Cats finish season with win at NMMI

ROSWELL — After learning his team did not make the state playoffs, Clovis boys soccer coach Shaun Gill said he was concerned about Tuesday’s season finale against New Mexico Military, a team the Wildcats had drubbed 8-2 early in the year.

“I was a little worried about how we would approach the game because we had nothing to shoot for,” he said. “But they were all on the bus, they had their heads on straight and they were ready to play.”

The Wildcats won their final game 3-1.

“I’m very proud of them,” Gill said. “It would have been really easy to give up.”

CHS’ Michael Hernandez scored 15 minutes into the contest, but NMMI’s Connor Williamson tied the score a few minutes later. Scott Elliott put the Wildcats back on top with a goal five minutes before halftime, and later Elliott set up Luis Esparza for an insurance goal in the second half.

“We came a long way this season,” Gill said. “We made great strides.”

Clovis ends the season with a 10-9 record, its first winning record in Gill’s four years.

Although the Wildcats didn’t make it to the postseason, Gill said this season was not a failure.

“By no means was this season a disappointment,” he said.

Non-district

Clovis 3, New Mexico Military 1

Clovis 2 1 — 3

NMMI 1 0 — 1

Scoring summary

First half

C — Michael Hernandez

N — Connor Williamson

C — Scott Elliott

Second half

C — Luis Esparza (Elliott)