HILLSBORO – As the clock ticked down, and the missed opportunities piled up, La Salle Prep's boys soccer team could have given in to frustration in the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A final Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium.
But the third-seeded Falcons, like they have during their entire playoff run, wouldn't be distracted from their goal. They kept pushing, finally getting the game-winner from senior River Nichols in the 76th minute to defeat No. 5 Corvallis 1-0.
La Salle Prep, which won its second consecutive state title and third in five seasons, dominated play throughout, owning a 20-7 edge in shots
“I thought we were going to get one,” said Nichols, who notched his 14th goal of the season and third game-winner of the playoffs. “After that many shots, one was bound to go in. It finally did, and it was like, 'All right, we've got to lock down from here.'”
It was the fourth one-goal victory of the postseason for La Salle Prep (15-1-3), all of them featuring game-winners in the last 10 minutes. The Falcons came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Springfield 5-4 in the first round and rallied from one goal down with 12 minutes left to knock out Centennial 3-2 in the semifinals.
“That kind of shows the grit of our team,” Nichols said. “We may not be the most skilled team, but we will fight, and we will not lose. We're very hard to beat. I think that's what makes us the best.”
After graduating all but four starters from 2024, the Falcons were “more of a blue-collar team” than last year's champion, according to Nichols.
“We didn't have anyone to rely on, so we relied on each other,” he said.
The Falcons won their ninth state championship and fourth under coach Monty Hawkins, who marveled at how his players stuck together under pressure.
“From Day 1, these guys have been a team,” Hawkins said. “They're resilient. They never quit. They always found a way to get wins. You can't coach that.
“All these playoff games, they stayed with it, and they scored in the last minutes. It speaks to their character. Regardless of the shot count, whatever, hey, they wouldn't be denied.”
The players that were waiting their turn in recent seasons took the torch and carried it to the finish line, resulting in another blue trophy.
“I knew it would give people a chance to shine this year,” senior defender/midfielder Luka Skoro said. “I got my opportunity. So many people stepped up and got an opportunity to show what they have without the players from last year.”
Saturday's game appeared headed for overtime when the Falcons finally found the net. Sophomore midfielder Ryder Korvola sent in a cross off a free kick, sophomore Luke Herrera headed it, and in the scramble, Skoro passed it back to the middle, finding Nichols.
“It hit my chest, and I was like, 'All right, I'm just going to place this bottom right,'” Nichols said. “I hit it with my left-foot volley.”
Before the goal, Skoro admitted to some frustration setting in.
“But I knew we'd pull it off,” Skoro said. “I knew we'd get something. I believe we were the better team. Our movement was great. And the fans were amazing.”
Corvallis, which won two playoff games by one goal and another in a penalty-kick shootout, was able to withstand La Salle Prep's barrage to be in position to win.
The Spartans' best chances to score came on a 12-yard shot from senior Faisal Alsharif in the 36th minute and a 25-yard shot from sophomore Sami Lopez in the 50th minute, but both were corralled by Falcons junior goalkeeper Lucas Hawkins.
“We struggled to test their defense and keeper in the run of play today,” Corvallis coach Chad Foley said. “Set pieces were where we were most dangerous."
The Spartans, with many sophomores and juniors playing key roles, took a step forward this season after going 10-5 and losing in the first round in 2024.
“Overall, it was a tremendous accomplishment for us to make it to this game, and I couldn't be prouder of our team," Foley said. "The run we went on in the latter half of the season was nothing short of miraculous. After a few years away from the title game, this team got our program back to the standards we expect.”
Corvallis, which lost to La Salle Prep 5-0 in the 2021 final, was bidding for its first title since the last of its three championships in 2018.
jerryu@osaa.org
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