The Saint Stephen’s Varsity boys soccer team battled the Tampa Preparatory School during Saturday’s regional semi-finals match but was defeated with a final score of 2-1, marking the end of the season for the team and the last game the seniors will ever play as Falcons.

Sophomore Toby Howell scored the first and only goal for the Falcons off a penalty kick in the first half.

Assistant Coach Mr. Bernie Yanelli said, “the team played extremely well, given that several players were hurt or injured but played nonetheless.”

Tampa Prep went on to score a goal in the first half and another in the second, winning the game and advancing to regional finals.

Senior Connor McCullen described the Tampa Prep boys Varsity soccer team as “physical, tough and technical.”

Yanelli said he was proud of the Falcons for trying their best against a strong team.

“We never quit against a team who was, for all intents and purposes, better than we were,” he said.

The Saint Stephen’s team was riddled with injury and sickness, McCullen said. He compared the team to a jigsaw puzzle.

“Our puzzle was not totally complete,” he said.

Yanelli said that with a group of the starting players out with injuries and team captain senior Tim Nutter ejected from the game, “We were not able to play to our full abilities.”

Senior Sam Lynch said the loss was hard for the players.

“We were expecting to make it to the state tournament, but we were cut short, and it’s sad,” he said.

McCullen said the hardest part about the loss was that it was their last game.

“When that final whistle blew, it just occurred to me it was my last soccer game as a Falcon, so it was actually really heartbreaking,” he said.