The Hazen Highlander soccer team’s 2013 season came to an end Saturday with a 4-1 loss to Shorecrest in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

The loss brings to a close the Highlanders best season since 2007.

Shorecrest controlled much of the game, keeping much of the play in front of Hazen goalie Freddy Jeronimo, who played a strong game, but was ultimately overwhelmed by the Shorecrest attack.

“Shorecrest is a very good team. They shut down everything that had made us successful this year,” said Hazen Coach Ken Matthews in an email.

Shorecrest scored first and then took a 2-0 lead into the half.

Hazen responded in the second half with a goal by senior forward Marcelo Castro off an assist from senior defender Angad Singh with about 31 minutes left to get the crowd back into the game.

The Highlanders also had a great chance to tie the game with about 13 minutes left when Castro lured the Shorecrest keeper out of the crease and dribbled a ball past him, but it rolled just left of the goal.

Shorecrest went up for good with about five minutes left and then got an insurance goal on a penalty kick at about the three minute mark.

The loss gave the Highlanders a final record of 14-2-4. This year Hazen won the Seamount League, the sub-district championship and bi-district championship.

Matthews credited the team’s seniors with helping them get this far.

“I always feel for the seniors; especially this year because these guys were our guts, heart and soul. They came so far in such a short period,” Matthews said.

According to Matthews, in the last two years the seniors helped the Highlanders to a 23-8-8 record, two league championships, a 4-0 playoff record, two state berths, and played in a Quarterfinal game.

In the previous two years, Hazen had 10-16-3 record.

“There isn’t one of these guys we want to lose. Freddy (Jeronimo), Eddie (Tim), Angad, Devin (Sando), Casey (Guay), Ezequiel (Ochoa), Marcelo, and Sam (Bunnell) will be missed,” said Matthews. “They all had outstanding seasons.”