John Michaels
IVN Contributing Writer
Illinois Valley High School sports teams had some notable performances tempered with some losses.
Boys Soccer
The boys soccer won their only game of the week, defeating Cascade Christian 4-0 in a District 5 match Thursday in Cave Junction.
Josh Wood got things started for I.V. with a goal early in the first half. On Senior Day, senior Servando Vargas served up the assist on Wood’s goal. In a special moment for the Cougar faithful, Wood scored the second goal for Illinois Valley with an exceedingly rare goalie assist from his brother, senior Tim Wood. The Wood brothers were playing their last game together on the I.V. field, as the family is moving to California shortly after the season is over.
Senior Manny Taylor increased the lead to 3-0 with yet another assist from Vargas when he found the back of the net in the second half. Freshman River Lahey closed out the scoring for the Cougars when he beat the Challengers’ keeper after getting a pass from Mason Richardson.
Tim Wood posted his fifth shut-out of the year in the victory. The Cougars are 6-5-1 on the year, with a 3-3-1 mark in District 5 play.
I.V. traveled to Lakeview Tuesday in a District 5 match-up. Barring a few major upsets, it was the Cougars’ last game of the year, unless they qualify for one of the two at-large berths in the state play-offs.
Girls Soccer
The Lady Cougars soccer team lost both of their games last week. I.V. dropped a 4-1 decision at Lakeview on Tuesday, before losing 3-1 to Lost River at home on Friday.
Evalynn Guzman scored an unassisted goal in the first half of Tuesday’s game against the Honkers. The Cougars were unable to make-up the 3-1 halftime deficit, but surrendered just one goal in the second half in Lakeview.
Senior Jessame Pope scored the lone goal against Lost River, with an assist from senior Achiraya Junwiang in the home loss to the Raiders. The Cougars are 2-7-1 on the year, with every contest being a league contest.
I.V. closes out it season with a pair of games this week. The Cougars traveled to Merlin to face North Valley Tuesday and will face Glide in the season finale at home Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Cross-Country
On Tuesday, the Illinois Valley Cross-country team participated in the 3000-meter Days Creek Relays. Senior Curtiss Heier finished first in the event, covering the 3K course in just 9:51, easily outpacing the second place finisher, Jude Carman of Elmira at 10:08.
Sophomores Taylor Heier and Gavin Mitchell also finished in the Top 10 for the Cougars, with the younger Heier placing eighth at 11:14 and Mitchell right behind him in ninth at 11:38. Felix Becker also participated for I.V., completing the 3000 meter course in 14:25.
Senior Naomi Merrill finished in seventh place on the girls’ side, completing the course in 14:54. Aleigha Hix competed for I.V. as well, finishing in 21:32.
The Cougars travel to Stewart Park in Roseburg for the Umpqua Invite Wednesday.
Volleyball
The Lady Cougars’ volleyball team battled through a challenging week in Sunset Conference play, losing both of their matches, although I.V. managed to take a set from Gold Beach in a home math on Thursday.
Illinois Valley traveled to Reedsport Monday and dropped a very competitive 25-23, 25-12, 25-19 contest to the Brave.
On Thursday, I.V. hosted the Panthers, only to see Gold Beach win in four tightly contested sets, 25-23, 25-23 11-25. 25-7.
On Saturday. Illinois Valley traveled to Roseburg to participate in the Rally on the River at Umpqua Community College. In pool play, the Cougars went 1-2, dropping a decision to the Central Linn Cobras, 25-23, 25-15, defeating Sheridan 25-16, 25-18 and losing to Lost River 25-17, 25-18.
That moved I.V. into a bracket rematch with Central Linn, with the Cobras advancing by way of a 25-20, 25-13 sweep. IVHS then faced the Waldport Irish in an elimination game. The Irish took the first set 25-13, but the Cougars evened the match with a 25-23 win in the second set. Waldport jumped in front of the Cougars early and won the final set 15-8.
IVHS was missing three varsity players during the Rally on the River. “Missing three members of our rotation, which made it hard,” said volleyball coach Beth Boatman. “But we played hard, and I feel like it was a good experience for our girls, especially with us being such a young team.”
Kylee Fisk had nine kills for the day, edging out Payton Mumm and Lauren Tucker for the team lead. Mumm and Tucker each registered eight kills during the tourney.
The losses dropped Illinois Valley to 2-16 on the year and 0-9 in Sunset Conference play. The Cougars traveled to Bandon Tuesday for another Sunset Conference match which will conclude their season.