Campuzano’s goal in the 53rd minute breaks the tie at 1 in the men’s non-league soccer match
In a hard-fought battle, Eagle Point was able to score the decisive goal midway through the second half and knock off host Phoenix for a 2-1 men’s soccer victory Tuesday at Jack Woodward Stadium.
Game start time was pushed back an hour to 7pm to help with extreme heat conditions.
“The boys played hard,” said Phoenix head coach Chris Gallegos, whose team is ranked sixth in Class 4A. “I did this schedule for a reason, to play tough games before we start conference play. Every game it feels like we have a target on our back, no matter who we play, whether it’s 6A, 5A or 4A, they all want to win- every game where we’re at, so I just tried to say that. It’s going to be tough for the kids every game and we just have to be ready for it.”
Class 5A Eagle Point (1-0) was certainly ready for the game on the Phoenix-Talent Rising Field turf, getting a goal six minutes in on a shot into the center of the box by Jameson Struble.
Daniel Palomino almost had an answer for Phoenix (0-2) later in the first half with a 32-yard rocket of a free kick that was handled well by goaltender Trenton Silani, who disallowed an effort from rebound as he dropped to his knees to make the save.
In the 32nd minute, however, the Pirates’ constant pressure finally paid off when Erik Reyes-Medina’s cross was cleared by the Eagles but not far enough. Phoenix was able to send the ball back to Jenner Selden, who settled the ball and flipped a pass to sophomore Victor Peral and followed it up with a driving shot inside the near post for the tie. .
The score remained 1-all until the 53rd minute when Eagle Point was finally able to rally. Cesar Campuzano sent a low, dipping free kick over the wall of Phoenix defenders from 20 yards out, and with Struble coming forward as if to redirect the shot, Pirates goalie Julius Bolstad had his momentum flowing next to the corridor.
Unfortunately for Bolstad and the Pirates, the ball was left intact and he tried to go back with his left hand, but it was too late as Campuzano fell short of the go-ahead goal.
The Pirates tried to respond in vain, with Selden’s spinning effort in the waning seconds just bouncing past Silani and out of bounds as time expired.
“We couldn’t finish tonight, it was just a little bit of bad luck,” Gallegos said. “They literally had a real shot on goal. We had 12 but we couldn’t bury the ball in the back of the net. We just couldn’t do it. We had so many chances and we just couldn’t do it tonight, but we’ll get there, we’re working hard”.
Gallegos credited junior center Dominic Crenshaw with a subdued performance against several of the Eagles’ top players.
SOUTH MEDFORD 2, ROSEBURG 0: In Roseburg, sophomore Alexie Reyes scored one goal and assisted on the other as South Medford came alive in the second half to defeat Roseburg in the Southwest Conference opener.
Kyle Denn put the Panthers (1-1, 1-0 SWC) on the scoreboard in the 57th minute from about 25 yards out at the top of the box on an assist from Reyes. Moments later, after recovering the ball in Roseburg territory (0-1-1, 0-1-0), Reyes dribbled and buried a shot of his own from about 30 yards out to put the game out of reach .
Center Andrew Opperman anchored the Panthers’ defense, while goaltender Silvano Pineda made four saves.
The Panthers’ midfield play was also excellent with Eloy Saucedo, Steven Calvillo and Felix Valenzuela leading the way.
GRANTS PASS 2, NORTH MEDFORD 1: In Grants Pass, North Medford junior Matt Donovan got a nice pass off a break deep into Black Tornado territory and with a deft touch found some space on the left sideline and went rip a low close shot just inside the post and under the goal. arm of the Grants Pass goalie to give North a 1-0 lead in the final four minutes of the first half.
In the second half, however, Grants Pass tied it on a smart 15-yard shot from the left side by Porter Boersma about eight minutes into the half. Shortly after, Boersma sent a corner into the area that Pedro González was able to sneak into an open space and send a header into the net.
North Medford fell to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in Southwest Conference play, while GP moved to 1-0 in both.
CRATER 8, MAZAMA 0: In Klamath Falls, senior Cooper Hopkins scored a hat trick for Crater and freshman Trevor Wilkerson added two goals as the Comets were able to tie the game in the 71st minute on the mercy rule.
Bennett Palodichuk, Jesse Ruvalcaba and Nevan Quirke also scored to lead Crater (1-0-1).
Girls
NORTH MEDFORD 1, STEP 1 GRANT: North Medford sophomore Olivia Boger scored on a header off an Isabella Driskell corner to tie the game with nine minutes to play at Bowerman Field.
Grants Pass had broken a scoreless tie about eight minutes earlier when Ava Hickman took advantage of some defensive miscommunication and was able to get the ball to Mia Thompson. After a couple of dribbles, Thompson sent a left-footed cross into the goal under pressure and was able to slip under the hands of goalkeeper Margaret Hamlin.
The Black Tornado (1-1-1, 0-0-1 SWC) continued to press until the end, with a Boger shot just inside the box deflected by a Caver (1-0-1, 0-0- 1) when time was running out. .
CRATER 2, MAZAMA 0: At Central Point, Crater’s Kamdyn Johnson helped pressure Mazama early with a goal in the third minute as the Comets earned their first win of the season in non-conference competition.
Johnson’s goal was assisted by Ella Heppner and Joslyn Sizemore gave the Comets (1-2-1) a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute with a shot that found the back of the net with a startup by Emma Bohn.
Senior center Emma Stanley took command of Crater’s back line and helped keep Mazama’s offense at bay.
EAGLE POINT 2, PHOENIX 1: At Eagle Point, Phoenix took an early lead, but Eagle Point, in its season debut, was able to outscore the Pirates with two second-half goals and claim the non-conference affair.
Sophomore Carsyn Gallegos pounced on a bounced shot off the goalie and drilled it into the back of the net to put the Pirates (0-2) up 1-0 in the eighth minute.
The Eagles (1-0) scored with the tying goal in the 45th minute and took the lead in the 51st minute.
With about 20 seconds remaining, the Pirates were setting up a corner kick that would have given them a chance to tie the game but were unable to make the shot before time expired.
Junior goalie Jayden Vos turned in a solid night for the Pirates with 10 saves.
CASCADE CHRISTIAN 7, LOST RIVER 1: In Klamath Falls, Cascade Christian broke a 2-1 deficit with five second-half goals to win in the Challengers’ season opener played at Steen Sports Park.
Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune Eagle Point goalie Trenton Silani gets away from Phoenix’s Jenner Selden during the first half at Phoenix High School on Tuesday evening.
Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune Eagle Point’s Jeremiah Cordle goes up for the ball during the first half at Phoenix High School on Tuesday evening.
Andy Atkinson / Mail tribune Phoenix’s Cielo Marlia-Larsen goes up for a header over Eagle Point’s Jameson Struble during the first half at Phoenix High School on Tuesday evening. Jameson Struble
Jameson Struble by Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneEagle Point scores a goal during the first half at Phoenix High School on Tuesday evening.
