One need not have to look to our new Washington regime to witness discussions on second class citizens. We have our own second class citizens at MVRHS in our highly successful boys soccer team.

They recently finished their season with a loss in the state semi finals to Medway, their first loss to an opponent in their own division. Additionally, they handed Nantucket their first loss of the season (whether Nantucket acknowledges it or not). They beat their last year’s division champions, Norton, and beat this year’s second seed, Dover Sherborn, on their own turf.

In the four years of this class of 2017, the soccer team stands as the most successful program at the school. How is this premier program treated at MVRHS?

The home playoff game against Norton was not even announced in the sign in front of MVRHS. The school chose to announce a truck show in their parking lot instead. The student athletes themselves put out a sandwich board the afternoon of the game for an announcement. After which they set up the field by removing the football yard markers left from the night before. Then they prepared to play a prime time night game. Equal footing you might assume. Only, that it was a prime time game due to the pleading by some super soccer moms and finally the coach. The game was witnessed by over 900 fans.

This program did more to energize the student body than any other event this year. Super soccer mom, Kelly Hess, organized three fan busses to travel to the last playoff game. A special thank you to Jamie McNeely of Our Market for providing those buses. Long live the student body “baby powder” salute to the team. Their acknowledgement of this successful program far out flanks the schools. This program is blessed to have a dedicated and passionate trio of coaches in Estaban Aranzabe, Ryan White and Tom Rooney.

An acknowledgement from MVRHS and accompanying press would seem in order, however failing that let me say congratulations to a senior driven squad that proved that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

John S Moffet
Edgartown