The Columbia River boys soccer program was happy to turn the page after a successful season ended in bitter defeat 10 months ago.
On Saturday evening, in its 2018 season-opener, the Chieftains looked the part of a team returning all 11 starters from squad that earned a top seed in the 4A state tournament as it beat nonleague opponent Camas convincingly 2-0 at Kiggins Bowl on a sunny spring day.
This year, the Chieftains are determined not to have their season end as it did last—being upset in penalty kicks in the first round of state.
And its first act was shutting out a Camas team is vying for a 20th consecutive state tournament appearance this season.
Fitting, considering the Chieftains’ entire starting back line returns from last season. Columbia River’s back line, which is comprised of three underclassmen, held firm.
“Since we already know each other and have that connection we can spend a lot less time getting meshed together and more time working on building out of the back,” Candler Bolte said.
Sophomores Jackson Kleier, Jacob Warthen and Alex Ashmore join Bolte, a returning All-Region defender, who is a senior.
Camas debuted its new-look offense, which relies on possession and ball movement as opposed to the attack-oriented through-ball-happy look its fielded for many years under former longtime coach Roland Minder.
And the Papermakers struggled to find clean looks at goal.
Much of that can be credited to River’s back line.
Midway through the first half Camas was called for a handball in the box and senior midfielder Jack Kolosvary scored the penalty kick to give the Chieftains a lead after their first goal of the season.
The Papermakers advanced the ball within range of scoring multiple times, but were limited in the clean looks they found.
Camas returns all but five seniors from a team that made the state quarterfinals a year ago. First-year coach Dan Macaya, who swapped roles with longtime head coach Roland Minder (now an assistant at Camas), was dealt a blow to the Papermakers’ roster when senior defender and Oregon State commit Dominic Fewel underwent season-ending ankle surgery last month.
The Papermakers are running a newly tooled offense, too.
In the final minute of the first half, River piled on.
Warthen scored, giving the Chieftians a 2-0 lead going into the half.
“After that goal we were hyped up and ready to come out harder than them (in the second half),” Warthen said.
But River coach Filly Afenegus warned his team in the locker room that a halftime lead can be a double-edged sword.
“It it takes a little bit of the pressure off, but at the same time you kind of worry about getting complacent, especially against a really good Camas team,” Afenegus said
With that, the fifth year coach challenged his team to win the first 20 minutes of the second half. Then, if the Chieftains accomplished that, it would alleviate the pressure during the last 20 minutes.
And that’s what the Chieftains did.
Camas did not score, despite a couple chances.
In the 55th minute, Camas forward Josh Schneider found space in the box with the ball at his feet, but his shot was saved.
