Long road back: Winooski boys soccer looks to rebound after historic season

Photo Courtesy of the US Census Bureau

Jacob Miller-Arsenault reported this story on assignment from the Winooski News. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.

The sun streamed down on Winooski High’s soccer field last week on an unseasonably warm October day that felt more like summer than anything else. Something else that felt like summer? The relative lack of students, parents and other spectators gathered at the school to watch the game. 

A small crowd of students and even fewer parents oversaw the Winooski boys’ dramatic 1–0 victory over Twinfield that Wednesday. Star winger Abdoul Lailati, a senior, struck with a little over a minute remaining in the game, ripping a long shot that was spilled by the Twinfield keeper and eventually wormed its way into the back of the net. Upon scoring, Lailati sprinted over to the gaggle of students and energetically dapped them up while his teammates behind him celebrated and slapped him on the back. 

The way Winooski celebrated is reminiscent of a professional team, and the boys carry themselves in that same manner out on the field. Said parent Sarah McGowan-Freije, whose son Sam Freije is Winooski’s goalkeeper, “They’re very encouraging out on the field,” rarely getting down on each other. 

McGowan-Freije noted that while more people usually turn out for the games, folks in the community seem less involved than last year. “While they don’t need support,” she said of the team, “it would be nice.” 

Winooski High dominated Vermont boys high school soccer the 2022 season. The Spartans roared their way to the boys soccer program’s first state championship by means of an undefeated season. They enthralled fans with slick one- and two-touch passing that allowed them to zip the ball across the field and spread out opposing defenses. 

This season has looked a lot different. Not only did Winooski lose eight seniors, four of whom earned all-state nods, but the team also has a new head coach, Brad Agoos. “(It’s) always interesting to get with a new group,” he said.

Despite his group’s relative inexperience, the goal remains the same. “We’re competing for a state championship,” Agoos said. 

To do that, the coach has prioritized players’ understanding of their roles, especially in defending as a group. No matter the result, Agoos insists the goal is to get better every game. “We’re halfway through and getting better,” he said. 

It has not been an easy process. Aside from playing a brutal stretch of games in the past couple weeks, Winooski also started the season against higher-level competition, playing Burlington twice in addition to Rice. All three games resulted in losses.  

“We’ve had to weather that storm, obviously,” Agoos said, “but we’re just trying to be organized.”  

They certainly were so on Wednesday. After facing some early pressure from the visitors, the Spartans settled in, consistently picking up 50-50 balls in the midfield and sending attacks down the wings. Winooski’s defenders held their composure on defense, too, sorting out most trouble. In what was a fairly even battle for most of the game, chances were hard to come by. Those that did come were squandered, but the boys remained positive and kept encouraging each other, sometimes more so than the fans did. 

When the breakthrough came, the boys energized the crowd and each other.  

The new-look Spartans might not produce the same dazzling displays as their compatriots last year, but supporters have a lot to be excited about as the season ramps up. Now 5-0-1 in Division IV play, the Spartans are building some serious momentum as they edge closer to the playoffs.