The Huskies’ boys’ soccer squad played a tough week of competition, falling to Cromwell on Sept. 30 and tying up HK two days later.

Versus Cromwell, Morgan lost 4-2. Juan Avila scored both goals for the Huskies with his second coming off an assist by Tyler Ribeiro.

The game was dominated for most of the first half by Cromwell. The Panthers struck first off of a head ball by Jared Grant on a Cromwell corner. Morgan would never let up and the effort from Avila coming down the field was solid. Avila tied the score in the 25th minute by means of a bicycle kick. Cromwell came right back to notch another goal about 30 seconds later.

Coming out in the second half, Morgan dominated the ball and had many more chances, however, it was Grant who struck twice before Morgan could get the ball in the back of the net. Avila notched the final goal on a shot from the 18.

“It was a hard-fought game, but I’m not disappointed by our efforts. Cromwell is legit and it is no wonder they won Class S last year,” said Coach Ross Demay. “Only graduating three starters has helped them. We are young and still rebuilding, but put up a good fight. A couple of unlucky offsides calls kept the game out of reach, but Cromwell rightly got the win.”

On Oct. 2, the Huskies tied HK 1-1. Avila was the lone scorer in a physical game where some of the calls were “questionable at best,” although both teams came to play. With a stalemate after the first half, Morgan broke free with a goal by Avila in the 49th minute. The Huskies, plagued by injuries and fatigue, kept battling. Two yellow cards to HK’s Connor McLaughlin forced the Cougars to play down. It wasn’t until fatigue set into Morgan in the last few moments of regulation time that the effort of HK to reach a ball led to Nat Berman netting a goal to put the game in overtime. In overtime, both teams had their chances, but in the end, the game finished as a draw.

“We are starting to play well. We knew we needed at least one point for the game. I give credit to HK never giving up and playing a player down in the closing minutes of the game,” said Demay, whose squad is 1-5-2. “We continue to grow and get better as the season goes on. We still have our goal of making states in sight.”