In a loser-out playoff game, the Decatur High School boys soccer team came up short against the NPSL champion Auburn Mountainview Lions, 5-1, on May 13.

The Gators were coming in off a 1-0 win over North Thurston in the opening round, and had a tall task in front of them as the Lions have dominated Decatur this season.

“Obviously it is a tough pill to swallow, but I am glad this senior class was able to experience the playoffs,” Manager Dom Dismuke said.

In two games, Decatur has been held scoreless, losing 2-0 and 5-0, respectively, against the Lions.

“What I saw is exactly what I saw the first two times we had played them. The first three goals we just gifted to them. It’s impossible to win that way,” Dismuke said.

Granted, Decatur did finally score in the 35th minute in the third matchup. But the Gators were already down 3-0 at the time and quickly gave up a fourth right after.

It took a fantastic strike from sophomore Wesley Suazo to beat Lion goalkeeper Jonathan Ochoa-Felix in the top corner. The goal seemed to ignite some belief in Decatur, something they had been searching for the entire first half.

“That was an incredible shot and got some momentum going our way,” Dismuke said.

But to the chagrin of the Gators, Auburn Mountainview scored a goal right as the first half entered stoppage time and the gap went to three goals once again.

In Dismuke’s first season, the Gators have done more than expected for a team that finished last in the standings a year ago. Decatur won just two games last season and was in the cellar of the NPSL standings with seven points, six fewer than Federal Way High School, which was above them.

“That is what I came back for. I came back to change the culture. I saw a team when I was at Beamer that was very talented. My main goal was to come back and instill some belief in these young men,” Dismuke said.

Decatur makes a pass against Auburn Mountainview. Ben Ray / The Mirror