Close. But not enough.

Those words encapsulate the riveting boys’ soccer game against Monterey High School in the Division III Central Coast Section (CCS) quarterfinal on Feb. 21. With the season at stake, the Panthers fought hard but walked off the field in defeat after tying 2-2 and losing 6-5 in a penalty-kick shootout.

“It sucks,” head coach Anthony Dimech said. “Sucks to lose like that.”

But that doesn’t mean the Panthers entered the game without a fight, as their offense proved to be effective in the first half. When junior left winger Luis Zamudio gained possession of the ball, he sent a through pass to senior captain Dylan Rossen, who scored to give the team an early 1-0 lead.

“I wanted to keep some high intensity, because we knew if we sat back and let them play, they’re a good side,” Dimech said. “So we tried to keep our energy up and stay on them.”

However, Monterey increased its intensity in the second half, as the Panthers’ fatigue began to show. Monterey held a majority of possession, preventing any ball recoveries on the Panthers’ side. This resulted in the Panthers giving up two goals during that half and trailing with only a few minutes remaining.

“We dominated the first 25 minutes, but ran into a keeper that had a great day today. He saved three goals early in the first 15-20 minutes, and he was their best player,” Dimech said. “So that’s where it goes sometimes. And they came back in the second half.”

Running on stoppage time and still on a 2-1 deficit, the Panthers thought their fate was sealed until they saw a small window of opportunity to save their season. On a through ball, sophomore winger Derek Diercks dribbled past the defenders and scored, with the assist by junior Boron Kurt tying up the score at the last minute. The audience in the stands and the team celebrated, fueling the Panthers’ hope to keep fighting.

“Coach Dimech said we got punched in the face, and that was the biggest punch you’re gonna throw and get thrown at,” Rossen said. “We hit them right back, and that’s significant.”

In overtime, both teams continued to battle it out over two 10-minute periods, but the Panthers faced a setback with a sudden on-field injury from starting junior midfielder Ayaan Palaniappan. However, they still performed strongly under pressure, keeping Monterey from scoring and sending the teams into an intense penalty-kick shootout.

In the first round, both teams made three of their five shots, with two pivotal saves by senior goalkeeper Thor Chew. However, by the second round of penalty kicks, the Panthers missed a penalty shot and gave up one, marking a disappointing yet hard-fought defeat.

“Tough way to finish the season. But we showed our character today. We fought hard,” Dimech said.

Despite closing out the season on a low note, the team viewed the season as a success, finishing with an 11-5-3 overall record.

“We need to use this as momentum for next year, remember this feeling and come back stronger,” junior center back Daniel O’Shea said.

Reflecting on the season as a departing senior, Rossen said the team chemistry enhanced his experience on the team.

“It was awesome, joking with the guys, yelling at each other, getting serious. Then winning games, losing games, the ups and downs,” Rossen said. “Just a remarkable experience in total, and I would not want to do it with any other guys. So it’s really remarkable and special for me.”

Even with the departure of several seniors, the team is underclassmen-heavy and remains optimistic about future seasons.

“We showed that we can come out here and compete against some of the best players in CCS, and we did that,” Rossen said. “The future is definitely bright at BHS.”