Stayton's Johnny Garcia (10), a fourth-year starter at midfield, was a 4A second-team pick in 2024. (Photo by Patrick Jackson)

Navigating the regular season is seldom an issue for Stayton's boys soccer team.

The Eagles have two losses in the last four regular seasons, capturing the top seed to the 4A playoffs in three of those years.

Unfortunately for Stayton, the postseason has been another matter. Since finishing as state runners-up in 2017 and 2019, the Eagles haven't made it past the semifinals.

So when coach Chris Shields saw some warning signs when No. 1 Stayton (6-0-1) played to a 0-0 draw against visiting Newport/Waldport last week, he was counting on it getting his players' attention.

“A lot of kids just assume that we're going to win,” Shields said. “Normally when we struggle in the season, we struggle at the end. This is an opportunity where we get to take a step back and say, 'OK, we know we need to fix this and that.'”

With all but four starters returning from a team that finished 15-1 and lost to Henley 2-1 in the state semifinals, the Eagles appear poised to live up to their high standards this season. Through seven matches, they have outscored their opponents 28-2.

“I feel like we're the best team in the state,” Shields said. “I definitely feel like we have the most depth. We can bring guys off the bench who can play. I think that's our greatest asset. If we can just get everyone going in the same direction.”

Stayton needs to find a way to compensate for the graduation of forward Addison Samuell, now playing at Chemeketa Community College. He was the 4A player of the year last season, when he scored a state-leading 40 goals.

So far, the Eagles have replaced Samuell “by committee,” according to Shields. Senior Isaiah Dixon, who played right back in 2024, has moved to forward and scored a team-high eight goals. Junior Noah Klampe has added five goals.

“It's just finding the right combination of guys to put the whole thing together,” Shields said.

Stayton is going for its seventh consecutive Oregon West Conference title. The Eagles, 2-0-1 in conference play, will be challenged by No. 6 Philomath (6-1, 2-1), No. 7 Newport/Waldport (4-2-1, 1-1-1) and No. 9 North Marion (3-2-1, 3-0), last year's state runner-up.

Stayton won at Philomath 4-1 on Sept. 30 as Dixon recorded a hat trick and senior Nick Pelayo added a goal. Two nights later, though, the Eagles struggled to finish chances in the scoreless tie with Newport/Waldport.

They thought they scored the game-winner in the closing seconds on a goal by junior Josiah Dessieux, but the official ruled it came after time expired.

“We created all these chances and missed some embarrassing opportunities,” Shields said. “I think we dumped a lot of energy into Tuesday night at Philomath, and we just came out and didn't finish our chances. I was a little disappointed.”'

The tie was eerily similar to home playoff losses in the first round in 2021 and 2023, quarterfinals in 2022 and semifinals last season.

“It happens way more at home than anywhere else, where the pot starts to boil and we start to look around and second guess,” Shields said.

Senior Johnny Garcia (4A second-team in 2024), a fourth-year starter, is back to anchor the midfield. The defense has experience with junior backs Ruben Bell (4A first team) and Jose Navarro. Senior Ty Williams has taken over at goalkeeper after the graduation of Roman Gould (4A first team).

Shields coached Stayton to its only state championship in 2010. The Eagles returned to the final in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019 but came up short.

They appeared ready to end their title drought last year, but Samuell and Gould suffered injuries in the quarterfinals, and it proved costly in the semifinal loss to eventual champion Henley. They have another good chance for redemption this season.

“It's not like we don't know how to get to the final,” Shields said. “We've got to have certain things to line up to get there. And we're not there just yet.”

Highlights from around the state:

Lakeridge, ranked No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 6A coaches poll, tied its last two matches after winning its first seven. The Pacers finished in 1-1 deadlocks at Sherwood on Sept. 25 and at Forest Grove on Oct. 2. Max Harris-Inman accounted for the Lakeridge goals in both matches. … 6A No. 5 Beaverton escaped with a 1-0 win at Reynolds on Sept 25 as Cal Spear scored with 10 seconds left. … No. 2 McMinnville blanked No. 4 Lincoln 4-0 in a 6A nonleague match Sept. 25. Edwin Cuevas George scored two goals for the host Grizzlies, who got single tallies from Abraham Cuevas George and Antonio Virrueta. … No. 7 Grant downed No. 10 Wells 4-1 in a key 6A Portland Interscholastic League match Oct. 2 at Grant Bowl. Owen Bonnin converted two penalty kicks, Arly Hinderly also found the net for the Generals, who benefited from an own-goal. …

Ashland, ranked No. 4 in 5A, went on the road to defeat 6A No. 8 Jesuit 2-1 on Sept. 30. The Grizzlies got goals from Peter McKenzie-Billet in the third minute and Escher Paz in the 52nd minute. … No. 3 Corvallis held off Woodburn 4-3 in a 5A Mid-Willamette Conference match Sept. 30. Faisal Alsharif scored the first two goals for the visiting Spartans and Julian Greer and Cyrus Chen added the next two. Talon Ridling had two assists. … Also in Mid-Willamette play, No. 5 Crescent Valley outlasted No. 9 West Albany 3-2 at home Sept. 30. Avery Boyer and Reese Christensen each had a goal and an assist for the Raiders. Christensen's goal broke a 2-2 tie. … No. 3 Henley won 1-0 at home over Phoenix in 4A Skyline Conference play as Ruben Cobian Cazarez struck in the 20th minute. … Caleb Morton scored on a free kick in the middle of the first half to lift 4A No. 4 Klamath Union to a 1-0 road win over Phoenix in a Skyline match Oct. 2. ...

3A/2A/1A No. 6 McLoughlin did all of its scoring in the first half of a 3-1 road win over 4A co-No. 4 Ontario on Sept. 26. Mason Harshfield scored on a penalty kick and Sebastian Borges and Adrian Camarena added goals for the Pioneers. …No. 2 Oregon Episcopal knocked off No. 1 Catlin Gabel 4-1 in a 3A/2A/1A Special District 1 match Sept. 26, avenging a 2-1 loss to the Eagles the previous week. Ryder Sendecke had two goals and two assists and Lincoln Weiler had two goals in the win for the host Aardvarks. … Catlin Gabel bounced back from its first loss with a 4-3 home win over No. 4 Westside Christian on Sept. 30. Trailing 3-2, Liam Travers scored twice in the last 10 minutes to give the Eagles the win. Giancarlo Rendon Benitez (penalty kick) and Mason Campbell also scored for Catlin Gabel. … Oregon Episcopal dispatched Westside Christian 1-0 at home Oct. 2. Sendecke scored off an assist from Cameron Fasold with eight minutes remaining.