Despite a hard fought loss at the hands of the St. Albans Bulldogs, historic student attendance numbers inspired hope within the boys varsity soccer team. By the hundreds, students, donning black for the “blackout” theme, piled into the bleachers. They cheered and chanted, bringing that electric, almost whimsical, component of fandom that makes high school sports so special. 

“I loved the atmosphere from beginning to end, soccer usually doesn’t get big turnouts, except for playoffs. The crowd was really consistent… they don’t even chant that much for football… I hope fans will want to come back in the future,” midfielder and senior-captain Leo MacDonald said. 

Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo courtesy of Sam Mayster

The blackout consumes the bleachers. Students engaged in chants to fuel the team.

Senior Rama Rugaba scored the lone goal in the Cats’ 2-1 loss. At the time, the goal had locked the game at 1-1 and the crowd was set ablaze. 

“As a representative in the student section, we’re getting better and louder every game… I’m proud to show out for my boys on the team and we are just getting started,” senior Nadav Blivis said. 

For those who missed out on the experience, the next home game is slated for Tuesday, Sept, 20 against the Clarksburg Coyotes, as the Wildcats look to get back on track. Last year, the Cats triumphed over the Coyotes 2-0 so fans can expect a spirited performance from Clarksburg. Tickets are currently available on GoFan.com. 

“Sadly, we lost but I think we can reflect on it and get better… between now and Clarksburg we need to work on our composure and get more shots off… To the fans, I thank you for coming out and supporting us,” junior Sid Scale said.