The Putnam County boys soccer team has suffered some close losses this season, but it’s learning from them.
The War Eagles have lost five matches by two goals or fewer, three of which went to overtime. Those defeats have weighed on the players’ minds, but head coach Michael Taylor said they’ve also served a positive role in the team’s progression.
“They’ve been upset with the losses, but I think it has brought us closer together because they all have a common feeling after the game, and they want to get back and get after the next team and earn a win,” Taylor said. “So yeah, it’s really brought us together and made of more hungry, which is a good thing.”
Putnam County is a young team with only a few upperclassmen, so younger guys have had to step up.
The team has gotten production from underclassmen like Alex Jimenez, Edwin Garcia, Johnathan Acostas, and Jorge Lopez. Veterans Emmanuel Meraz, Angel Sanchez, and Malcolm Marks have also held their own.
Taylor acknowledged the players are really working well together and have gelled as a unit.
“Some of the more experienced players are realizing that it takes some of the freshmen in key moments,” he said. “They’re more willing to make a good pass and let someone score as long as they know it helps us get a win.”
Consequently, Putnam County has achieved several close wins, including an overtime victory against Lamar County and a narrow one-goal triumph over Social Circle. These two wins positioned the War Eagles to complete the region portion of the schedule with a 6-4 record and a third-place finish in the standings.
Until this season, Putnam County had not lost a region game in six years. However, the War Eagles now compete in a challenging region that includes teams like Lamar County, Jasper County, Social Circle, and Towers.
Taylor said it isn’t a bad thing, and the tough region slate has helped prepare his team for the state playoffs.
“We didn’t lose a game in that other region, and in the past, that record would have felt good. However, it didn’t really prepare us for the playoffs,” Taylor admitted. “We’ll have a lower seed in the playoffs this year, but I believe that playing in so many close games, where both teams were relatively equal, will help us.”
Taylor hopes those close games, whether it was a win or a loss, can help his team in the long run.
“Hopefully, we can advance past the first couple of rounds. I think that our team will be a lot more focused and understand that every team we face will be strong,” Taylor said. “We’re not going to dwell on last year or the year before when we dominated. I believe we were a bit unprepared entering the playoffs in past years.”
After Tuesday’s game against Lake Oconee Academy, the War Eagles have four more non-region matches before the postseason begins later this month.