By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
TURNER, Ore.– First-year Cascade High School Boys Soccer coach Matt Dillon knows a thing or two about soccer.
Since his middle school years, he lived in the world of football. In High School at nearby Crosshill Christian, he helped the Eagles to a 39-15-4 record and a 3-1 record in the 1A State Playoffs.
In 3A/2A/1A Boys soccer, there’s a specific 1A conference for that lower classification. Crosshill was 1A until 2024.
“It means everything my entire life. I love soccer. My wardrobe in Middle School was soccer. Soccer jerseys, sweatpants, and some neon indoor shoes. It’s been my whole entire life and not only being able to teach at a school and be in the community, but be able to coach and see these guys in the hallway, it’s been really good,” said Dillon.
Dillon has the Cougars 3-1 on the year, matching already their win-total from last year going into Oregon West Conference play on Thursday. They only graduated two from that squad going into this season. Julian Cabrera has been on fire for Cascade with five goals in the last two games, seven on the season. PJ Cuarteros has been the Swiss Army Knife for the squad, going from Defensive Midfielder, Center Back, Outside Back, and helping out the Cougs where they need him.
It’s a perfect puzzle said Dillon. The offense was there against Junction City in the season-opener, an own-goal and an unlucky bounce off the goal post with forty seconds remaining that doomed Cascade against Klamath Union. The one goal that they conceded against 5A Thurston on Tuesday was off a PK as Cascade has just blended together with the new coaching staff.
“It’s hard to put on any one guy. It’s a perfect puzzle. They play well together, they have that good chemistry. They’re the best buds in school, but when they get out there, everything clicks for them,” Dillon said.
Now it’s the real fun: The OWC League Season. They’ll still have to account for rival Stayton, Philomath and North Marion, all three were 4A State Playoff teams last year with Stayton falling in the 4A State Semi’s and North Marion falling in the 4A State Finals.
“With those guys, one of them being in the State Championship last year, all three of them going into the playoffs, this is a tough conference,” Dillon said. “But these guys want the tough challenges. They don’t want cheese ball games that we’re skating through. They want the hustle, and they want the grind, and I think that’s what made the difference for them this year. They see that potential in themselves, and it’s starting to look through.”
Oregon West Conference play starts for the Cougars on Thursday night at Stayton with a 6pm kickoff.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
