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Varsity 541 NEWS NOW Eagle Trace is Medford's first Firewise community ... Track failure likely cause of oil train derailment ... UPDATE: Missing Ashland teen found ... Eagle Trace is Medford's first Firewise community ... Track failure likely cause of oil train derailment ... UPDATE: Missing Ashland teen found ... PREP SOCCER Crusaders cruise St. Mary's shuts out Umatilla in first round of playoffs Comment By Frank Silow Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 4, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 4, 2015 at 2:00 AM --> St. Mary’s 5, Umatilla 0 RECAP: St. Mary’s received two goals each from Jeremy Wu and Hunter Rothfus and dominated possession in advancing past the first round of the state play... » Read more X St. Mary’s 5, Umatilla 0 RECAP: St. Mary’s received two goals each from Jeremy Wu and Hunter Rothfus and dominated possession in advancing past the first round of the state playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. UP NEXT: Saturday, Riverside at St. Mary’s, U.S. Cellular Park. » Social News The high-scoring St. Mary’s offense proved to be the best defense in a boys soccer Class 3A/2A/1A opening-round state playoff match. The third-seeded Crusaders got two goals apiece from Jeremy Wu and Hunter Rothfus and completely stymied visiting Umatilla, 5-0, Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Community Park. St. Mary’s (14-2), which has reached the state playoffs eight straight years, will host No. 6-ranked and District 4 champion Riverside (11-2-2) on Saturday. Riverside defeated Taft, 4-0, Tuesday. “Our midfield set the tone for everything,” said St. Mary’s first-year coach Eric Pyka, 37, a former youth club coach. “Their strategy was to overload the middle. Our center midfield did a good job of attacking their defense. Jeremy Wu made some incredible midfield saves, as well as Bryce Parsons.” Wu gave St. Mary’s a 1-0 lead 2½ minutes into the game on a header off a corner kick served in by Alec Robertson. Parsons’ booming long shot — deflected past the end line by the Vikings — led to the opportunity. “I just saw the opportunity,” Wu said. “I timed my jump and made sure I hit it downward.” Wu also scored the Crusaders’ final goal with 13:20 left in the game. Weston Grant began the sequence by finding Parsons at the top of the box. Parsons then fed it to Wu. About 10 minutes after the opening goal, Austin Pena headed in another corner kick from Robertson for a 2-0 lead. Robertson, a nimble senior forward, didn’t add to his total of 25 goals this season but was responsible for three assists. He took the majority of the 12 corner kicks by the Crusaders. “I try to get a nice curve around the penalty kick mark,” said Robertson of his technique. “I try to keep it goal high.” While Rothfus didn’t account for the Crusaders’ two first-half goals, the speedy senior was constantly near the action. When he wasn’t possessing and pushing the ball forward, he was forcing turnovers or retreating to assist defensively. “I was dropping back and helping in the midfield to keep possession,” said Rothfus, who leads the team with 33 goals. “We pressured more than normal. We wanted to be attacking.” Rothfus finally cashed in almost four minutes into the second half off a long throw-in by Pena from the right sideline about 20 yards out. Pena’s toss landed in a crowd in front of the goal mouth and the offensive-minded Rothfus put it away. “The ball bounced up and I charged in there and knocked it in with my chest,” said Rothfus, who also scored the next goal on a perfect cross from Robertson. Rothfus was denied a hat trick, again assisted from Robertson, at the 62nd minute that was ruled offsides. “Hunter is all over the place,” said Pyka. “He sets up plays and that’s why he has so many assists, too.” The Crusaders have now tallied an impressive 138 goals on the season. St. Mary’s junior goalkeeper Ryan Trask was never severely tested. On the few occasions Umatilla was able to mount an attack, the Crusader defense — led by senior Justin Hawkins — was more than up to the task. The Vikings didn’t have a shot on goal or a corner kick until 14 minutes remained in the match. For the game, St. Mary’s had 11 shots on goal to just two for the visitors. “We played good, smart soccer,” said Pyka. “Our possession was the best I’ve seen all year.” Reach reporter Frank Silow at 541-776-4480, or by email at [email protected] By Frank Silow Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 4, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Schedules & Events --> Recent Scores --> Prep Notebook Kris Henry Challengers make it back on top in softball Winning the Southern Cascade League title seemed like a pretty bold goal this spring considering the recent history of the Cascade Christian... 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