On Thursday night at Randall Stadium, two varsity high school soccer teams played an important game. For Milwaukie, it was about pride, and Wilsonville was fighting for survival.
The Milwaukie Mustangs were looking to get revenge on our Wildcats, as they lost to them 4-0 in their last varsity matchup the previous season. Although the Mustangs have a good program, they haven’t exactly been successful where it counts, as they are undefeated in non-league play but 2-3-1 in league play, putting them fifth out of nine in the Northwest Oregon Conference.
It’s a similar story for Wilsonville, as they started off their league play dominating their opponents 19 to 2 in four straight wins, and they lost their last two by one goal each to La Salle and Parkrose, currently in third in the conference. While it’s not certain who will get in the playoffs, as it is decided by computer, two Wilsonville wins and two La Salle losses would be helpful.
Before this, the junior varsity undercard took place between the same teams. It was a case of immovable vs. immovable objects, as neither team went through the first half and most of the second. Team manager Tennessee Connan was disappointed with their “low-energy” performance, which they were frequently warned about by their coaches.
However, midfielder Colton Froman would score to give the Wildcats the win in the game’s final moments.
The varsity game was similarly tense, with both teams playing tight defense. 19 minutes into the game, forward Alex Bautista-Vega found the net to put the Wildcats up 1-0, a lead they maintained for most of the game. Near the end, the Milwaukie Mustangs got several shots on the goal, which was well protected by senior Jack Hammond. However, with less than three minutes to go, Milwaukie snuck in a goal to tie the game.
Junior Bautista-Vega praised his team’s performance, but admitted they “shouldn’t have choked like that.”
The Wildcats’ playoff hopes remain to be seen, ultimately being decided next week against Centennial.