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By JOHN TAWA/OSAAtoday
HILLSBORO — A season that started with tragedy ended in jubilation Saturday as Newport/Waldport, a self-styled “team of destiny” edged Cottage Grove, 2-1 in overtime, to win the OSAA 4A boys soccer state championship at Liberty High School.
Newport coach Ollie Richardson said that he believed his team, which was 7-5-5 last year, would win its first state title since back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017, from the first day of practice Aug. 14. That’s when sophomore Yael “Santi” Felix-Trejo collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where he died, reportedly from an undiagnosed medical condition.
“I feel like this was destiny to play at Liberty because it’s Santi’s season,” said Richardson. “The thing I love the most is every time they think of the championship in 2023 they’re always going to remember his spirit.”
“We won it for him and his family,” sophomore defender Diego Romero said.
While that memory supplies the emption to excel, it was talent, execution, hard work and perhaps a little luck that helped craft a championship run. Newport showed off its entire skillset Saturday to overcome a gritty, dangerous Cottage Grove team.
“We’ve been playing hard throughout the playoffs,” said Cottage Grove coach Jaime Urenda. “We’ve been down a goal in every game throughout the playoffs and came back. Same thing we did here.”
“I tip my hat to Cottage Grove,” Richardson said. “They played hard and were physical and deserved to be here.”
Each team scored its lone goal of regulation in the first 20 minutes of the opening half.
Fifteen minutes in, Newport’s Anthony Gonzalez, the team’s leading scorer and playmaker; settled a ball and passed to senior forward Sebastian Guzman, who took two dribbles and scored with a left foot.
Cottage Grove (14-3-1), which knocked off 2022 champion Ontario in the first round, answered almost immediately. A free kick from midfield made its way to Christian Gonzalez. He attempted a shot but didn’t strike the ball cleanly and it found Rogelio Soto-Cruz for the one-timer past surprised keeper Noah Martinson.
With the scored now knotted at 1-1, both teams went hunting for the go-ahead goal. Cottage Grove, a tall team, looked dangerous on throw ins from Williams and powerful free kicks from Carter Bengston, which were intended to, and did, wreak havoc in front of the Newport net.
More than once, it appeared that all that chaos would produce a Lion goal. In the 46th minute, Hayes Valley had a good look, but the tall midfielder headed the ball just over the bar. A few moments later, Williams’ long throw in found Tristyn Burnes’ toe, but his shot also was high.
Newport’s back line, featuring Romero, Brock Spink and Merak Krutzikowsky, along with keeper Martinson collaborated to thwart Cottage Grove time and again.
“I’m super proud of my defense for stepping up,” Richardson said.
Newport (15-1-2) also found that go-ahead goal to be elusive.
Twenty-four minutes into the first half, Cottage Grove keeper Jace Meyer punched out Ivan Hernandez’ in-swinging corner. Meyer made several more saves and got help from the post in the 50th minute to deny the Cubs.
Meyer’s best save probably came with less than five minutes left in regulation. Oliver Peralta’s free kick from 33 yards hit the ball and deflected towards the goal. Meyer was alert, leapt and poked the ball over the bar for an uneventful corner.
Cottage Grove also had a chance to win it late in regulation time. With 90 seconds remaining, Williams created a dangerous situation with a massive throw in. Emmanuel Rea got good pace on the ball, but his left-footed shot skimmed just wide of the goal.
The go-ahead goal came courtesy of Newport midfielder Ivan Hernandez two minutes into overtime.
The senior recounted what happened:
“I received the ball into the box. I take a touch. I see that I have space and just rip one at the goalie and it knuckles and goes in. I’ve been thinking about this since the last time Newport won state. It felt like the best moment in my life scoring that goal.”
“Ivan hit a great shot got it past the keeper,” Richardson said. “We had a lot of chances to finish. We made it happen when we needed to.”
Cottage Grove still had 18 minutes to get the equalizer and almost got it immediately. During a scrum in front of the Newport goal, a Cottage Grove player sent a shot past the keeper. It was ticketed for the center of the goal, but instead found Romero standing there.
The sophomore cleared the ball off the line.
“Nothing goes over the line,” Romero said. “That’s my job. It’s crazy. We could have been tied.”
Time can stand still when a team is protecting a lead. Newport’s players said the last 18 minutes of overtime seemed to crawl by. Cottage Grove was not able to threaten in the second overtime, as Newport’s defense played big in front of Martinson and cleared trouble away when needed.
“Coming into this game I’ve never felt more confident with a team that had everything it took to win the title,” Richardson said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of everything we had to deal with throughout the whole season from the first day of practice dealing with a tragedy. The way these boys have responded and peaked at the right time to bring the title back to Newport is amazing. The word I put on it is ‘Destiny.’ This season our destiny was to play at Liberty and win the title.”