TALENT — Phoenix head coach Dennis Flenner joked that it may have created a few more white hairs on his head but his boys soccer team came through with a clutch effort during Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Cascade at Culver Field.

The Pirates controlled play for the better part of the season-opening match but a lapse in judgment put the outcome in doubt with about 10 minutes to play.

Expecting a whistle and stoppage in play that never came, the Pirates let up a little and Cascade took advantage with a quick steal and shot on goal that tied the match at 1-all in the 69th minute.

“I really tip my hat to him because he caught us kind of napping,” Flenner said of the Cougars’ goal. “The guy just swooped in and scored on a really nice 18-yard shot.”

In the 75th minute, however, Phoenix was able to pull back on top when Cascade failed to clear the ball on a corner kick and junior Luis Ascencion was the right man in the right spot.

“It came right to his feet, he moved it to his left foot and laced it into the back of the net,” said Flenner. “There was probably 16 to 18 kids in front of him and he found a spot where no one could get a foot on it. It was a wonder kick in my book.”

Phoenix freshman Christian Camacho netted the game’s first goal in the 14th minute on a line-drive effort from 28 yards out off a throw-in by Resondo Flores.

Cascade was a late replacement on the schedule for St. Mary’s, which Flenner said had to bow out of the contest after discovering it had overbooked for the season. The Cougars play out of the Oregon West Conference, which has produced three of the last five Class 4A state champions in Stayton, Philomath and North Marion.

ASHLAND 2, HENLEY 2: At Klamath Falls, junior forward Bryce Rollins scored both goals for Ashland, including the equalizer with four minutes to play. There was no overtime.

Lake Peterson gave Henley the initial lead with a goal in the 30th minute.

The Grizzlies (1-0-1) knotted the game three minutes later when Bryce Rollins poked in a shot off a corner kick by Stenley Graham.

The Hornets regained the lead on Josh Ledgerwood's goal in the 54th minute. Then Rollins tied the game on a low shot from 16 yards off a through ball from Aidan Locklin.

Ashland goalie Ferriccio Lemley preserved the tie with a excellent save late in the match.

HIDDEN VALLEY 6, CRATER 0: At Murphy, Seth Trader had two goals and two assists and Jesus Ontiveros scored two second-half goals for Hidden Valley.

Trader gave the Mustangs (1-0-1) a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute, then two minutes later Trader assisted on Owen Stevens' goal.

In the second half, Jesus Ontiveros tallied the Mustangs’ first two goals followed by scores by Jonas Beachy, Kyle Millett and Trader.

BEND 3, GRANTS PASS 1: At Grants Pass, Luke Serrange scored on Elijah Elliott’s assist in the 72nd minute for winless Grants Pass.

The Cavemen (0-3) trailed 1-0 at halftime.

Girls

ASHLAND 5, HENLEY 0: At Ashland, senior striker Calysta Susu-Mago recorded a hat trick to help Ashland to its first victory after a pair of ties to open the season.

Susu-Mago scored three goals in the first 15 minutes of the first half.

The Grizzlies (1-2-0) received second-half goals from Maya Elder-Hammond and la Bakbuena-Nedrow.

HIDDEN VALLEY 2, CRATER 1: At Central Point, Crater’s Sydney Beck scored in the 55th minute off an assist by Katie Niedermeyer but Hidden Valley scored a pair of unanswered goals to earn the nonleague win at Dutch Meyer Field.

Nyah Kendall scored on a breakaway in the 60th minute to tie the match for Hidden Valley (1-1), and Bailey Hart netted the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute in the same fashion against the Comets (2-1).

EAGLE POINT 1, MAZAMA 1: At Eagle Point, Mazama’s Landy Williams scored in the second half and Eagle Point, which also scored in the second half, settled for a tie in nonleague action.

The Eagles moved to 0-0-2.

ST. MARY’S 7, NORTH VALLEY 0: Emily Elmore and Sara Klott each scored twice for St. Mary’s and Emily Riehlman and Adrien Birmingham combined on the shutout in goal at U.S. Cellular Community Park.

Allie Buccino got the scoring off in the 12th minute on a 22-yard effort and Anna Peterson finished off a corner kick by Klott four minutes later. MaryBeth Barnum added a penalty kick goal in the 46th minute and joined Elmore in assisting Klott’s goals in the 34th and 36th minutes on long-range shots.

Ibixia Alvarez assisted Elmore’s goal in the 54th minute and Elmore converted a PK in the 74th.

ROGUE RIVER 13, COQUILLE/MYRTLE POINT 0: At Coquille, Rogue River opened the season with a resounding road victory.