Sweet Home’s girls have yet to get very offensive in soccer, but it’s coming, Coach Ramiro Santana said after the Huskies lost 8-0 to Stayton and 6-0 to Lebanon last week.
“The girls are starting to get a lot of the things we are practicing,” he said of his team, which had scored one goal going into this week. “We’re getting better at it. As coaches, we know it’s happening.
“Every game they’re getting better and better, even though the score doesn’t show it that much.”
Stayton showed its speed against the Huskies, especially sophomore defender Alissa Humphreys, who was No. 2 in the 100 and 200 last spring in the Oregon West district championships as a freshman, and senior forward KJ Nyquist, who was No. 3 in the district 100.
“Stayton was quick, but I don’t think they beat us by moving the ball. They beat us by getting to the ball first,” said Santana, adding that he is still working with his team, moving people around.
Against the Eagles, he moved senior forward Torree Hawken back to center fullback to help defend against Stayton’s speed.
Lebanon was fast too, and players’ club experience showed in the Warriors’ 5-0 win.
Santana moved Hawken back again, after Lebanon had scored a couple of quick goals early on.
“She’s the only one who has that speed,” Santana said.
He credited goalie Moira Curtis with some big saves in goal.
“She did a great job,” he said. “She stopped a lot of balls.”
Lebanon led 3-0 at halftime, which, Santana said, showed his team was playing them “well.”
Sweet Home had its chances. Natalie Rodgers got a good shot in the first half and then followed up with a “great” one at the end, he said.
“We didn’t give up. I was pretty impressed with all our girls, even though I am still moving them around, trying to figure out how to get better.
“We were playing a 5A school there. They have the players.”
The Huskies are becoming more aggressive in going after balls and challenging the offense, he said. Also, communication is improving.
“It was a good game. If we had played that way against Stayton, it would have been different. I think we played them better than the score looks.”
The Huskies (0-3, 0-4-1) have worked their way through the three best teams in the league and now will travel to Cascade (0-2-1, 0-3-1) on Tuesday, Sept. 24, then host Sisters (1-2-1, 0-3-1), a 2-1 winner at home against Newport, on Thursday, Sept. 26.