A phenomenal season for the boys’ soccer team is nearing its conclusion as the Mariners prepare for regionals.

This past week made for an exciting buildup to the end of the season. On May 13, the boys faced Soldotna for the second time. Soldotna has proven to be a challenge for the Mariners, having wiped out the team 3-0 in past games. 

This time, while the Mariners still lost, the boys were able to score against the Soldotna Stars and finish the game with a score of 3-1.

Straight from the crucible of Wednesday’s match, the team showed its true colors in Saturday’s match against Seward, making for one of the most exciting games of the season. 

The game remained tense for the first half, with neither team able to score a goal. Freshman Charles Rohr was unable to land a penalty kick and the game continued into the second half with the scoreboard still empty.

In the second half Rohr made up for the penalty kick and scored the first goal of the game. With the game nearing its end, Seward scored against and tied the game.

The referee had decided to add an extra two minutes for injury time to the game, and for those two minutes the two teams were locked in a battle to break the tie. It wasn’t until the final seconds of the game that a team broke through. 

In a display that thrilled players and spectators alike, junior Ren Carroll passed the ball to Rohr who broke the tie at the buzzer — winning the game for Homer 2-1.

The team hopes to keep the momentum of that victory. Seward was the final match of the regular season before the beginning of Regionals. The first round of Regionals will be single elimination. That means it’s do or die for the Mariners who will go up against Wasilla first on Thursday.

“We are as ready as we’ll ever be,” Coach Warren Waldorf said. “Play time’s over.”