By Julia Karcewski
Round Table editor
As the fall sports season came to an end and bitter breezes rolled into the valley, a typical Middletown High School student might be seen running to a car or bus once school let out, headed home or out with friends. Not the girls on the MHS varsity soccer team. This unique group of 22 girls was together every day after school, practicing outside for at least two hours a night, preparing for a singular goal: the 2A state title.
From the season’s start, these girls seemed to have a spark in them that was distinctive from any other team in Middletown’s girls varsity soccer history. As the season progressed and the Knights remained undefeated, the spark ignited and became a fire that burned inside them, a fire that consumed them, a fire that would lead to states.
Although winning kept them motivated, their success depended on much more than what happened on the field.
Working for each other was a way the team could come together as one, hoping to reach the final goal they all shared.
“We just had great chemistry,” said Alycia Giauque, a senior defender on the team. “(The chemistry) was on and off the field, which really made us want to work harder for each other.”
Once the playoffs began, Heather Kline, MHS girls varsity soccer coach, made the decision to move up five girls from junior varsity to add depth to the powerful team.
The team’s confidence was also a main reason behind its accomplishments.
After a 4-0 win over Belair in the state semifinals, the team was ecstatic, and the girls’ adrenaline was pumping at high velocity.
“After we defeated Belair, I knew we could do it. I just kept thinking, ‘We’re going to be 18 and 0,’ and I knew if we worked together as a team, there was no doubt in my mind we could be state champs,” said defender Brittain Altomare, MHS senior.
During the last week of practice before states, it was vital for each player to concentrate on the win because not one person wanted the state title more than another. It would take an entire team for the wish to be granted.
Defender Emily Losquadro, MHS junior, said that despite the excitement, everyone on the team was focused on the state title game to be held at University of Maryland Baltimore County.
By this time, only fine tuning was needed at practice; the girls already knew that showing up and working as hard as they had all season would help ensure them a state title.
“We did drills that worked more on our foot skills and less on running,” said Losquadro. “We didn’t do much conditioning that last week because Coach Kline didn’t want to wear us out before the big game – we were fine with that.”
The day finally came. On Nov. 20, the girls headed to UMBC to play against Glenelg, which had defeated Eastern Tech, 4-1, in the other state semifinal game.
In an aggressive, close game, the Knights defeated Glenelg, 2-1, with a first goal by Jacky Kessler, and a second, game-winning goal by Mackenzie Noel.
“The first thing that went through my head was, ‘Oh my god, we’re champions,’” said center – midfielder Noel. “Not only are we state champions, but we just finished with an undefeated season, which isn’t very common.”
Noel is right; the deed of an undefeated season for MHS girls varsity soccer has never been accomplished, and this exceptional team will forever be known as the first.
