By John Orrell, Contributing Writer
Grafton – Playing for the love of the game has always been a cornerstone of high school sports, and perhaps no area team knows that better than the 2015 edition of Grafton High School (GHS) boys’ varsity soccer.
Head coach David Mitchell uses the term “field rats” to describe the current team. It’s a compliment to the dedication and desire that his players exhibit day in and day out, a play on the term “gym rats” commonly used for the commitment and perseverance of those who love gym activity.
The results speak for themselves. Ten consecutive victories to open the season, a South Worcester County League (SWCL) East crown before Halloween and a shot at an overall SWCL title with a one-game lead and a handful of regular season games remaining. None of these accomplishments happen by accident.
“These kids love soccer. They just don’t want to leave the field,” said third-year coach Mitchell, who is assisted by JV coach Rich Carew. “They never want to leave practice. They love coming to the games. They just love it and a lot of them have played together for years and that’s a big thing that they just don’t play soccer in the fall. A lot of them play year-round. There’s a lot of camaraderie and they know each other so well and that helps a lot.”
Five senior co-captains have taken the reins of this team, stepping up to bring unity and cohesiveness that admittedly may have been lacking in seasons gone by. Sean MacDonald, Brendan Scanlon, Tim Gilgallon, Liam Scanlon and Mike Belleville have been the heart and soul of this team providing leadership and direction from start to finish.
“It’s been really good chemistry,” said MacDonald. “Everybody likes each other and we’ve really come together as a team. As captains, we like to lead by example on the field. We show it on the field and it brings us together as a team.”
“Everyone on this team really likes each other and gets along well,” explained Scanlon. “The skill level on this team is very well-rounded. There’s no weak link on this team. Everyone plays their position well. I’m really happy on how we’ve played so far.”
“No one gets down on each other. We try to stay positive. You see other teams that start getting mad at each other when they’re down, but we stay up on each other and that really helps. We all lead together. No one’s better than anyone else on this team. In previous seasons, our records haven’t been that great but this year we’ve really pulled together.”
Besides camaraderie and positive reinforcement, this is a team with talent up and down the roster. There are no superstars dominating play, just a broad spectrum of players doing their job.
“There’s a lot more depth on this team. A lot of guys are stepping in and playing great soccer,” Mitchell said. “We have a lot of guys who love the game and play really well and perform when the lights are brightest. There’s really not a lot of weaknesses on this team. There’s a great blend of players. That’s what our success comes from is depth and balance.”
With regular season play winding down and a clash with rival Millbury set to conclude the schedule, the team is readying itself for post-season play that will put the team to the test.
“We’re trying to avoid as many injuries as possible and keep our whole team together,” Gilgallon said. “We’ve been playing with each other for so long in town leagues and club leagues. We all get along because it helps when you’re on the field to be able to communicate and get the job done.”
“We have to stay healthy and continue to play as a team,” added Mitchell. “One of our strong suits is that we love sharing the ball. It’s not just one guy dribbling downfield. We share the ball. We possess the ball. We find the open man and we just have to play like that as a team. That will continue our success.”
Besides captains, members of the 2015 GHS boys varsity soccer team are senior Liam Driscoll, juniors Chase Heck, Joe Marlette, Kyle Scanlon, Freddy Zheng, Nick Nevins, Ryan Tyldesley, Max Baraban, Paul Plichon and Duncan Hamilton as well as sophomores Aiden Scales, Henry Cummings, Brendan Donahue, David Toscano, Christian Loja and freshman Stijn Balogh de Galantha.