Published in the December 6, 2017 edition
THE WMHS Boys’ Soccer banquet was held last night. Pictured from left to right are the awards winners: Travis Marsh, Thomas Nestor Award; Ryan Ritchie, Lightbown-Kelley MVP; Cole Kraus, Offensive Player of the Year; Jared Hurley, Defensive Player of the Year; Patrick Collins, Captain’s Award.
By DAN MARGARITA
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High boy’s soccer team formally ended their season with the annual postseason banquet, which featured speeches and presentations of awards.
ANDREW TETRAULT, the 2017 boys’ soccer head coach, spoke at the postseason banquet last night. Tetrault, a Wakefield High soccer state champion, is the Vice Principal at the Galvin Middle School and took over the 2017 team as an interim head coach. (Dan Margarita Photo)
The evening began with first year head coach Andrew Tetrault recapping the season from training camp, where he had to familiarize himself with his team.
“There was a lot of uncertainty at the beginning. ‘Who is this guy? What does he expect from us?’” said the coach of his team’s attempts to gauge his demeanor.
He stated that at his first practice he ran the team hard, “But no one quit” he proudly exclaimed.
THE 2017 Boys’ Soccer captains, Ryan Ritchie and Cole Kraus, welcomed the newly elected tri-captains for the 2018 season: Aidan Cusack, Joshua Ell and Carter Margolis. Pictured from left to right is Margolis, Kraus, Cusack, Ritchie and Ell.
The coach then listed the games with a small recap. The first four games against Middlesex League powerhouses, found Wakefield sitting with an 0-4 record without a goal before notching their first in a 3-2 victory over Wilmington.
The coach then mentioned the five game losing streak that followed, noting that a power outage caused a game against Woburn to be called early due to darkness, just when Wakefield seemed to be gaining momentum.
The team got back on the winning track with 4-0 victory over Burlington but dropped the next two contests.
THE WAKEFIELD Boys’ Soccer team honored their two Middlesex League All-Star selections at the postseason banquet last night. Pictured are the captains, 2017 Middlesex League All-Stars Ryan Ritchie (left) and Cole Kraus.
Wakefield finished strong, winning three of their last four games, albeit one of them a forfeit over Georgetown.
After presentations of the freshmen and JV teams, player awards were announced.
Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to co-captain Cole Kraus, who led the team in points and tied for seventh in the Middlesex League in points.
Defensive Player of the Year was Jared Hurley, whom Tetrault described as, “Tough as nails.”
The Tom Nestor Award went to Travis Marsh whom the coach described as “The ideal ambassador of Wakefield High School.”
The Harold Lightbown-Dick Kelley MVP Award went to goalkeeper Ryan Ritchie, whose net-minding skills won or kept Wakefield in many games.
The Captains Award, presented by team captains Cole Kraus and Ryan Ritchie, went to Patrick Collins.
Wakefield’s representatives on the Middlesex League All-Star team were Kraus and Ritchie.
