New-look Lakeridge boys soccer tops Summit 2-1

Coming off its first state championship since 2016, the Lakeridge's boys soccer team has undergone a near-complete makeover.

The Pacers graduated nine starters, including five Three Rivers League first-team selections, among them the Player of the Year in Rafa Loyo and their leading scorer in forward Mauricio Loyo (18 goals).

But that doesn't mean that Lakeridge – ranked No. 2 in the OSAAtoday preseason Class 6A coaches poll – doesn't expect to make a run at defending its title. The new-look Pacers got started on the right foot on Tuesday, Sept. 3, coming from behind in the last 15 minutes to post a 2-1 win over visiting Summit, the reigning 5A champion.

Lakeridge coach Alan Cox called the opening win “a test of character.”

“It would've been easy to throw the toys out of the pram, and woe is me, but they didn't,” Cox said. “They dug deep, we made a few changes. They showed what they were capable of. It kind of proves that we can hang with anyone.”

Summit, No. 1 in the 5A coaches poll, struck first in the 30th minute when senior Gabe Lachman scored off an assist from senior KP Roskowski. The Storm, which played South Eugene - No. 6 in the Class 6A polls - to a scoreless draw in their season opener Friday, appeared ready to secure a big win.

But Lakeridge got the equalizer with 15 minutes left when junior Dominic Lemuz received a deep cross from junior Max Harris-Inman and looped a header over the goalkeeper and inside the back post.

The score stood 1-1 until the 77th minute, when Pacers freshman Jackson Romero took a through ball from junior Sarp Erdem and poked it past the Storm goalkeeper for a 2-1 lead. Romero got the game-winner in his first high school match.

“I put him on, told him to go make himself a hero, and he did,” Cox said.

Romero, the only freshman on Lakeridge's roster, is among the many young players that the Pacers are counting on this season.

“He's kind of been thrown into the deep end, but for good reason,” Cox said of the 5-foot-5 Romero. “He's tenacious, he's hard-working and he's got a sense of where the goal's at. He kind of proved me right. He's smaller, but he makes up for it with a ton of pace. He plays like he's 6 feet.”

Lakeridge has experience in the back line with two returning starters in seniors Westley Watts (17 assists last season) and Lucas Waarvick. They have the versatility to play multiple positions, giving Cox's lineup flexibility.

The Pacers lost their two all-league center midfielders in Rafa Loyo (nine goals) and Rollo Van Driesche (eight goals). Because of that much responsibility will fall on senior Enzo Morse – “He'll be a star as long as he's fit and available,” Cox said – and sophomore Pablo Spilk.

Sophomore forward Liam Kutella, who scored seven goals as a freshman, is among the team's many options on the front line.

“We're kind of passing the baton to him to become one of the leaders because of the quality he has and the presence he has on the field,” Cox said.

Sophomore Collin Cernitz and junior Olanda Tangkjaer, a transfer from Tualatin who is a training player with the Timbers Academy, shared time at goalkeeper Tuesday. They are vying to replace all-leaguer Dane Whipple.

“Last year, we were pretty established with what we had, and this year, we're not,” Cox said. “it's a nice new challenge. It's going to look young, but we've got a lot of talent.”