As the high school soccer playoffs kick off in Portland, Oregon, all eyes are on the Jesuit High School Crusaders, who enter the tournament with the coveted number 1 ranking in the state.
After a heart-wrenching exit in the quarterfinals last year against West Linn after double overtime and penalty kicks, the Crusaders are fueled by determination and a hunger for redemption.
“I’m confident we will do well,” head coach Steve Fennah said. “I don’t really get nervous apart from the excitement factor.”
The 6A Girls Soccer bracket includes 32 teams, 21 of which automatically qualify based on regular season play. The rankings froze at 10pm Tuesday October 29th, and the professionals took it over from there. There are four rounds prior to the final match, which will take place on November 16th.
The Crusaders have been preparing for their first round matchup against number 32 ranked Willamette on Saturday, November 2nd. Since Jesuit is ranked number 1, they will have home field advantage until the final game, and would be able to wear the home team color, black, if they were to proceed to the finals.
Jesuit finished their Metro League season out against Aloha for their senior night and came out with a 7-0 win. Jesuit’s Metro League Record was 6-0 and overall 14-1 with a tough loss against number 2 ranked Grant during preseason. The Crusaders have a goal differential of 66 and are looking to only increase that number during playoffs.
“I think we are really excited about the playoffs as the team has really been coming together in the last few games,” senior goalkeeper Lauren Butorac said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we are hoping to go as far as possible this year.”
With a roster brimming with talent and the teams community coming together more than ever, Jesuit is poised to make a deep run and reclaim their title as the 6A Oregon State Champions. The stage is set for an exhilarating postseason, where every match will be a battle and every goal could be the one that defines their season.
“I think our focus is to focus on ourselves and playing without fear,” senior Claudia Rose said. “As long as we play as well as we can as a team, the opponent doesn’t really matter.”
