Axemen await for history-making Grizzlies.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

SOCCER

There was good news and bad news for the McMinnville boys soccer team this week.

The good news was that for the first time in school history, the Grizzlies advanced past the second round of the OSAA Class 6A state playoffs with back-to-back wins over North Salem and Clackamas.

And the bad news? They are now faced with a road trip to battle top-ranked South Eugene today at 5:30 p.m.

`We're praying for a miracle,' McMinnville coach Joe Crabtree said. `We know South Eugene is the No. 1 team in the state, and we're just lucky to get an opportunity to be on the same field with them.'

The undefeated Axemen (15-0-0) have certainly been dominant this season.

Thus far, they have outscored their opponents by a 73-4 margin, allowed just one goal in the Southwest Conference and had five seniors earn first-team all-league honors: midfielder Aden Farina-Henry (MVP), forward Joe Claycomb, defender Casey Webber, midfielder Cody Perlmeter and goalie Brian Rowe.

South Eugene, which has played in five state championship matches dating back to 1977, won the state title outright in 1998 with a 3-2 overtime victory over Jesuit, and tied Sheldon 1-1 in 2002 for a co-championship.

Most observers point to the Axemen as the favorites to reach the championship match for a sixth time this year. The Grizzlies (15-1-1), who finished tied for sixth in the 6A poll, will do their best to prevent that from happening.

McMinnville is led by all-state senior forward Frankie Lopez, the Pacific Conference MVP, who has tallied 27 goals this year, including four in an 8-2 romp over North Salem in the first round of the playoffs. Senior Juan Gavidia and freshman Jonathan Flores received first-team all-league honors.

`We'll have to look to shut down Lopez,' South Eugene coach Collin McMillen said. `He's very fast and quick to the ball. ... The key for us is to play with patience. If we can continue to get the early (goal) and stay on top, we'll be good.'

The Marist boys are back in the playoffs after a rare one-year absence with a home match at noon today against Gladstone (12-4), the No. 3 seed out of the Capital Conference.

It has been an uphill climb for the Spartans (7-6-2), who didn't win a nonleague match, but finished strong as the No. 2 seed out of the Sky-Em League. They notched a rain-soaked 2-1 win over Brookings in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

Marist is one of the youngest teams in the playoffs, with six sophomores and one freshman in the starting lineup.

They have an experienced defense, however, with senior defenders Brian Burns and Marcus Baxter both earning first-team all-league recognition, along with sophomore midfielder Nick Daniel, who led the team in scoring, and sophomore midfielder Jack Pennington, who led in assists.

Marist co-head coach Parker Nehl pointed to midfielder Gabe Schepergerdes as the leader of the talented sophomore class, while freshman Steven Haga has played through a separated shoulder and fractured wrist.

`We're a young team, and we make young mistakes sometimes,' Nehl said. `I don't know how many people would have guessed that we would be in the quarterfinals. We're happy to be in the playoffs, but we're also excited about the future.'

The Willamette girls are thrilled to be in the playoffs.

The Wolverines (10-3-2), the No. 2 seed out of the Midwestern League, opened the 5A state playoffs with a 4-0 win at Marshall. They will play host to Intermountain Conference champion Bend (13-0-2) at 1 p.m. today.

`I like the energy and enthusiasm that our girls are showing,' Willamette coach Johanna Henry said. `We know we're playing a tough team, but we're sky high right now and ready to take on anybody.'

The Wolverines are paced by first-team all-league seniors Marianne Bricker and Sarah Leonard.

The Lava Bears had five seniors earn first-team honors, including league MVP Kaitlyn Tebbs, 2004 state cross country champion Kimber Mattox, Becky Scholz, Tina Amberg and Rachel Harding.

Bend's only two blemishes this year were 2-2 ties against Corvallis and Crescent Valley, who are both still alive in the 5A quarterfinals.

Also today, Midwestern League champion Churchill travels to Sherwood for a 1 p.m. contest in the 5A boys state quarterfinals.

The Lancers (11-2-2) beat Madison 2-1 in the first round, while the Bowmen (11-7-0), the No. 4 seed from the Northwest Oregon Conference, have knocked off The Dalles-Wahtonka and Ashland.

The Sky-Em League champion Marist girls (12-1-2) travel to Grants Pass High School for a noon match against North Valley (12-3-0), the No. 2 seed from the Skyline Conference.