The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate boys’ soccer team lost their second game in a row to the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers over the weekend.
The Pirates now sit at 4-3-1 on the season.
The Pirates and the Panthers closed out their home-and-away set Saturday, Oct. 3, in Cortez.
The Panthers took the first matchup in Pagosa Springs 2-1 on Thursday, Sept. 24, and then over a week later defeated the Pirates once again, this time by a score of 2-0.
“I mean, it’s a tough loss,” coach Trevor Gian said. “We were definitely excited to get the opportunity to play them again and, you know, as much as the result is a loss, I felt the game was definitely much closer than the 2-0.”
The two teams took the field for the second time in a little over a week on what Gian called a hot and humid day.
He also described the ball as sticky and the field as wet and muddy in some spots.
Montezuma-Cortez scored on a header after a miscommunication by the Pirate defense, and they also put one in the back of the net off of a free kick. They were also able to keep the Pirates from scoring, even though Gian explained he felt that his team had opportunities.
Gian emphasized that the team was dealing with both injuries and sickness before the game and while the game could have gone either way, he credited the Panthers for capitalizing on the opportunities they were given.
The Pirates now have four regular-season games left before the postseason.
They are currently ranked No. 30, and the top 32 teams will make the playoffs.
Their Pirates’ next game, which is also their final home game, is against Bayfield on Thursday, Oct. 8.
The Wolverines are 3-7-3 and are ranked 50th in 3A.
The Pirates previously beat the Wolverines 4-0 on Sept. 21.
Along with being the final home game of the season, the game against Bayfield is the Pirates’ senior night.
The Pirates will also travel to Crested Butte on Saturday, Oct. 10.
The Titans are 8-3-1 and ranked third in 2A.
The Pirates could potentially be without starters on defense, in the midfield and their starting goalkeeper again this week, according to the coach.
Gian emphasized that he’s taking time to assess personnel and creating a game plan that plays to the strengths of the players he can put on the field.
Going forward, he suggested he really wants the players to buy into preparation.
“I feel physically we’re there,” Gian said. “We left everything out on that field on Saturday, and I don’t doubt anything we do physically. It’s just going to be our preparation. It’s going to need to be spot on.”
On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the team will travel to Alamosa for a rematch with the Mean Moose beginning at 6 p.m.
The Pirates previously defeated the Mean Moose 4-1 at home on Sept. 18.
Alamosa is 1-7 on the season.
jsellner@orourkemediagroup.com
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