MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Surrounded by a disappointed team Tuesday, Howard soccer coach Curtis Warner did his best to provide some perspective.
He spoke to his players about what they had accomplished. He talked about remembering the moment.
Most importantly, he talked about the goal of coming back.
The Hustlin' Tigers saw their 2018 season end in the quarterfinals of the Class AA state tournament, as they lost 2-0 to Stratford at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex. Howard's fourth season in the sport ends with a 15-4-2 record and the school's first-ever state-tournament appearance.
Stratford moves on to face Greeneville, a 6-1 winner over Lexington.
The Spartans' Yanike Mashimabi scored both of his team's goals, both on shots deep inside the Howard box. The first one came in the 31st minute and the second about eight minutes into the second half.
Despite not being credited with a shot on goal, Howard did rip 11 shots.
"They paired two strong teams against each other," Warner said. "Now (the Tigers) know what it takes to get here. This is a learning experience for them; now they know what it takes to get to the next level.
"Sometimes that losing pill is hard to swallow. To them, they've put so much weight on their shoulders and they feel like they've let their community down."
The Hustlin' Tigers - who battled through numerous season-ending injuries this spring - lose only four seniors from this team, and Warner is expecting those who are back to learn and grow from Tuesday's loss.
"We've learned a lot this season," he said. "If you encourage each other, you will win. The moment you start battling with each other, you will lose. That wasn't the case today; we just played a strong team."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.