The Mariner boys varsity soccer team suffered its first loss of the season against Soldotna High School on Tuesday, and ended the home game with several hauntingly close scoring opportunities. 

SoHi collected the first goal in the first half, and finished the game with two more, shutting out Homer 3-0. 

Head Coach Warren Waldorf said the team, which lost a few key players in the second half, struggled to finish the chances they created in the offensive end of the field. 

Freshman Oliver Beck scored the only goal for the Mariner boys during the junior varsity game, which Homer lost 3-1. 

Last Friday players tallied up game experience during the Soldotna High School Jamboree, winning two of their games and drawing two. It was the first time the team has participated in the unique competition.

“We have 25 kids on our roster, we took 18 up and all of them played,” said Waldorf.

Although the games didn’t count officially, the matches acted as experience builders.

The Mariners won over Seward 1-0 with a goal scored by freshman Timothy Blakely. Simon Dye, also a freshman, scored the only goal in the match against SoHi and gave Homer a 1-0 win. 

Nikiski was ahead on the scoreboard from a goal scored off a corner kick, but Homer managed to tie it 1-1 with a last minute goal by Charles Rohr, freshman. 

The game against Kenai Central was a 0-0 draw.

The cold weather ushered the team straight into the bus after the last game was finished. 

Homer will host Wasilla on Friday at 6 p.m. and Eagle River on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Shannon Reid is a freelance writer and college student who lives in Homer.