The season-long problem for the Columbia River boys soccer workforce is to play at a constant stage over the course of an 80-minute recreation.
Although the Rapids have struggled, from time to time, to remain true to their 80-plus-minute motto, they left little doubt about taking part in to that stage in Thursday’s Class 2A District 4 championship recreation.
River defeated W.F. West 3-0 to say its fourth consecutive district title, and after hoisting the championship trophy on the rain-soaked turf at John O’Rourke Discipline, gamers agreed the sport was amongst their most full of the season.
“Our motto for this year, especially when we’ve been lacking with it, is playing 80-plus minutes,” River junior Mason Renner mentioned. “We’ve struggled with it this year, but I feel like this game we really got it done.”
Renner scored two of the Rapids’ three objectives, the primary of which got here lower than a minute into the match when he received on the receiving finish of a Tyler Brown cross for a close-range strike.
That was just the start of a relentless River (18-1-1) assault that had a heavy leg up on possession in the course of the first half.
The Rapids’ efforts didn’t yield one other aim till first-half stoppage time when Jaydon Muodzi headed in a cross from JP Guzman following a nook kick. However extra importantly, they maintained a gradual power stage all through. Renner added his second aim within the forty third minute after getting a contact on a Guzman nook kick to the close to put up.
“Our team is a really big family,” River junior middle again Bryce Diaz mentioned. “Everybody lifts each other up, everybody is really supportive. Our bench helps a lot — they’re loud.”
Diaz together with fellow middle again Lucas Johnson anchored a disciplined River again line, which held W.F. West (11-10) to only one first-half shot and largely saved the Bearcats from making runs behind them. It made for a clean day of labor for goalkeepers Eli Smith and Aedan Pena, who every performed a half for the Rapids.
“Really the key is staying in front,” Diaz mentioned. “We like to step forward when they have the ball at their feet. Today we did a really good job of just keeping them in front and making them go back.”
The win marked the Rapids’ fourth consecutive district title (seventh since 2017) with every of the final 4 coming in opposition to a special opponent — Tumwater (2022), Aberdeen (2023), R.A. Lengthy (2024) and now W.F. West.
With the district trophy in hand, the Rapids checked one other field constructing towards what they hope shall be a deep run within the Class 2A state playoffs starting subsequent week. However additionally they respect
“It’s more (than) soccer here,” Renner mentioned. “We’re playing for our brothers.”
And the Rapids have confronted checks at practically each flip this season. Non-league video games in opposition to 3A bi-district champion Heritage, 4A groups Puyallup and Camas and quite a few battles within the 2A Better St. Helens League have them prepped and prepared for the most important stage of the season.
At present sitting at No. 4 within the state’s RPI 2A rankings, River shall be within the combine for one of many prime seeds within the 16-team discipline. State brackets shall be launched Sunday.
“All these guys are my brothers and I feel like we’re going far,” Renner mentioned. “This is just the beginning of it.”
“This year we definitely have a strong group,” Diaz added. “I have a feeling we got a good chance at state.”
All-Area Sports activities Awards Ceremony
The Columbian shall be internet hosting its second annual All-Area Sports activities Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at The Hilton Vancouver Washington.
The occasion shall be 6-8 p.m. Admission is $15 and contains food and drinks. Tickets can be found now by clicking on hyperlink.
COLUMBIA RIVER 3, W.F. WEST 0
W.F. West
Goalkeeper saves — Cayden Web page 8.
Columbia River
Objectives (assists) — Mason Renner (Tyler Brown), Jaydon Muodzi (JP Guzman), Renner (Guzman).
Halftime — 2-0 Columbia River.
