Mid-Valley Sports

Got a chance to head out to Crescent Valley on Tuesday to watch a little soccer and catch up with the football team as they prepare to play their first home game of the year.

Check out my story on the soccer team’s 1-0 win over Beaverton.

I was impressed with the number of quality chances the Raiders to score. It easily could have been 3-0 in the first seven minutes. The Raiders looked solid in the first 20 minutes and completely dominated Beaverton but was only up 1-0 after Marissa Kovac’s goal in the 22nd minute.

But then Beaverton controlled play the last 10-15 minutes of the half. The players realized that at half and for the most part played well and kept the pressure on the Beavers in the second half.

Had any of those chances they had in the second half gone in, the Raiders would have blown the Beavers out. But time after time the ball found the woodwork and kicked away. Some of the crossbar shots were eerily reminiscent of the ones in the state championship game in 2006 when the Raiders had two kick away in the overtime periods. Of course, there was a lot less on the line Tuesday and the Raiders had the lead.

After watching Corvallis and CV play this year, I’ve got to give the edge at this point to the Raiders. CV looks pretty solid and has 12 returners from last year’s team that went 11-4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Of course, CHS is sure to improve as the season progresses and took a good step last night with a 3-0 win at South Eugene. Should be a good rivalry match in late October.

Since I said I give the early edge to the Raiders, I’m sure CV volleyball coach Corey Barton will tell soccer coach Andrew Donaldson that I have cursed his squad.

It seems that I am the one to blame for CV’s volleyball loss to Dallas on Tueday night in the Mid-Willamette Conference opener for both teams. I wrote a story previewing the MWC season and talked about how the Raiders feel confident at being in the hunt for more than just a playoff berth.

Then the Raiders went out and lost at Dallas. Barton told me when he phoned in the result that he liked the story but that I was to blame for the Raiders losing. He said he told the girls to blame me. I guess I will take blame for this one. Sorry girls.

I’m looking forward to catching the Raiders on the gridiron on Friday. Sure, it’s only Woodburn and the Raiders should win easily like they have the first two weeks, but it will be exciting to see them play once again at the Field of Dreams.

The Raiders were forced to play their “home” games at Reser Stadium after the first two weeks last year because the stands needed to be torn down. The new ones look pretty nice and the players are pumped to be playing at home.

“We’ve seen all the construction throughout the summer, it’s cool to see how it all got built up and it will be cool just to run out there and see our fans,” senior Colby Eason said.

I will have a story in Friday’s paper so check it out.

I’m also looking forward to attending a pre-game BBQ in the CV parking lot that my friend Peter Reed, a junior at CV, is helping put on.

But I’m really looking forward to seeing the Raiders take on Silverton the next week. That should be a better measuring stick for CV.

Check out the blog after the games on Friday for an update and photos from the Woodburn game.

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