Rosemount boys' soccer team cherishes season turnaround

There are many ways Rosemount boys' soccer coach Mike Floersch could describe the start to his team's 2014 season. Difficult would be one; unfortunate is another. There's also trying, unlucky, disappointing and uneven.

But, he said, he'd rather let the team's record speak for itself: 0-5.

The team was inexperienced; it had graduated 15 seniors from the 2013 squad. Rosemount was "starting all over," Floersch said, with just four returning starters.

"It's one of those things, where you know you have more there, and you're just hoping that it clicks for them," Floersch said.

It eventually did — and in a big way.

Rosemount parlayed a hot finish to the regular season into a deep playoff run. The Irish, despite a 4-7-3 record heading into the postseason, knocked off each of the top three seeds in the Class 2A, Section 3 tournament, earning just the second state tournament berth in program history.

Rosemount's tournament ride ended Tuesday with a 2-0 loss to second-seeded Maple Grove (20-0) in the first round of the state tournament, but not before the Irish proved to themselves what they were capable of doing.

Kelly said the season's fortunes shifted with one play.

Rosemount went through a string of narrow losses and ties midway through the year. Floersch recalled that "it seemed like we hit at least one post or more in about five straight games — each of which we tied or lost by one."

Then, in the team's second-to-last game before the playoffs began, Alex Frydenlund scored on a header with five seconds left to help the Irish earn a 1-1 tie with Apple Valley on Sept. 30.

"That kind of ignited the run," Kelly said.

The Irish won their next four before Tuesday's quarterfinal loss at Osseo High School.

"We're a close team," Weiler said. "That's what I'll remember most, just spending time with all the guys. It's a great team to be on."

A "great team" is the way Floersch looks at it, too. Just as he had with referencing his team's poor start to the season, Floersch said the team's success and final results should speak for themselves.