The future looks bright for Scituate’s varsity soccer team. This fall, only three of last year’s starting players returned, leaving underclassmen to take on varsity-level playing. 

Led by senior captain and starting goalkeeper Ryan McGourty, the Sailors offer a strong defense that has proved successful against other teams. McGourty claimed, “Our defense is definitely our strength. We have very solid center-backs that help me a lot as a goalkeeper.” 

Averaging 11 saves per game, McGourty is an anchor on the defense. During the team’s game against Hingham, McGourty reached a personal achievement of saving 24 shots at net.

Amongst the strong defense is sophomore Owen Hofford, a starter on the varsity team, playing center-back. Hofford remarked, “As a sophomore on varsity, it’s a lot more work than a JV sport, but it’s a lot of fun. The environment is very intense but is a good learning experience.” McGourty praised Hofford, saying he has shown “tremendous growth as a player,” adding, “he’s definitely a player to watch out for in the next few years.” 

Unfortunately, the team’s inexperience has taken a toll on its success this season. The Sailors fell to a record of 5-12 as the season approached its last few weeks.

McGourty commented, “People shouldn’t count us out. We are better than people think.” With a young team at hand, McGourty believes that it is crucial for the underclassman to get playing time now so they can “continue to improve and perform better once they are upperclassman.”

Although some may consider this a rebuilding year, Hofford believes that the lessons he has learned from the upperclassman have tremendously impacted him as a player: “The upperclassman influences the underclassman in so many ways. It’s great to watch and learn from guys like McGourty and see how they play the game.”

While the team fell short of the MIAA tournament playoffs, next season looks promising, as many starting players will return. Senior McGourty optimistically stated, “I am confident that these guys will be successful in the future, and I’m glad I can say that I have positively impacted them both on and off the field.”