The 2018-19 season for the Fountain Hills High School boys soccer team was one of learning for both the team and head coach Matt Pugliano.

The Falcons finished their season with an overall record of 8-10. After struggling in the first half of the season, that record was just shy of qualifying the team for the playoffs.

Pugliano said one of his biggest takeaways is how important mental endurance is for a team throughout the season.

“The boys had to battle through some big adversity at the start of the season with injuries, adjusting to a new system and simply fighting against tough teams,” Pugliano said. “Our early season schedule was tough, but it really gave us an edge later in the season.”

The Falcons’ early opponents in the season included heavy hitters such as Bourgade Catholic and Northwest Christian. Along with competing with tough teams, FHHS was also trying to adjust to a new strategy on the pitch.

“The biggest issue was adjusting to the new 3-5-2 system of play,” Pugliano said. “It's very different in concept/style than a traditional 4-4-2. It took us a good two months to really work out the kinks. The last half of the season it really started to click and we went 5-2.”

It might have taken Fountain Hills time to adjust to the 3-5-2 system because, on top of the injuries that occurred early in the season, practices were not as tight as they could have been.

“For me, as a coach, I think the main lesson going into next year will be the focus at practice,” Pugliano said. “It was up and down because we were all learning, myself included. That meant there were lapses where I’d say the wrong thing only to come back and change it, causing confusion.”

While Pugliano recognizes areas where the Falcons could improve, he said there were also plenty of individual achievements from the Falcons.

“Nick Knowles has to top the list because of his work ethic and amazing leadership of the team,” Pugliano said. “I can’t say enough about him. We’re going to miss him next year. Trevor Sandvig did everything he could to keep us in games on the defensive side of the ball. We really juggled players around him, so he had to be the rock back there. Caden Collins did a tremendous job being the heart of the team. His injury cost the team in the early goings but he never wavered about wanting to get back on the field, and when he did he worked every minute to make us better.”

Collins, Sandvig and Finn Hudoba made the all-region first team and Nick Knowles, Hunter McAloon, and Javier Sanchez made second team

Looking forward to the next season, Pugliano is excited to have 23 returning players.

“The best thing about that is that we’re all comfortable with each other in terms of our play styles,” Pugliano said. “We don’t have to spend a lot of time getting to know one another or trying to gel as a team; we’re there.

“That means that our focus can be on how to win games on the field. This upcoming senior class is the first that I’ll have had for all four years in the program under me. They’re really starting to show how the system can be effective and play well together.”