At 19-0-0 and outscoring opponents 100-6 in those matches, there’s still work to be done by Columbia River’s boys soccer team.
Yes, Tuesday’s 3-1 district semifinal victory over W.F. West clinched a Class 2A state tournament berth, but coaches stressed to players post game the performance was good, but not good enough.
So, what more can they do?
“We can always play better,” senior defender Hunter Cunningham said. “There’s always something we can improve on. We’re never going to play perfect.”
Junior midfielder JP Guzman explains into more detail from Tuesday’s result.
“We could’ve fixed our touches a bit more,” he said, “and I don’t feel we could’ve played as well as we wanted to.”
Still, a win is a win, especially in a winner-to-state match. With a 2A state berth in hand, River now looks ahead to Thursday defending its district title hosting Aberdeen, a 1-0 winner over Tumwater in its semifinal. Game time will be finalized Wednesday.
All goals scored against the Bearcats from Chehalis came in the first half by both teams. Alex Harris notched a hat trick — career goals Nos. 121, 122 and 123 — that gave the Rapids a 3-1 halftime lead.
The goal W.F. West (10-6-1) scored in the 20th minute off a set piece by Damian Hernandez. It was just the sixth goal allowed by River’s defense this season. It has posted 13 shutouts and hasn’t allowed more than one goal in a match.
For as good as the Rapids’ offense is behind Harris at striker, the defense is just as impressive. River has posted 13 shutouts and hasn’t allowed multiple goals in any match.
What’s the secret to that success? Cunningham said it begins with chemistry. A number of players have experience on the high school and club soccer teams together.
We’re fluid with each other (center backs and outside backs),” Cunningham said. “We trust each other to pass and make passes that are dangerous. If one guy fails, other guys have their backs and that’s what’s made our defense so strong this year.”
Players said W.F. West, the second-place team out of the 2A Evergreen Conference, was perhaps the toughest opponent they’ve faced since a 2-1 nonleague victory over 4A Skyview. In fact, W.F. West and Skyview tied 0-0 in late April. Their skill set and style of play was a welcoming test as the Rapids gear up for what they hope is a deep postseason run. The Rapids went undefeated into the 2022 state semifinals before dropping their first — and only match — of the season. That team placed third at state.
“I feel like we all knew this game would be harder than any other game in our league,” Guzman said. “We were preparing for how intense it would be.”
Cunningham crested the Bearcats’ intensity and energy in the second half — holding the Rapids off the scoreboard the final 40 minutes.
“They came to fight and play,” he said. “It’s good to play these teams from up north to get us ready to play teams at state.”
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COLUMBIA RIVER 3, W.F. WEST 1
Columbia River
Goals (assist) — Alex Harris (unassisted), Harris (JP Guzman), Harris.
Goalkeeper saves — Cameron Harris, 3.
Halftime score — 3-1
