An intense and exciting game played out last Friday as the Mariners boys’ soccer team squared off against Palmer. The game was neck and neck for the first half, with Palmer stealing away with a single goal keeping the Mariners at bay. 

Thanks to fleet-footed freshman Charles Rohr, the Mariners took away the match in the second half for a 3-1 one win.

“Yeah it was exciting because we had to come from behind,” Coach Warren Waldorf said.  “The boys really played well this game, they worked well together.”

The Mariners’ solid teamwork was the boys’ key to victory. Rohr first tied the game in the second half with by scoring a penalty kick. With the game winding down, Rohr broke the tie with an assist from Drew Brown. With the Mariners now in the lead, Rohr continued to pressure the other team, scoring the third goal with an assist from Filip Reutov.

On Saturday, however, the team did not fare as well. Homer lost, 2-0, to Colony. Coach Waldorf attributed the loss to the team having left a lot on the field the night before.

“We were a bit outmatched. …The boys played their hearts out the night before. I think there just wasn’t much for Saturday’s game,” he said.

Unfortunately, the team was unable to recuperate in time for their match against Kenai on Tuesday. Kenneth Schneider scored the game’s only goal, ending the game at a 1-2 loss.

Still, the coach and team remain undeterred. The Mariners plan to use what they have learned in the first half of the season to secure victories in these next crucial weeks. 

On Friday the Mariners have a home game against Grace Christian, a North Division team, followed by a match against Nikiski, a South Division team. These matches will be important as their outcome will determine the team standings in the regionals. 

“We’re ready for the challenge (these next few weeks) will pose. And we are looking forward to the games. … We are focused on, we are ready to win,” said Waldorf.

Fermin Martinez is a freelance writer living in Homer.