West Salem’s Elton Kraynik (2) heads the ball in overtime of the Central Catholic vs. West Salem boy’s soccer game in semifinals of the class 6A state playoffs at West Salem High School on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. West Salem won the gam2-1 in overtime. The Titans will play in championship game on Nov. 14.
One team has been there before, recently and often; the other is in uncharted waters.
Stayton High School’s boys soccer team makes its second state championship game appearance in a row and third in six years when the Eagles play Sisters for the OSAA Class 4A state championship at 1 p.m. Saturday at Liberty High School.
West Salem is farther than it ever has been in the state postseason when it plays Lincoln for the OSAA Class 6A state championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium.
It’s no surprise Stayton, the 2010 state champion and state quarterfinalist every year since then, is in the state championship game.
The No. 1 seed Eagles (14-0-2) have won nine straight and face a dangerous team in No. 2 seed Sisters (15-0-1).
“They’ve got a lot of speed,” Stayton coach Chris Shields said. “They’re going to be trouble for us. We’ll have to play well. At this point in the season there is no way we’re going to play somebody who’s not very good.
“I’m excited about it. We’re obviously looking forward to playing. And we got a lot of young kids, so it’s exciting to see young kids get that opportunity.”
The farthest into the state postseason West Salem had been before this year was state quarterfinal appearances in 2014, 2010 and 2009.
Stayton’s Cristian Gomez and the Eagles defeat Henley 2-1 in the semifinals of the OSAA Class 4A state playoffs on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, at Sprague High School.
No. 14 seed West Salem (11-4-3) is familiar with No. 4 seed Lincoln (16-2-1).
West Salem lost 2-0 to Lincoln on Sept. 17 as part of a 3-4-1 start to the season.
The Titans got hot as the season went on and are undefeated in their past 10 games and have won their past four straight.
It is the second time a team from West Salem has been in a state championship game. West Salem’s baseball team lost in the 4A state championship game in 2006.
“It is surreal being able to play in the state title game,” said first-year West Salem coach Eddy Soboll, who coached Sprague last year. “It is something we couldn’t have imagined at the beginning of the season.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
State soccer championship games
6A: West Salem vs. Lincoln, 6 p.m. Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium.
4A: Stayton vs. Sisters, 1 p.m. Saturday at Liberty High School.