Catasauqua's boys soccer team understood their fate was hanging in the balance of their final two games of the regular season.

If they won both games, the Roughies would put an exclamation point on an exhilarating season with a district berth. Anything else, however, wouldn't get them a postseason berth, but it would reinsure and fortify some mental and physical groundwork for the future.

Unfortunately, Catty dropped its final two games to Bangor and Northern Lehigh and finished the year with an overall 7-11 mark.

Head coach Mike Baclawski was upset over some arguable physical play from Bangor in that contest.

"We felt we were ready to make the next move at the end of the season," said Baclawski. "But in soccer, there are some things you can control and other things you can't.

"We couldn't control how Bangor played against us. Bangor needed a win, too, and they did some questionable things. Things got ugly between us. Unfortunately, our guys got caught up in it, and we should have backed away.

"It was one of those unfortunate things that happened and we have to learn for it in the future."

Despite the late-season defeats, Catty managed to produce a momentous season in which they erased the aftermath of a winless season last year. Along with overall improved play, the Roughies' numbers were up as 34 players were involved in the varsity and junior varsity programs this fall.

Senior Ethan Hill led the team with eight goals and sophomore Nicholas Rossnagle added six. Junior Gunnar Pattison was a constant in the nets all season. The Roughies will lose eight seniors for next year, five of whom were starters.

Still, Baclawski likes his team's future.

"Overall, we had a nice year," added Baclawski. "We can view this year as an opportunity to see it as a steppingstone. We'll get back at it with our spring and summer programs and work even harder next season. The guys we have coming back know they can do this.

"We expect a bigger year next season with districts in mind. With what we accomplished this season, we will expect to take it to the next level."