The Husky boys soccer team wrapped up its season Thursday with a loss a 5-0 loss at Taft.
“They’re actually the number two team in our conference this year,” Coach Al Grove said. The Tigers fielded 12 seniors, and it shows.
“We were in it the first half,” he said. Taft put in a penalty kick at the end of the half to lead by 2-0 at halftime.
The Huskies had a couple of good opportunities to score in the second half but failed to connect, Grove said. Taft came back with a couple of quick scores. One of those hit goalie Isaiah Blake but ended up going in.
“They had a very solid defense,” Grove said. “We just couldn’t score.”
On Monday last week, the Huskies lost 8-1 to Philomath.
The Huskies played well in the first half that game too, he said. Philomath led only 2-0 at halftime.
Alex Santana scored the Huskies only goal on a breakaway and a shot into the far side of the goal, Grove said.
“We were young,” he said about the season overall. “We lost a goalie, and we had to have Isaiah Blake fill in there. That took some punch away on the field.”
The team has potential next year, Grove said, if the players get out and practice and play during the off season.
The team loses only three seniors out of 29 players, compared to 12 at Taft and six at Philomath, he said. Graduating seniors include David Worthen, Blake Roberts and Chris Farris.
That leaves the Huskies in a good position to improve their performance next year with 26 potential returning players, 11 of whom will return with varsity level experience, Grove said. “We’ve got to put the time in, in the off season.”
In the past, the team hasn’t had much off-season activity available, he said, but it has for the last two years with open fields.