On October 24th, the Frederick Boys Varsity Soccer team faced a loss with a final score of 2-1 as they took on their rivals, the Mead Mavericks. At their last game, the program highlighted their seniors and in the final minute of the game, senior Hunter Vickers scored his first high school career goal.
Going into the game against Mead, Frederick had a season record of 3-10-1. As the team progressed through their season, they faced a series of difficult opponents such as the Erie Tigers, the Longmont Trojans, and Silver Creek Raptors.
While their record going into the game was not as strong as Mead’s (6-6-3), Frederick still had an adequate chance to take victory.
This was best expressed by Philimon Sang, a junior on the varsity team: “They [Mead] are the better team on paper, but our record doesn’t define how hard these groups of young boys have worked this season.”
Ryan Brown, a senior captain, shared similar thoughts on the team’s season, noting how “a setback our team has faced would be the amount of losses we’ve had, but our team has been able to overcome them due to the fact that we all share the same interest in just playing soccer together and being able to make the most of any opportunity [and] to forget about the losses.”
To start off the night, the soccer program organized a senior night that showcased the team’s 17 seniors, which included two senior managers. To go with the senior night celebration, there was a barbecue that was enjoyed by players, parents, friends, and everyone who attended the game.
In the beginning of the game, both teams got touches on the ball, making smooth passes and transitions with Frederick maintaining a majority of possession.
As the game progressed, Mead started taking more control, beating many Frederick players to the ball. The first goal of the game was scored by Mead in the 56th minute after a Frederick foul led to a free kick.
Mead continued to dominate the game, but Frederick put up a good fight with their defense controlling the ball in the back and clearing it up to the Frederick forwards.
In the 64th minute, Mead scored their second goal after the ball ended up in the middle with an open midfielder who took a shot from 25 yards out and managed to just make it over Blake Lowry’s, the varsity goalkeeper, fingertips.
While Frederick was down for a portion of the second half, spirits were lifted when Hunter Vikers, senior, stepped onto the field.
In the final minute of the game, Hunter scored his first high school career goal, causing the crowd and Frederick sideline to erupt with cheers. (Video Link)
Exuberant, the entirety of the soccer program rushed the field to congratulate their teammate.
In a post game interview, Ryan Brown said, “The best part of the game, and maybe the whole season, was Hunter Vickers getting his first career high school goal and it was on varsity. Everybody rushing the field too was great to celebrate with him. ”
Everyone on the field had a smile on their face, even the Mead players, showing true sportsmanship from Frederick’s rivals.
Once the field was cleared, the teams played the final minute of the game before it came to a close. Although the game was a loss, the team was still in high spirits as they continued to celebrate their seniors after the game.
To end the season, Ryan had one more thing to add: “Even though it was below expectations results wise, the bonds I made with each and every individual player on the team and a lot of the program is something I’m never gonna forget. The soccer team is basically another family to me and have been very important in my life outside of just the field.”
The Frederick Boys Soccer team ended their season with a losing record, but the memories they made on and off the field are what brought them all together for a season they will never forget.
To watch the entire game, visit the Golden Eagle Broadcast Network.
