Girls Varsity Soccer Senior Night

Charlie Bonney, Sports Editor

The mood was upbeat from start to finish for the CRLS girls soccer Senior Night Game on Saturday, October 26th. The team completed the final game of their season with a resounding 5-0 win over Everett High School. 

Before the game began, the team held a ceremony to celebrate the seniors’ high school soccer careers. Each senior received flowers and a gift as well as a warm welcome from the crowd as they prepared to play their final game. Nacie Loh ’20 said, “To be recognized and appreciated for the work and dedication we have put into this team and program was the perfect way to end the season.”

Another heartwarming moment came right before the kickoff, when senior captain Margaux Harrington, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear at the beginning of the season, joined her team on the field one last time, kicking the ball off f

or an unofficial start to the game. Harrington was grateful for this opportunity, saying, “Although I would’ve done anything to be able to play in that game, it felt like the closest way to feeling like I got to play some part of my Senior Night.”

Cambridge scored first, midway through the first half, with a goal from Anna Betancourt ’21. The goal came from a considerable individual effort by Betancourt to start the scoring. From then on, the team showed their prowess over the Everett team, adding to their lead with goals from seniors Alice Dyer and Yiyi Chen as well as Thea Loh ’23 and Anais Killian ’22.

This victory was a satisfying end to a season in which the CRLS girls soccer team struggled in a difficult Dual County League, finishing with four wins, thirteen losses, and one tie. 

“The atmosphere was great—everyone loved seeing the team, and especially the seniors, get a big win in their last game,” said Emmett Biewald ’21 of the boys soccer team. Biewald was part of the substantial crowd that showed up to support on the team’s final game of the season. 

After the game, the team celebrated their seniors again. The team’s underclassmen delivered heartfelt speeches for each of the seniors, reminiscing about their memories together and recounting the successes in each of their careers with the team. “It was an honor to celebrate the seniors and all they have brought to the soccer program,” said Betancourt, who read a speech for Harrington.

In her first year as the coach of the girls varsity soccer team, Meg Willette was glad about how the evening went: “We are lucky and so grateful to have such a strong support network.” 

She also expressed appreciation for the adaptability of the team’s leaders, saying, “These girls have really worked hard on coming together as a team and adapting to a new coach and her system of play. … We are definitely going to miss [the seniors’] leadership and energy next year.”

Senior Night focused on the team’s seniors, but now the underclassmen will look forward to improving on a difficult season for next year. Betancourt says the team plans to “build off of the legacy of the seniors and strengthen our game as a whole.”