The game had been filled with hard fouls and missed chances.  It had been hard-fought and gritty, just like the goal that won it.

Late in the second half, Sherwood found a way to put the ball in the net, reducing the rest of the team’s season to six minutes.  The team was able to create several chances during those minutes but was unable to capitalize and tie the game, ending their season in heart-wrenching fashion.

“It stings,” said coach Mike Williams.  “It’s really difficult because the boys played extremely well.  One unfortunate goal we gave up put some wind in Sherwood’s sails when we were dominating the game.”

The loss is especially hard on this year’s senior players, some of whom were on the team during the 2006 state championship run.

“It felt pretty bad, you work the whole season to try and go as far as you can in the playoffs and losing early was very disappointing,” said senior goalkeeper Sam Robins.

Leadership was a theme that Williams tried to echo to his seniors since the beginning of the year.

“In their final year, the leadership the seniors show is what propels the team throughout the season,” said Williams.

The unpredictable loss was perhaps a fitting end to WJ’s season, a roller-coaster ride that had three overtime games, that was distinguished by close nail-biters.  Many teams would be happy with a final record of 8-4-1, including a first round bye in the playoffs.  The players at WJ, however, find themselves unfulfilled.

“The season looks great as far as our record, but we never reached our full potential to dominate teams we should have wrecked, and to stay with teams who were much tougher,” said senior defender Julien Calas.  “Everyone on the team would probably say they expected us to go much further, but we have no regrets. We left it all on the field.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a home field that the team was able to play on.  The team’s home games were actually played on their opponents’ field, providing another obstacle in addition to the usual injuries, ups and downs that have to be overcome in the course of a season. The team managed to conquer the obstacles,  and ended up with a good record and a good season in the grand scheme of things.

“When you play at a particular place over and over again you become accustomed to it that gives you a leg up that your opponent doesn’t have,” said Williams. “We never had that all season, and despite that, the boy’s rose to the occasion.”

With 11 graduating seniors, next year’s team will look to this year’s juniors and upcoming JV players to lead the way to a successful season.