Looking back at one of the team’s key accomplishments this season.

By Ryan Walker, Staff Writer

In 2018, the Forester’s men’s soccer team took the Crossroads League tournament championship at #1 Spring Arbor to make it to the national tournament. This season, the same thing happened. The Foresters traveled to Spring Arbor, the #1 team in the conference and #6 overall, and won the match 1-0 in the bitter cold.

The game was flexed to 4:00 due to the cold weather, dropping below 30 degrees with snow piling up on the side of the field. In the 24th minute, Huntington took their only shot of the entire game, and it went to the back of the net from senior Luke Unger. One shot is all it took for the Foresters to upset the Cougars yet again in the title game and send Huntington to the NAIA national tournament for the second straight season.

The clean sheet by Gabe Greenfield was also his ninth of the season, shutting down the Cougars, who average just under three goals per game. An outstanding achievement for the junior to lead Huntington this season. Greenfield is 2nd in the league in goals against per game with 0.81, which will be a crucial factor for the Foresters in their next trip in the big dance.

What makes the feat even more incredible is the number of freshmen on the field with significant playing time. Recruiting four newcomers that have played over fifteen games for the Foresters, and not to mention defenseman, Mario McLennon. The players’ head coach Russ Lawson has proved to be very capable, since his new players are succeeding so early in their careers.