Boys soccer at Houston makes a comeback

HOUSTON — Tuesday, the determined faces of the Houston High School boys team filled the soccer field at Wasilla High School, faces the boys of WHS have not seen since 2008. Houston High School’s boys soccer is back.

Leading the team are coaches Colton Conner and Bobby Trueblood, both HHS alumni. Conner, class of 2004, played striker for Houston soccer for three years and is enjoying his first year of coaching.

“The season has been great. We’ve learned a lot and look forward to the future of Houston High School soccer.”

Coach Trueblood, HHS class of 2006, is on a men’s league and has earned his level D soccer coach license. Leading a team of generally inexperienced players, Trueblood says, “My goal would be to get them playing as a soccer team, to understand the game and have fun out there.”

The team has proven it can perform at an impressive level with sophomore and team captain Josh Bowman scoring a goal in the first game against Nikiski. Bowman has been playing soccer for 11 years. Playing recreational, competitive, Olympic Development Program and on adult and North Star leagues has prepared him for his first time on a high school team. Bowman says the team has “progressed a lot since the beginning and got to be a team instead of a whole bunch of players.”

Junior Brandon Dukes also shows great potential as second team captain.

Trueblood notes the assets of soccer at HHS include the exuberant fan base, passing opportunities, attack strategies and a phenomenal keeper, junior Andy Gocke. Juggling both track and soccer this season ,Gocke enjoys the challenge.

“Picking up on the fundamentals of soccer my first year has been challenging, but guarding the goal seemed a simple task so I took after it with a full effort” he said. “And it’s pretty darn fun.”

Rounding out as third team captain and striker is Travis Patterson. Also in his 11th year of soccer, Patterson has participated in the North Star team, recreational and competitive levels. Patterson enjoys being on the team, saying it’s “a good foundation for the start of Houston soccer.”

Like the other promising young players, he plans on remaining on the team until the end of his high school career and looks forward to the future. “We’re still improving every day.”

HHS hasn’t won a game this season but, as Coach Conner says, “Success is not in wins and losses, success is in getting better, and if a win comes that’s just icing on the cake.” And after all, you can’t win without being on the field.

Marilena Staudenmaier is a senior at Houston High.School. She plans on attending the University of Alaska Anchorage in the fall.