The Sweet Home High School boys soccer team lost their final game 7-0 against Sisters at home on Oct. 24.
Despite the spread in the final game, against the league’s top team, which lost only one game in non-league play, Coach Ryan Regrutto thought the Huskies had a good season.
The Huskies won a game 4-3 against Elmira and led several more games and were looking for wins rather than just trying to keep games close.
“We had a good season,” Regrutto said. Postseason, as a coach, he thinks about ways he could have coached his team differently and maybe helped his team win a few more games.
“It’s a really good group of kids that are committed and hard-working,” Regrutto said.
The close games this season were kind of difficult to swallow when more wins were just within the Huskies’ grasp, Regrutto said. “This year, there were several games where we were in the thick of things. Overall, it was just a really great group of kids. I know they wanted to be more successful wins-losses wise.”
But the team grew a lot and improved all season long, he said.
His team will lose seven seniors this year, Regrutto said, but he’s got a junior varsity that finished with more wins than losses this season.
The JV has been in the same boat as the varsity in recent years, Regrutto said. “This year, they did one heck of a job. The JV team did exceptionally well this year. I’m really proud of the effort they put out. I’m excited about the prospect of these kids coming up.
“The games I’ve seen, I’ve been really impressed with their technical ability as well as their drive and desire.”
Behind them, there are some good players coming up through the junior high, he said.
One of the best things that will come out of this season is the number of players who are looking for ways to practice and play offseason, Regrutto said. If the team doesn’t play more than three months a year, it’s difficult to be competitive.
“If we can get these things going, I think we can have a great year (next season),” Regrutto said.
“It’s been a great year.”