Following a successful season for both the varsity and club programs in the fall, Middlebury Club Soccer (MCS) has opened its doors for even more players to play competitively with the advent of a “B” team.
Created this spring, Middlebury B played its first competitive game on Saturday, April 2, falling 1–0 to a plucky Clarkson side. The team returned to action the following day for a double header against Syracuse and UVM, losing both. Youness Cheboubi ’24 scored the team’s only goal.
“We were all really excited for [Youness],” Middlebury B co-founder Roni Lezama ’22 said. “He works really hard and loves the sport, so you could definitely say he fits the second team narrative.”
The team was largely created in response to massive interest in the club soccer team following its launch in the fall. Seeing the excitement they generated among the school’s population, MCS leadership decided their young program was already in need of expansion.
“In the fall, the club team had a fantastic season, but the only problem was that, to stay competitive, we had to have cuts,” MCS co-founder Marco Fengler ’23 said. “About 100 guys tried out, so we thought we should expand it so more guys could get out there and have a good time.”
With Middlebury A taking a roster 25 players deep, the B team took an additional 33, ensuring that the majority of the players who tried out this spring made a competitive team. Staying true to their mission of inclusivity, team co-founders Lezama and Charlie Deichman-Caswell ’24 made sure that every one of their 33 players played during their opening weekend of competitive games.
“Despite the losses, we had a big win this weekend,” Lezama said. “Our goal was to get the most players on the field as possible, and we did that.” Lezama admitted that although the frequent rotation of players may mean the team is less competitive, it allows for more students to get back into the game they love.
Middlebury A returned to competitive play on Saturday, April 9, playing the A and B teams for both Tufts and Harvard. Fengler, Tom Haugen ’25, Jonathan Kim ’25 and Blaise Seifer ’23.5 all scored to help the Panthers to a 2–1–1 record over the course of the weekend.
Middlebury A plays their next game this Sunday, April 24, against Holy Cross, while Middlebury B is next in action on May 1 on South Street Field, playing Hamilton and Dartmouth.
Editor’s Note: Blaise Seifer ’23.5 is the senior sports editor for The Campus and abstained from editing this piece.
Charles Crounse '24 (he/him) is the senior sports editor for the Campus. He has previously worked as a writer and staff editor for the section. Charles is pursuing a major in environmental policy and a minor in French, and in his free time he enjoys biking, hiking, and exploring Vermont. He is also a member of the club soccer team on campus.
