Boys Soccer: Defending 2A champs Columbia River back in state quarterfinals

May 20-The bleach-blonde playoff hair might not have quite gone according to Alex Point's plan - "It turned out a little more white than blonde," the Columbia River High senior midfielder joked about the team-inspired hair transformation - but the start to the state playoffs for the defending state champions certainly did.

After a convincing 4-0 victory Wednesday over Steilacoom in the teams' first-round game, Columbia River (17-2-1) is back in the state quarterfinals. They'll host 11-seed Lynden on Saturday at John O'Rourke Field for what will be River's final home game of the 2026 season.

Wednesday, Gavin Sellers scored two goals and had two assists, and Teagan Goaring and Mason Renner each had a first-half goal and assist. Renner's goal in the sixth minute got the Rapids on the board early. Sellers' first goal made it a 2-0 halftime lead.

Pont commended how well the Rapids had "a lot of good team plays"

We played really well together," he said, "and trusted each other."

For a program accustomed to success at the state level, the postseason brings an entirely different level of soccer. The Rapids have 12 players on this year's roster who were a part of the River team that defeated North Kitsap, 4-1, in last year's state championship match.

"All these games are hard and we have to fight every minute," senior defender Lucas Johnson said. "It's a fight until the end."

Said Pont: "It's really intense and we know that. And we have a lot of experience, which is good. We have a big group of guys that know how it goes and we know how to play through everything single play.

Johnson along with fellow seniors Eli Veljacic and Bryce Diaz, anchor a backline that posted its 16th shutout of the season. Goalkeeper Aedan Pena, a recent Clark College commit, posted five saves.

"It starts with the seniors back there," Johnson said. "We've all been here before and we've had a lot of experience. We've been really good at communicating."

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COLUMBIA RIVER 4, STEILACOOM 0

Steilacoom

Goalkeeper saves: Pablo Blanco Moreno, 4

Columbia River

Goals (assists): Mason Renner (Gavin Sellers), Sellers (Teagan Goaring), Goaring (Sellers), Sellers (Renner)

Goalkeeper saves: Aedan Pena, 5

Halftime: 2-0

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