Cleveland boys soccer breaks through on offense for 5-1 win over Centennial

RICHMOND – With only four goals scored in four matches, Cleveland High School boys soccer was looking to break out of its offensive slump to open the 2025 season.

Thanks to an end-of-game flurry, the Warriors hope they broke that seal in a 5-1 victory at home over Centennial.

Junior Oscar Johnson got his first of two goals on the night in the 16th minute when he got the ball on the near side of the penalty box and fired a shot by the Eagles’ goalkeeper on the far side.

Cleveland added another goal in the 37th minute when a perfect cross from the near sideline found a cutting junior Max Morrison right in front of the goal to make it 2-0 at the break.

“They’ve had it in them, we’ve been talking all season that we’re a pass away, a few yards away from really finishing,” Cleveland head coach Nick Yoder said. “That was our emphasis after last game where I felt we really played well, but just weren’t shooting, weren’t getting our shots and finishing our chances.

“It feels good to see that play out tonight, finally get some goals on the board.”

Centennial cut into the lead thanks to a penalty kick in the 55th minute, but the Warriors put the game on ice in the 68th minute.

Junior Julian Daniell got the ball in the near side corner, fired a cross that got lofted into the air by a Centennial defender, and came down to find the head of sophomore Holland Lounsbury who put it into the back of the net.

Cleveland scored again in the 78th minute on a corner kick where Johnson sent it deep to the opposite side and senior Ari Krain knocked it back across with his head and into the goal.

Johnson got his second goal in the final minute of the match off a free kick right outside the penalty box.

“We’ve been coming out here scoring one or two goals, sometimes zero,” Johnson said. “We get a lot of shots, but it’s important to put them away. It feels like we haven’t been putting them away, so this was really important for the boys’ confidence, putting shots away and scoring a lot of goals.”

While the offense has had a lid on it, the defense has been great as the Warriors entered Thursday’s match at 2-0-2 with wins over Willamette and Sherwood, and the two ties against Silverton and Lake Oswego. Cleveland only gave up two goals across those four matches.

The defense did its thing again against Centennial despite the PK allowed. The Eagles had only one shot on goal that was easily saved by senior goalkeeper Derek Puppo.

“Our defense has been strong and that’s been our focal point all year, we gotta have our strong defense and once we do that the offense will come,” Yoder said. “And it is, it’s starting too. We’re getting more training sessions and seeing where the runs are and where we need to be. I think as long as we stay true defensively, the offense will take care of itself eventually.”

Cleveland has three more nonleague matchups before the gauntlet of the PIL slate begins at the end of September.

Up next, the Warriors will head down Interstate 5 to play South Salem at 7:15 p.m. Sept. 23, followed by a 7 p.m. kickoff Sept. 25 at Barlow. Cleveland’s last nonleague game is set for noon Sept. 27 at Ashland.

“There’s definitely some to work on, getting a little bit more consistent on crosses into the box,” Johnson said. “But other than that, the delivery was good, can’t really complain with five goals.”