As the regular season is coming to an end, the Owatonna Boys Soccer team is now on their way to the section tournament, with a regular season record of 10-5-1. This past game on Thursday, Oct. 7, the boys defeated Red Wing with a score of 5-0 in their final game before moving on to sections. The boys have had the sections in the back of their head all season, hoping to move further and further into the tournament. They have worked hard all season for this moment, even playing some of the top city teams. The boys have gone 3-1 against the South Metro Teams, beating Farmington, Hastings and Lakeville North. Their loss was a close 3-2 game to the number one ranked Lakeville South. Coach Bob Waypa said, “These guys really elevate their game when we play teams from the cities. I like that they love and embrace these challenges. It says a lot about their drive and competitiveness.” 

The Huskies are a very talented team, they have some junior leaders who have really stepped up to the plate and are making a huge impact in the coaches eyes. Making it into the playoffs wasn’t easy. Everyone on the team has had a huge role in each victory that they’ve taken, starting in the game or cheering on their teammates from the side. Coach Bob Waypa said, “We’ll go game by game. Any team can beat any team in our section. It will be tough but we are looking forward to it.” With 22 people on the varsity roster, it shows how much depth they have. With three sophomores, nine juniors and ten seniors. Senior captain Mason Cocchiarella said, “We have a lot of team chemistry and do well on the field. From passing, to teamwork, we have it all.” 

The section playoff game against five seed Lakeville North, did not go as planned. In the first five minutes, Nils Gantert let a ball trickle past him making it 1-0. Later on in the first, North had a break away, scoring the second goal of the game making 2-0. The Huskies held on the rest of the game, not letting North score again. The final score of the game was 2-0, with North coming out on top. The Huskies made a strong effort to turn the game back around but just could not. Even though the Huskies fell short, the boys still worked hard and overall had a great season.