Seniors help WHS boys’ soccer bring home one more trophy

Greg Koutroukas knows how quickly a senior season can end.

The Watertown High boys’ soccer team again won the Division 3 North championship, defeating Bedford, 1-0, on Nov. 10 to move on to the Eastern Mass. final against talented Medway.

Although the Raiders played very well, Medway, which played for the 2012 state final in Division 2, scored an early second-half goal that would decide the game, 1-0, on Nov. 12 in Lynn.

As sad as it was to see the Raiders come so close to the state title game again, the hardest part for many of the fans was watching the seniors play their last game for WHS.

Greg, one of the team’s captains and a Middlesex League All-Star goalkeeper, talked with the Raider Times about the season.

Raider Times: How would you describe your team?

GK: Our team may be the closest-knit team in the league. I have never been on a team that has bonded as much as we have.

Raider Times: Do you think the team’s closeness had anything to do with the success on the field?

GK: Our regular season may have prepared us mentally, but not so much physically in the postseason. Many teams in the tournament moved down into our division, or out of it, so there was new competition to scout again.

Raider Times: With 11 seniors graduating, do you think the team will struggle next year?

GK: In certain parts of the field they may struggle, but overall they should be as strong as we were this season. They have many incoming freshmen that are incredibly skillful and will have a positive impact on the team.

Greg and the rest of the seniors were grateful to be part of such a special program. They will never forget their unbelievable journey over the past four seasons.

Congratulations on a great season and good luck next year, Greg, Cody, Juan, Vardan, James, Camille, Arson, Ari, Christian, Kevin, and Hussein.

–Nov. 24, 2013–