Three years in a row.
It's not all that easy when you consider that Woodstock, East Lyme and Ledyard have all had very good soccer programs over the last three years but Norwich Free Academy has been just a little better.
The Wildcats clinched the Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division again yesterday with the 4-0 win over the Vikings. Andre Nicholas, Casey McGarvey and Keesen Howe all contributed goals and all just happen to be seniors.
"It means a lot to the program to have these great runs," NFA coach Rob Briones said. "We were ranked number one in the state (at one point last season) and number eight in the nation, it's the generation of these kids because they've earned it."
But Briones knows all good things come to an end.
"The next two years will be decision time with what is coming up, we're going to be young so I'm trying to enjoy right now," Briones said with a laugh.
The Wildcats helped him enjoy it a little more on Wednesday with the early clinch as they still have ECC Large Division games to be played against Ledyard and Woodstock before they head to the Class LL state tournament.
"It was great that we played Brookfield and Westhill even though we lost to Westhill because there is so much competition in LL," Briones said. "Here in the ECC's, there are only two LL teams, us and Fitch. So we're looking forward to it and see what happens. Hopefully, we'll finish 14-1 and be able to rank high and get a first-round home game. Having a home game would be to our advantage."
The Wildcats still have that bitter taste in their mouth from last season when they finished 15-0 in the regular season but lost to No. 33 Glastonbury in a Class LL first- round state tournament game.