Regardless of when the USL League Two season comes to an end, the end is always hard. Given the nature of the league’s brief summer season, the conclusion inevitably arrives too soon as players return to their collegiate programs or move on to other prospects by the advent of August.

That ending has always been difficult at Brave SC, where the players become something closer to a family than a team, and watching the player house empty feels like turning a page that has space left for more words.

But this summer will be remembered not for the sad departures, or any of its rare shortcomings, or even its many highs, but for the unique bond this year’s Buffalo developed over the course of their three months here.

“It was obviously a special season,” goalkeeper Mathias Tieppo said. “I think the memories I’ll bring from this one are similar to the ones from last season. It’s about the people I met here. It was an awesome group that came together with great people and I made a lot of friends. Of course, we’re here to win, to be national champions, but those things last for life, so that’s what I’ll be leaving with.”

The relationships formed were critical, allowing the Buffalo to accelerate quickly. After two 1-1 draws to open the season, they took off with a string of seven consecutive wins, out-scoring opponents 26-3 during that span.

“We were able to connect to everyone, so, when we stepped on the field, in every single position, in every place, we knew each other very well as a friend and as a player,” midfielder Matheus Ferreira said. “I think being in the house, being together and playing games, everything was about chemistry, so I think that was important for our season.”

The team finished the regular season with a 9-1-2 record and a +30 goal differential, tied for the third-best mark in League Two. While the chemistry elevated this year’s Brave SC squad, it was also one of the most talented groups the club ever assembled. The depth of strength was such that it became a problem — albeit, a good one — for head coach Anderson DaSilva.

“Toward the end, it was becoming a headache to pick the 18-man roster,” he said. “We were leaving off players that could be on any team’s 18-man roster or even in a lot of starting lineups.”

While many players at one point speculated on the club’s first ever undefeated campaign, even the Buffalo’s lone loss of the regular season served a purpose and strengthened the team.

“I think it put our heads back where they needed to be, kind of humbled us, in a way,” midfielder Fabio Rodrigues said. “We were winning all the games, playing very well, so I think we got cocky — not intentionally, but overconfident. It brought us back and reminded us that we needed to get the job done. I think it was very beneficial in that manner.”

The Buffalo did lock in to complete their task, finishing the regular season with a pair of wins — 6-0 over Brevard SC and 3-1 against Inter Gainesville KF — to secure the club’s fifth Southeast Division title and second in a row.

“Winning the division is very important every year and we’ve done it two years in a row now, which sets the tone for the future,” Ferreira said. “Other teams around us will get more competitive because they know Brave is standing in their way.”

In the playoffs, Brave SC advanced beyond the first round for the second year in a row, defeating Sarasota Paradise 2-1 in the first ever meeting between the two Florida clubs, but came up short of a Southern Conference title defense, falling by the same score to Asheville City SC after finishing the game shorthanded.

“This team deserved to go further but, unfortunately, it’s game-to-game,” head coach Anderson DaSilva said.

“If you measure by numbers, obviously the team last year won the conference and went further. Last year, we felt like we completed the job. We’d never won the division and conference in the same year, so it felt like we did great and we took the club a little bit further. This year, it feels like the season’s not over, like we need to go back and have one more chance to prove it.”

With many players from this year’s team set on returning in 2025, though, this year’s departures were full of optimism.

“It just feels like we didn’t finish the job and it just makes us more excited to go back,” DaSilva said. “The players, the way they’re talking about next year, maybe combine some players from last year with this year and that will take us all the way.”

For more information on Brave SC, visit BraveSC.com.