Blue Wave soccer wins a pair against Nettleton in district play

Kyra Means, Staff Writer

December 18, 2025

Senior Aanya Banga advances the ball in Goen’s 2-1 victory against Nettleton on Nov. 18.

The Blue Waves soccer team won 2-1 and 8-1, Goen and Frazer respectively, against district foe Nettleton on Nov. 18.

Frazer made quick work of Nettleton, scoring right out of the gate and ending the game early in a mercy rule. Junior Hutch Clemons, who scored the first goal, said the team’s energy shifted immediately after he scored.

“That first goal is like a mental switch,” Clemons said. “It puts you in a very favorable position where you’re not as stressed and you have some cushion to fall back on.”

Juniors Khang Tran and Clemons scored the second and third goals for the Blue Waves before Nettleton responded with a tally. Senior co-captain Om Patel said the team’s early goal scoring became insurmountable for Nettleton.

“We started with 3-0 at first, which was a comfy lead, and then we built on from it,” Patel said. “We did give up a goal but did good other than that.”

Clemons said it was smooth sailing until Nettleton scored a goal, cutting into the MSMS lead and prolonging the game from ending in a mercy rule.

“[Team morale] was very high the whole time other than one questionable moment when one of [Nettleton’s] players scored a goal, which made us a little uncomfortable,” Clemons said.

Patel said he was still very proud of their performance and hopes to use it as a prime example of how to play their upcoming matches.

“We’ll try to resemble [this game] for future games. We started off quick and played with a lead,” Patel said. “The team worked well as a unit and moved up and down the field with good passing, keeping possessions well.”

Goen’s 1-point victory featured 15 saves and a deflected penalty kick by senior goalkeeper Carmen Wooley.

Senior Isabel Beckman said Nettleton was a tougher opponent than what the team has faced this season.

“We were pretty evenly matched. [It was] the closest game so far,” Beckman said. “[Nettleton was] playing very rough.”

Besides issues having to do with a lack of practice time, Beckman said the team is playing at a high level.

“I’m proud of everyone and how far we’ve come after only a few practices. We are continuously working better as the new players get a feel for the game,” Beckman said. “We need to work on ball control mainly … better assists, better connections, being quicker with the ball instead of having it and just staying with it.”

Editor’s Note: Co-Editors-in-Chief Walt Giesen and Jake Heisler contributed to this article.

About the Contributors

Kyra Means, Staff Writer

Kyra Means is a junior from Brandon. She finds purpose in making new connections through clubs and extracurricular activities, where she participates in wrestling, band and writing for The Vision. Although she spends much of her time connecting with other students, she is also highly academically motivated and works hard to achieve the grades necessary for her to attend medical school. In college, she hopes to find her passion while studying anatomy and animal care.

Raymond Yang, Managing Editor, Sports Editor

Raymond Yang is a senior from Tupelo. His day-to-day life closely mirrors that of an office worker — drafting lengthy emails, indulging in early 2000s Chinese ballads and sipping instant coffee at night. He has a fondness for photography, cloudwatching and napping outside in autumn weather to clear his mind. He is involved with the Asian Student Association, English Peer Tutoring, Mu Alpha Theta and the swim team at MSMS. His time with The Vision has helped him develop an interest in investigative journalism and data analysis.