Grant players celebrate after defeating Cleveland in overtime in the 6A girls soccer final last year. (Photo by J.R. Olson)

Last season, Grant's girls soccer team surprised 6A by winning its second state title in three seasons despite replacing 13 players from 2022.

This year, with seven starters back, the Generals won't be able to keep a low profile. Not only are they ranked No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 6A coaches poll, but they are rated No. 21 in the nation by United Soccer Coaches.

“The target is on our back,” coach Manolis Tjuanakis said. “The teams we've played so far, you see how they come out strong, kind of like it's a measuring stick, how they're going to compete against the returning state champions. The thing we've tried to work on is don't put too much pressure on ourselves.”

Grant has been up to the challenge so far with a 5-0-1 start. The Generals boast wins over 5A No. 1 Canby, 5A No. 3 Wilsonville (three-time reigning state champion) and 6A No. 2 Jesuit. They played to a scoreless draw at 6A No. 3 West Linn.

Grant appears to have adapted nicely after graduating starters at forward, center midfield, center back and right back

“We kind of lost the center of the field,” Tjuanakis said. “It's a tough place to rebuild, and thankfully so far we're doing OK. It's a work in progress, but it's working so far.

“The style is the same, but I think with the new additions, we have a little more pace up front. Last year we didn't have pace at all positions, but this year I think we have that.”

Junior forward Nailani Solomon is leading the team in scoring with six goals and one assist. Senior Kate Ratanaproeksa has three goals and senior Paige Nakada, sophomore Vivian Collins and junior Willa Stockton have two each. Junior Lucy Kapranos and sophomore Charlotte Wilson – sharing time at goalkeeper – have yielded only two goals.

The Generals showed how dangerous they can be with the 5-1 home win over Jesuit on Sept. 16. With the win, they supplanted the Crusaders at the top of the 6A coches poll.

The afternoon game was played before a large crowd on the school campus at Grant Bowl, which was condemned last year and forced the Generals to play their home games at Delta Park. It was their first match at Grant Bowl this season.

“They had a lot of pressure because we played at the Bowl,” Tjuanakis said of his players. “The atmosphere was great. It was one of those games when the girls were very focused. They came out ready to play. They were not afraid of who they were playing against.”

Inside the first two minutes, Nakada scored on a header on a set piece off an assist from senior Chloe Herkert. Senior Tessa Matteri and Solomon added goals for a 3-0 lead in the first half. Solomon and Ratanaproeksa scored second-half goals.

Three days later, though, Grant couldn't find the net in the 0-0 tie at West Linn.

“I was very concerned going into that game because my girls were so high from Monday,” Tjuanakis said. “Our practices going into Tuesday and Wednesday were not that good. The focus wasn't there. It was a good wake-up call that you cannot win one game and then just kind of let your guard down. A good lesson early in the season.”

Grant also struck early in beating Canby 1-0 and Wilsonville 2-0. Senior Marley Hunter drilled a 25-yard, left-footed shot in the sixth minute for the game's only goal against Canby. Solomon converted inside the first two minutes against Wilsonville, and Matteri provided the second goal in the second half.

Ratanaproeksa, who has committed to Northwestern for lacrosse, is a veteran scorer. A fourth-year starter, she scored a goal in the 2021 state championship win over Beaverton and had two goals in last year's state final victory over Cleveland.

A three-sport athlete, Ratanaproeksa trains primarily for lacrosse.

“So it's just a matter of time for her to get into it a little bit,” Tjuanakis said. “For her, we allowed the preseason, to be sure, to welcome her back to the soccer game. Slowly she gets back into the swing of things.”

Ratanaproeksa is flanked up front by Solomon and Matteri. Much of Grant's attack goes through midfielders Nakada and Hunter, who have committed to play in college at San Francisco and Chicago State, respectively.

The back line is solid with returning starters in Herkert and junior Sade Melville.

“They understand how we want to play,” Tjuanakis said.

Marist run

Marist Catholic (5-1), No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 4A coaches poll, has won four consecutive matches against 4A ranked teams since losing to 5A No. 2 North Eugene 2-1 on Sept. 5.

The Spartans defeated No. 2 North Marion 3-1, No. 8 Philomath 3-1, No. 4 Hidden Valley 1-0 and No. 9 Gladstone 5-1. They edged Hidden Valley when freshman Lexi Hudson scored off an assist from sophomore Libby McLaughlin in the last 10 minutes.

Senior midfielder Ella Braunger has scored four goals in the last five games. Braunger and sophomore forward Cruz Donawa are tied for the team lead in goals with four. McLaughlin had three goals and a team-high eight assists this season.

Cougars rise

Canby (4-1-1) jumped from seventh to first in the OSAAtoday 5A coaches poll this week after an impressive stretch.

Since losing to 6A No. 1 Grant 1-0, the Cougars have won at home over Thurston 1-0 and gone on the road to defeat Catlin Gabel 3-2 and North Marion 3-0.

Thurston is ranked No. 5 in 5A, Catlin Gabel is No. 1 in 3A/2A/1A and North Marion is No. 2 in 4A.

Senior forward Kendel Johnson scored two goals each against Catlin Gabel and North Marion. Senior Sadie Schweitzer, junior Audrey Haycock and junior Jenna Butler scored against Catlin Gabel, North Marion and North Eugene, respectively.

Notes: North Salem's Cora Chapman scored four goals in a 6-1 win over Reynolds on Sept. 17. She has eight of her team's 12 goals this season. … North Marion came back to beat Molalla 5-3 on Sept. 19 behind four goals from Bethany Dunn. … Crater got four goals from Maycee Samuelson in defeating Mazama 6-0 on Sept. 21. … Rowan Evans had two goals and two assists as La Grande topped Astoria 4-1 at Estacada on Sept. 20.