To be led by interim head coach and WMHS alum, Andrew Tetrault
THE WMHS boys’ soccer team will be led by senior co-captains goalkeeper Ryan Ritchie and Cole Kraus. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Published in the September 5, 2017 edition.
By DAN MARGARITA
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High boy’s soccer team is set to begin their 2017 season this week and it will be under the direction of a new coach, Andrew Tetrault.
The Wakefield High graduate (Class of 2000) is returning to the program where he first coached under the regime of the legendary Dick Kelley and then under coach Sam Hochberg. When Hochberg stepped down as coach, Tetrault left the program to pursue a Master’s Degree and raise a family.
Tetrault played for Kelley and was on the team that won the State Championship in 1997.
“There’s a little bit of rustiness,” said Tetrault “but it is like riding a bike. Then it’s like, ‘all right’ and things start coming back to you. One of the things I did that was not lost to rustiness was working with the guys.”
Tetrault is the Assistant Principal at the Galvin Middle School, so he knows the players he is inheriting.
“I know them and they know me, which helps. They won’t have to wonder where they stand in my eyes and what I am like. The guys have been absolutely great in responding to me,” he added.
The team has managed a few scrimmages with a win at Austin Prep, a loss at home to St. Mary’s and a tie in a three-way scrimmage at Pingree.
The team will be led by captains goalkeeper Ryan Ritchie and Cole Kraus.
“We’ve talked about some of our values and the things that we want to see our leaders represent, whether it’s on the field or off the field, in the community and in the classroom. So, we selected two great guys although we had a bunch that said, ‘I’d love to step in and be a leader.’”
The Warriors will have the benefit of senior leadership with 12 seniors on the roster. Among the underclassmen are six juniors, four sophomores and one freshman.
“It says a lot about them. We didn’t have any captains in the off-season and they were still able to get the guys together in the off-season and they all stepped in and filled in that role of leader,” said Tetrault.
As far as the Middlesex League power house teams, in the Large Division, Tetrault expects last year’s State Champion Lexington to once again be strong.
In the Small Division he notes that Melrose and Watertown have been “pretty consistent,” although he feels his team “will definitely compete.”
The team opens their season Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at home (The Galvin Middle School) against Winchester.
Besides captains Ritchie and Kraus, seniors include: Patrick Almeida, Mark Auld, Michael Chankour, David Franco, Jared Hurley, Daniel Kerrigan, Vasilios Koutroubis, Cameron Manning, Travis Marsh and Alec Passacantilli.
The juniors are: Skylar Burns, Nicholas Connor, Aidan Cusak, Joshua Ell, Carter Margolis and Brian Smith.
The sophomore list is: Patrick Collins, Cameron Farrow, Anthony Pellergrino and John Summers.
Rounding out the squad is freshman Eric Keefe.
