The Telstar Middle School Girls Soccer Team made it to the playoffs with a near-perfect record. Rose Lincoln/Bethel Citizen
BETHEL — As they entered the playoffs on Thursday, Oct. 19, the Telstar Middle School Boys team was 9-0-1 and the Telstar Middle School Girls team was 8-1-1.
Telstar Middle School Girls Coach Greg Luetje talks with his team before they played Lisbon in the playoffs Oct. 19. Rose Lincoln/Bethel Citizen
Stellar seasons for both teams.
At a parent-organized spaghetti dinner at the Telstar cafeteria the night before the playoffs, students ate 11 pounds of ziti. They had meatballs, bread, butter and dessert too.
A tableful of eighth grade girls sat in the center of the room. Payton Isham and Eva Garant, both of Bethel, said playing under the lights at an away game and doing the ‘stanky leg’ on the sidelines at all the boys’ games were highlights. Eighth grader Sophie Wakefield of Woodstock, who ran Bethel Recreation track, said she’ll definitely do soccer next year. “I am very competitive,” she said. Her friend Isla, DeCato, of Bethel agreed.
Matthew Wakefield, of Woodstock, Sophie’s cousin, said he plans to play for the high school boys team. “We learned a lot and we improved,” he said of the season.
Telstar Middle School Boys Coach Nate Crooker talks to his team following their playoff loss Oct. 19. Rose Lincoln
While both teams made it to the playoffs, both lost (3-0) in back-to-back home games games against Lisbon. It was ‘do or die,’ so the season is over.
After the playoff game, boys’ coach Nate Crooker named each of the the eighth graders who will move on. “You can feel like you left it all out there… There is going to be more soccer in your future,” he said.
One player was not ready to end the exciting season. He asked, “Coach, do we have practice tomorrow?”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
