Monday night taught the Tahoma High boys soccer team a valuable lesson about the importance of defense.

It’s a lesson the Bears won’t soon forget.

Tahoma lost a 3-2 contest at home to Thomas Jefferson as it continues its battle for one of the six playoff spots in the South Puget Sound League North division.

What this team of mostly seniors does have, explained defensive midfielder Eddie Espinoza, is a strong bond among the players both on and off the field.

“We’re kind of like a family,” Espinoza said. “We all know how to treat each other well. We all know how to support each other academically and athletically.”

Last year, explained center midfielder Thomas Rothschilds, the group was more likely to get mad at one another on the field when things went wrong.

“I feel like we didn’t have that (bond) last year,” he said. “It’s helping us pick each other up.”

And while they work on defense, senior forward Danny Soltero said, the Bears have many other strengths.

“I think physically we’re gifted,” Soltero said. “We’re all pretty big. At the beginning of the season our fitness level was acceptable but now at the middle of the season, we’re better.”

Getting better at keeping teams from their side of the field won’t be too hard, though, Rothschilds said, because “our defense steps to the ball really well.”

Soltero added, “We’re really good at manning up. People know we’re there.”

Espinoza noted that the team also knows how to have a balanced approach, especially in practice, “we know when to be serious and when to goof off.”

After Monday’s game, Tahoma was 3-1-2 in SPSL play and 4-1-2 overall, with 13 points in league putting them in a tie for second place with Jefferson.

Tahoma has started off well in the past, Espinoza said, but last year after racing out to first place and playing well in the first half of the league schedule the team fell apart.

“My goal is to just finish strong,” Espinoza said.

It’s been a while since the last time the Bears cracked the playoffs. They have the depth, the veteran players, the physical skills, and the lessons they learned not just from the loss this week but the way they fell short of their expectations last year.

“For me and for three quarters of the team who are seniors, we want to make it to the playoffs,” Soltero said. “I want us to be one of those six teams.”

Rothschilds said he thought the team was progressing.

“Last year we did so good, all of our hopes went up, ‘We’re going to go to the playoffs,’” Rothschild said. “This year, I think everyone’s different. We have to stay focused. And stay marked up (on defense).”

Soltero said, “We have to keep our composure when we’re trying to finish and just put balls in the net.”

Espinoza added Tahoma has to work hard, to take it one game at a time and not worry about the name on the opponents’ jersey.

Though the game Wednesday night against Kentwood — after the Reporter’s press deadline — is key, especially after the loss to Jefferson.

“I think that loss last night woke us up,” Espinoza said. “We shouldn’t let games slip out of our hands. We have to finish.”

Tahoma has learned its lessons the hard way over the past three years.

And, Soltero said, the Bears plan to put those lessons to good use.

“Don’t take us lightly,” he said.