by Luke Saliga
Players come and go, seniors move on to bigger and better things, but a team and its traditions stay. That has been the attitude for the varsity boys soccer team all year long. They have lost some star players and still keep turning out wins. Some people say they could win with a team of freshman, and it is all thanks to eight-year head coach Christopher Botelho.
“I am proud of our team this year. They really have come through,” Botelho said. “People gave them no chance this year, and they have proved everyone wrong.” Even though this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the team, they have still come out strong with a 7-3-1 record.
“I try not to refer to any season as a rebuilding season,” said Botelho. “It sounds like you have given up on the season, and I don’t like giving up.” The team lost six seniors, so new players had to come up and fill some pretty big shoes because the last two years the team has won districts and gone pretty far in the state tournaments.
The team has many traditions that have continued over the years. “ Well I like to think that us winning is sort of a tradition,” said Botelho. “We also have a little pregame routine that we have been doing ever since I was coach. The boys get in a tight huddle and start chanting a Portuguese war chant to give them good luck in the game.” Botelho would not tell me what the players say; he said it was a secret only known to the soccer team.
Botelho has many plans for the future. “I hope I am around for awhile. I would like to build this town’s love for soccer. It should not be too hard though. Hudson has a knack for producing some of the best players around.”
