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46 °F 5 Day Forecast Sunday, November 30, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend November 5, 2003 Hood River starts fast in victory over Crater By MIKE WEBER for the Mail Tribune HOOD RIVER — Crater got here early but still started the game a bit late. The Comets, surprised by the quickness and skill of Hood River, fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a Class 4A second-round boys soccer state playoff Tuesday. The Eagles, Intermountain Conference runner-up to top-ranked Redmond, ousted Crater, 4-1. Hood River advances to a Saturday match at Jesuit, which beat South Salem, 1-0. Advertisement The Comets (9-5-3) made their second straight appearance in the second round after having never gotten as far. They arrived in the Columbia Gorge Monday after a long bus ride, then rested until Tuesday’s mid-afternoon start. But Hood River got the jump on Crater in the first half, taking a 2-0 lead at intermission. The Eagles controlled the tempo with accurate passes and applied offensive pressure in Crater’s side of the field throughout the first half while not allowing a single Comet shot. "We were not familiar with Hood River," said Crater senior forward Erich Hangartner, a first-team all-SOC selection, "and we were surprised by their quickness and impressive offensive attack, which they continued throughout the first half. It’s always tough to come back from a 2-0 deficit, but we just didn’t play up to our potential today." Crater made a valiant effort in the second half, when both squads had equal possession time, but it wasn’t enough. "The boys struggled early in the game, and they played great in the second half when we had good scoring opportunities, but we just couldn’t put the finishing touches on the ball," said Gallegos. "We knew that we were underdogs, so it’s not a disappointment losing to such an excellent team like Hood River." The Eagles took a 1-0 lead after a questionable Crater foul in the box on Alex Ponce, the IMC’s player of the year with 22 season goals. Ponce easily booted in a penalty kick in the 12th minute. With the clock winding down in the final moments of the first half, Jorge Hernandez scored on a header that Crater goalkeeper Tomas Iboa blocked, only to have the ball deflect off the crossbar and into the net for a two-goal advantage. Hood River outshot Crater 10-0 and the Eagles had nine corner kicks, but the Comets had a strong second-half rally. Hernandez scored in the 52nd minute to make it 3-0, then Crater got on the scoreboard in the 59th minute. Following a Hood River foul, Hangartner booted a free kick that caromed off the right post, and sophomore midfielder Paul Mellgren controlled the rebound and drilled the ball into the net, making it 3-1 and providing the Comets with momentum. In the final 21 minutes, Hangartner, Mellgren, Mike Scales, Fernando Juarez, Ian Kappel and Josh Smith all had good scoring chances but were denied by Eagle keeper Julio Loza. The Comets played more aggressively and created scoring opportunities in the second half, as both teams took eight shots. Hood River scored in the final minute when the outcome was no longer in doubt. "All year, it seemed like it was tough to score our first goal, but then after getting the first one, we always start playing with a little higher intensity level," said Hangartner. "We tried to score, but we just lost control of several good crossing passes in front of the net." Iboa was pleased with his team’s effort. "We all played our hearts out today," said the first-team all-SOC performer. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times