By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
STAYTON, Ore.– The Stayton Girls Soccer team kicked off the 2026 season by hosting a jamboree on Thursday morning.
They were the first game out, going up against Blanchet Catholic. Their offense and midfielder’s pushed tempo and put pressure on the young Cavalier defense that they were facing.
Stayton, coming off a 5-7-2 season under then first-year Head Coach Daniel Curiel, entered this year looking to build off that foundation entering Curiel’s second year.
The goal: Playoffs.
“It’s driving us a lot, we have a really good set of girls,” starts Destyne Adams. “I feel like it comes back to how well we work with each other and we’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time. We come out here and we’re having fun and getting after it.”
“Our defense is pretty good. Working on offense, looking for each other and getting to the goal efficiently,” adds Karley Dessieux. “It was Danny’s first season last season, so we’re getting into a rhythm. We all know what’s happening, we’re all looking to improve and try to get into the playoffs this year.”
For those Cavs, they have a young-ish team as they look to rebuild their defensive backline and their midfielders. So the challenge that the Eagles gave to them right off the bat was a good test for them as they kicked off the season.
With names like Bella Vargas, Gigi Orozco and Kenzie Lazarus returning, Blanchet’s looking towards those three and those returning with them to step up as leaders.
“It’s huge, especially with the majority of the kids who are in the backline right now are new. But the strength that they showed and the discipline that they showed, is what helped them work with each other. The thing about these girls, they’re not afraid to talk to each other and support each other in the back and I think that’s the difference,” said Blanchet Head Coach Tina Pearsons about her backline. “Our midfield too is very young and what they did today was pretty phenomenal to see. Some good communicating, some good passing. We had some opportunities to get it up top and that’s what we’re building off of.”
In the game after the Blanchet-Stayton game, North Marion took on Westside Christian. In a similar boat as the Cavaliers, the 4A Huskies are going to be a young squad returning just Victoria Valenzuela and Marisol Bonser as returning starters from last year’s 4A State Playoff team. The two will be expected to be big offensive components for North Marion after the graduation of Paige Cumerford and Bethany Dunn last Fall.
It was the first time that North Marion were able to go 11v11 and the scrimmage against the 3A/2A/1A Eagles before facing Stayton to close out the jamboree gave their young squad, with 13 underclassmen on their roster. Westside tested the Huskies, like Stayton did with Blanchet, the 3A Eagles did the same with North Marion, pressure from their midfield on up to their forwards, testing the Huskies freshman backline that held up pretty strongly in their first game of High School ball.
“With the freshman coming in. Ruby (Foster) looked pretty good out there, she’ll keep on getting better. Both my center back, they’re both freshmen, they’re doing ok back there,” said North Marion Head Coach Ben Bonser after the Westside scrimmage. “We’ll get there. A lot of growth this season.”
The Huskies will open the season September 3 against Gervais/Kennedy at home. Stayton opens the season September 1 at Estacada and Blanchet will open the season Monday against Gervais/Kennedy at home..
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
