Boys soccer limits league foes to one goal

The boys soccer teams posted two big victories this past week: a 4-1 win at home against Elmira on Tuesday, September 23, and a 7-1 victory over Junction City at home two days later.

Elmira jumped out early in Tuesday's match-up and scored in the first 10 seconds off a breakaway. The ball was deflected and then played behind the defense for a one-on-one with keeper Ryan Funk. Funk made the save, but the ball deflected back to the forward, who tapped it in.

Coach Rob Jensen told The Nugget that goal really fired up the Outlaws, and from that point on Sisters dominated play in all aspects of the game.

Malachy Sundstrom evened the score in the 39th minute when he hit a banger from 30 yards out.

Sisters had numerous scoring opportunities in the second half.

In the 45th minute, Jadon Bachtold took an assist in the middle from Andreas Pederson, and from the center, made an easy 14-yard shot to the right side.

Six minutes later, Connor Schaab rounded the corner on the right side, beat several defenders, and crossed the ball on an angle to Pederson for an easy goal right up the middle.

The Outlaws scored their final goal at the 64-minute mark. Minam Cravens rounded the corner on the outside and crossed the ball in the air to Sundstrom, who rainbow-volleyed the ball off his heel to the goal where Bachtold headed it in near the goal-line.

Jensen said, "Overall, we played some of the best soccer we have all year. The ball movement was much improved and the communication was excellent. The guys are really coming into form. When we are full strength it will be a lot of fun to watch.

"Andreas (Pederson) and Jadon (Bachtold) played really well, and the defense of Ben Larson, Casey Lane, Gabe Willitts, and Tristan Kaczmarek really owned the backfield and created many opportunities on the front end."

Sisters recorded 10 shots on goal - four that hit the post.

Two days later, the Outlaws beat Junction City at home in Sisters.

The Outlaws scored two goals in the first half and held a 2-0 advantage at the half.

Minam Cravens scored the first goal at the 10-minute mark. Jadon Bachtold passed the ball near the right post to a streaking Cravens, who hit a sliding two-yard power shot into the net. Thirteen minutes later, a ball deflected to the middle of the 18-yard box, and Andreas Pederson knocked it into the upper-right side for the goal.

Sisters scored on a corner play to start their second-half scoring. The ball was deflected by Justin Harrer, and Cravens was there to follow it in.

In the 48th minute, Cravens saved a ball just wide of the right side of the goal by the touchline, and played it back on a 45 to Jadon Bachtold, who finished with an easy goal. Two minutes later, Cravens played a ball back to the middle to Pederson, who beat the keeper on a one-on-one for another easy goal.

Sisters' final goals came within two minutes of each other; one at the 67-minute mark and one at 69. Ethan Stengel had his shot deflected by the goalie, and Bachtold followed it in to score, and Malachy Sundstrom beat several defenders and laid the ball off from the right side to Stengel, who scored from 12 yards out.

JC scored their lone goal on a breakaway with 10 minutes left on the clock.

"Minam (Cravens), Andreas (Pederson), and Jadon (Bachtold) obviously had big games, but the overall energy was created through a team effort. I feel as though we are playing with 14 or 15 starters and are not losing anything by going to our bench. This team is showing tremendous growth," said Jensen.

"JC was the toughest league opponent we've faced, and I think we figured out some things offensively. I think we still have a lot to work on, but we will continue to improve over the course of league play."

The Outlaws were to play at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, September 30. Sisters will face Sutherlin at home on Thursday, October 2.