Essex 12-A Indoor Soccer Team Caps Perfect Season

The Essex 12-A indoor soccer team completed a perfect season earlier last month.

Coach Mark Hauf’s team finished a 10-0 season with 4-2 victory over St. Francis in the title game of the AISL played at Freestate. Essex never trailed in the game, its second victory over St. Francis this season.            

“They just played extremely well as a team,” Hauf said. “They were extremely unselfish. They were a great bunch of kids."   

Matt Hauf led Essex offensively in the title game. He scored two goals, including a crucial insurance goal with about three minutes left as Essex clung to a 3-2 lead.            

Hauf’s first goal also was crucial. He scored in the first five minutes to give Essex an early lead, which it never relinquished.            

“Any time you score the first goal, it’s huge,” Mark Hauf said.            

Gavin Mooney scored one goal for Essex as well as assisted with defense. As a midfielder, he gave Essex help at both ends of the field, something the team needed.            

Brandon Mersen stood out on defense for Essex, playing solid soccer and breaking up a number of St. Francis plays. That helped Essex hold on defensively throughout.            

“He just did everything,” Mark Hauf said. “He was phenomenal.”            

Goalie Zak Netro also made some big stops.

Mark Hauf noted the team's cohesiveness could be because several  players also compete together outdoors, and many will compete in the spring on the field in club ball. In fact, this is their second championship as a team this year. They won the fall EASL outdoor title in their age division—also with a 10-0 record under Hauf.        

The winning streak continues during a second indoor season, where Essex is 2-0. Translation: Essex now can boast about a 22-game winning streak and a 22-0 record since outdoor soccer began last fall.     

“It was the team-first philosophy the whole game,” Mark Hauf said. “They were just a great bunch of kids."