I have a neighbor whose kids have just started playing youth sports. The kids are all young and this past fall, his twin sons were on a flag football team that won the town championship. I remember him telling me about the conversation he and his boys had in the car on the way home, trophies clutched in their hands, a glow filling the backseat.

“You know, most people never win anything,” he told them. “Enjoy this, because you never know how many times in your life you’ll get to feel this.”

As the JV Ultimate team rode the bus to Middletown for our final frisbee game of the season on Wednesday, those words filled my mind. Behind me in the seats of the bus were a bunch of blue-clad kids. Silly, kind, enthusiastic, smart, witty kids—but also kids who were about to experience something most people never get to do: attempt to finish a season undefeated.

Now, no season is perfect. Sports humble us, challenge us, and push us to grow, trust, and lift ourselves (and our teammates) up. These aren’t just sports skills; they are life skills. And our JV Ultimate Frisbee team developed those skills beautifully this season. Sure, we did end up going 6–0 (including four wins against varsity teams), but everyone on this team also grew. They grew as ultimate frisbee players, they grew as people, and they grew as friends.

So how did they do it? On this day--a rematch with a challenging and physically imposing Saint John Paul II team--they did it with masterful defense from Óscar, Micah, Sam, Connor, and Bradley. Each of them stayed glued to their defenders in the end zone and raced to challenge every handler from St. John Paul II, getting the stall count started immediately. They did it with the tireless effort and deft midfield play of Avery and Christian, who consistently blew past defenders, opening up the field for teammates to create more action and opportunity.

One of the major challenges the team faced was the reality that the game was played on a very small field. This played to SJP’s advantage, as they were a varsity team composed of 7th and 8th graders who held a clear height advantage over the 5th and 6th grade Owls. Without a stretched midfield, SJP was able to launch pass after pass into the end zone, essentially creating “Hail Mary” opportunities on nearly every possession.

Nevertheless, TCS scored the first two points of the day, with Cam and Gideon each sailing forehand passes to Jake on crossing routes in the end zone.

SJP answered with three straight scores to take a 3–2 lead. Cam and Jake connected again to even the score, but in the muggy 85-degree air, the frisbees were taking erratic routes on the cramped field and proved difficult to track.

SJP took a 4–3 lead before TCS rattled off five straight scores to open up the game. Ben hit Jack to tie it, then Jake snagged a deep strike from Cam for their third scoring connection of the day. Matthias also scored from Cam, then Jake appeared on the assist side of the box score with a deft dish to Jack. Moments later, a beautiful toss from Gideon to Jack gave the team an 8–4 halftime lead.

SJP narrowed the score to 8–5, but Cam answered with a throw to a leaping Ben for a 9–5 advantage. Play was then halted for nearly ten minutes due to an injury timeout after two SJP players collided while breaking up a pass intended for Ben in the end zone. One player had to be carried off the field, and we hope for a quick recovery. Players from both teams took a knee and applauded the injured player’s courage as he headed off to have his knee evaluated.

When play resumed, SJP scored once more before Ben delivered a beautiful backhand that floated softly into the ever-improving hands of Clark. The final score of the season for the mighty Owls came on a connection from Cam to Aydin before a last-minute strike from SJP brought the game to its final score of 11–7.

So what does it mean to be undefeated? It means you weren’t beaten. But as I look at this photograph, another powerful idea comes to mind: even if we had finished this season 0–6, I still don’t think this team would have been defeated. On paper, maybe. In the standings, sure. But even in losing, this is a resilient, powerful group of kids who rise to challenges and press on regardless of the mountains before them. They are the kind of people who will one day say, “If I don’t stop, I can’t lose.”

That’s the truth of it.

This was a wonderful group. And whether literally or figuratively, they completed an undefeated season. I hope they take a moment to enjoy how it feels, because most people never get to experience the glow of knowing that, for one magical season, they were a part -- an irreplaceable part -- of something truly special.

Pine Point 13-5 win

Down 3-1 and with their backs against a wall, the wily Owls of Country School defended their home nest admirably in a convincing 13-5 win versus Pine Point. After besting the Panthers in their first game of the season up in Stonington, Country wasn’t quite prepared when Pine Point came out for revenge with a few of their varsity players on the roster. 

Yet just as they’ve done all year, the group responded with a cascade of points scored in rapid succession. Just seeing that 13 different players scored a point (either an assist or a goal) brings great joy to us as coaches. And, of course, the measurable statistics miss out on the real story that happens on defense, on the bench as teammates cheer for one another, and on the passes that lace their way up and down the midfield. 

Here is a rundown of the scoring in the game.

1-0 PP

1-1 Gid to Jack

2-1 PP

3-1 PP

3-2 Gid to Jack

3-3 Arlo to Christian

4-3 Cam to Ben

5-3 Cam to Will

6-3 Gid to Clark

7-3 Matthias to Jack

7-4 PP

8-4 Cam to Christian 

9-4 Gideon to Aydin

10-4 Gideon to Cam

11-4 Conor C to Mike

12-4 Ben to Micah

12-5 PP

13-5 Cam to Matthias

Coach McDonough had this to say: “Nothing feels better than seeing so many players play important roles on the team. Our 5th Graders are really developing into sound and confident Ultimate players…it’s just been an absolute joy to watch this group come together for a common cause.”

Next up is a final home game versus IDS.

The Junior Varsity Owls flew south to the Academy Field in downtown Madison to face an OLM Prep team in what would later become known as the Battle of the Dandelions. 

In a sunny field dotted with the small, yellow harbingers of spring, Country School found itself down 0-2 after a quick jab-like attack from the OLM disc-flingers. 

Not to be deterred, however, sure-handed Jack D. found himself on the receiving end of the team’s first two scores, one each from Ben G. and Gideon M. A short lull in the scoring, left the teams knotted at 2-2 before Cam M. found Will C. in the back corner of the endzone as he wrestled free from a defender and caught the lofting disc to take the lead. At the 12:00 mark, though, OLM would capitalize on a midfield turnover that slipped through the talons of the owls, securing a 3-3 tie. 

This back-and-forth battle had spectators’ heads zipping from right-to-left like they were in the Wimbledon Grandstand (though the pitch, thick with weeds and dandelions would have told a different story than the manicured lawns of Roland Garros). 

Continuing the scoring, Jake S. flung one into the sure-fingered grip of Cam M, but two unanswered dots from OLM reclaimed a 5-4 lead for the home team. The tying pass was made by Jack D. who found Arlo M. open in the endzone.

With a 5-5 score, OLM knew they needed to push the pace and maximize their size advantage, taking the lead on a high arcing pass into the outstretched fingers of their tallest player. 6-5 OLM.

Handling many of the duties in the midfield, Gideon M. tied the game with a zipping pass to Luke O. 

Again, however, OLM countered, taking what would be their final lead at 7-6. At that point, Jake S.took over the game with his speed, breaking free for three unanswered points, two from Cam and one from Gideon. This took the teams through halftime, after which OLM would only score once more (8-9) before a short Gideon M. shot threaded the needle between two defenders into Luke’s grasp for the final score, and his second of the game.

Next up, the Owls play at home versus Pine Point on Monday, then again at home vs. IDS on Tuesday where they hope to extend their undefeated season.