By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The Blanchet Catholic-Salem Academy Boys Soccer game lived up to the hype on Tuesday evening at Salem Academy.
It had the physicality, the goals and the mental challenge you hope for this late in the season, with both teams in the heat of the league playoff hunt. The Cavaliers struck first in the first 20 minutes of the game, thanks to a Penalty Kick Goal by Tate Francisco.
Blanchet led 1-0 12 minutes in when Francisco scored his goal.
And the score remained unchanged into the second half. Both teams had their chances, as the game continued at a fast pace with opportunities developing at both ends. It was a track meet of sorts, with both teams chasing down loose balls and clogging passing and shooting lanes defensively to keep this one from turning into a shootout.
Salem Academy tied it up at one in the 48th minute, Matthew Dumanovsky scoring off a PK goal of his one. Blanchet pull back ahead nearly 20 minutes later when Jayonni Rojas Soto executed an offensive opportunity that put the Cavs back ahead 2-1 in the 65th minute. The goal acted like a second wind for Blanchet, who came out of the goal refreshed and ready to go.
“That’s just what brought us up. That’s how we started off and we never held back after that,” said Rojas Soto of the goal. “Just the intensity that we had (in the game). The intensity that we brought here, we made it through. We had each other’s back’s and that’s what made us power through.”
Fatigue began to sink in for the Crusaders as the game came to an end.
For a Salem Academy squad that came into the game undefeated, Salem Academy showed they belong alongside their nearby rival Blanchet at the 3A level, as they now look to rebound Thursday against Yamhill-Carlton with five games left in the regular season.
The boys executed well, I think they’re going to do fine,” said Salem Academy Head Coach John Crespin. “My boys did pretty well. I think if we keep executing what we’re doing over the next five games, we’re going to be victorious. “Nothing is going to change in our gameplan. Right now, we have to work on some injuries.”
Blanchet’s Henry Wort added an insurance goal for the Cavs in the 77th minute to help ice the 3-1 victory. With this game down against one rival, another one awaits for Blanchet in longtime Boys Soccer rival Dayton on Thursday at Blanchet Catholic.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
