The Auburn football team might have gone out on a down note, with a 35-28 loss to Skyview of Vancouver in the state quarterfinals, but it was far from a disappointing season for the Trojans.

“When you get to the level in the postseason that we were at, you have to play your best game, and I think we just faced a team that played a better game than us,” coach Gordon Elliott said.

The playoff loss followed another solid regular season. The Trojans reeled off an 11-1 overall record, including an 8-0 South Puget Sound League 4A North run. The team also extended its home-game winning streak to 41 at Auburn Memorial Stadium.

“We won a league championship for the second straight year since we came up to 4A,” Elliott said. “We were a fairly young team this season, and I thought we got better during the year. Just the fact that we had an undefeated regular season, our third in the last four years, I think was a high point. And continuing to win against tough opponents on Troy Field was a big accomplishment.”

As good as the team was this year, Elliott believes his team has the potential to be even better next season.

“In the last playoff game, we started just three seniors on offense and five on defense,” he said.

Back for next season will be running backs Alphonse Wade and Austin Embody, who both ran for more than 1,000 yards this year.

Also back will be the big guys who cleared the holes for Wade and Embody. Next season the Trojans’ offensive line will feature returning starters Danny Shelton, Cory English, Keila Suka and Nick Conlan, with only left tackle Dan Durant leaving the fold to graduate.

“Obviously when your offensive line is good, you’re good,” Elliott said. “And a couple of them will be three-year starters.”

According to Elliott, with many of the pieces already in place for next season, there shouldn’t be many changes to Auburn’s style of smash-mouth football.

“Depending on who our quarterback is, we’re going to be running more there, as we have in the past,” Elliott said.

If this year’s SPSL North 4A all-league selections are any indication, next year’s campaign should be in good hands.

Shelton was selected as both the offensive and defensive Lineman of the year for his play in the trenches. Shelton was also picked to both the offensive and defensive first teams.

Embody and Wade were both chosen as the SPSL North 4A’s Offensive backs of the year. Both also earned first team selections on offense.

Also garnering first team honors for the Trojans were senior Estefano Pina at tight end and Conlan at center.

Also honored with second team selections were Conlan, Duran, junior defensive back Dylan Rutledge, senior defensive lineman Byron Wilson and junior linebacker E.J. Strickland.

Kicker Aaron McMahon, a junior, was honored for his special team’s play, and defensive back Zak Sauve was chosen as a honorable mention.

Elliott was awarded Coach of the Year honors, and assistant running back coach Walt Hunt was named Assistant Coach of the Year.