne Wettstein scored the winner against Tualatin. Alex Bautista had two goals in the Oregon City game. … Douglas' Bryce Dahlenberg scored all four of his team's goals in a 9-4 loss at Gold Beach on Sept. 9. … Ashland, No. 9 in 5A, dominated 4A No. 6 Henley 6-1 at home on Sept. 15. Quillian Tourzan and Escher Paz each scored twice for the Grizzlies. …
No. 5 McMinnville defeated No. 2 Beaverton 3-0 at home Sept. 18 in a 6A nonleague match. Edwin Cuevas George had a goal and an assist for the Grizzlies, who also got goals from Jose Farias and Jovanni Olmedo. Cuevas George had McMinnville's goal in a 1-1 home tie with No. 3 West Linn on Sept. 16. … South Eugene got three goals from Mason Allenbaugh in routing North Medford 4-0 on the road Sept. 17. … Vinhy Tran had a hat trick and two assists as Banks dropped Gervais 8-0 on Sept. 16. … Riverside's Hugo Ceron had five goals in an 8-0 win at Nyssa on Sept. 13. Ceron added a hat trick to lift Riverside over visiting Baker on Sept. 18.
jerryu@osaa.org
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