Only one team has started out hotter in the 4A NPSL than Auburn Riverside on the soccer field — the Tahoma Bears, who lined up 15 yards away from the Ravens in their first league clash of 2025 on March 27.

The two sides appeared to be locked in-step, but two second half goals gave Tahoma a 2-0 win and secured their 3-0 start to begin the season.

Auburn Riverside was off to a 2-0 start in league play with a pair of 2-0 wins over Mount Rainier and Auburn. The Ravens also have a pair of draws in their non-league portion of the schedule against Bonney Lake and Lewis and Clark.

Manager Randy Jones wasn’t discouraged by his team’s loss to Tahoma, but was rather encouraged at the challenges that are ahead.

“For me, I play the long game. The long game means take this loss, learn from it and it is about not losing at the wrong time. This showed us what we need to know and I think we will come back better at them next time,” Jones said.

In the first half, Auburn Riverside and Tahoma were both kept off the scoreboard. The two sides traded chances back and forth with Riverside just lacking the additional pass or opportunity on goal in the attacking third.

“I think the anxiety they have because they are playing Tahoma was there. They had to leave that aside and just play their soccer. You have to just get rid of that,” said Jones.

Auburn Riverside’s defense held strong with good play from Iker Hernandez between the posts. The Ravens went to the locker room level with Tahoma, and to hang around the Bears was a good sign for Jones’ side.

“I thought the first 10 minutes were pretty good. I have massive respect for what they (Tahoma) do. I don’t think they were ready for what we do, but they adjusted very well. They just were patient and my guys aren’t patient, but I like that,” Jones said.

Since 2022, Tahoma boys soccer has been in the state tournament three consecutive years. The Bears took fourth place in 2023, and last season were knocked out in the opening round against top seeded Pasco 1-0.

The Raven boys haven’t been to the state tournament since 2022, and haven’t won a game in nearly a decade — a 2015 win over Roosevelt.

The first Tahoma goal came in the 54th minute, when senior keeper Juanpablo Olguin-Cruz came on at halftime for Hernandez. Olguin-Cruz only made one mistake, but it allowed the Bears to score the first goal and really take control of the game from that moment forward.

Olguin-Cruz saw a ball that deflected to his left, and made an attempt to fall on top of the loose ball. But once he leapt to his left, the ball slipped out of his hands and right to the foot of Kevin Kershaw, who found the back of the net. Olguin-Cruz didn’t have to go for the ball as it seemed to have bounced off a Tahoma player for a would-be goal kick.

Jones hasn’t shied away from the goalkeeper competition. He wants to listen to his players and give them a goalie they can trust. Olguin-Cruz is the veteran, a senior, with Hernandez pushing him day in and day out.

“The biggest thing I’ve known about a goalkeeper is whoever the players trust eases everybody’s mind on the field,” Jones said.

The second goal came on a Bear corner kick on the very next attack following the restart. Tahoma’s Cooper Tshimperle was left unmarked and unguarded in front of the goal, and after the corner was flicked off his teammate’s head, Tshimperle netted the second goal of the game.

From that 56th minute on, Tahoma settled into a low block and minimized the Ravens’ impact with the ball at their feet.

With the new schedule format, Auburn Riverside will have a rematch against Tahoma on April 22 on the road.

“I expect them (Riverside), because I believe we have a really good team, to come out on top,” Jones said.

Connor Watson goes down in a challenge against the Bears. Ben Ray / The Reporter