photo by Dorothy Hill
MARSHFIELD – The Caledonia United (Twinfield-Cabot-Danville) boys soccer team put a bow on an incredible inaugural season last week with several season ending honors in the rugged Mountain League.
Head coach Peter Stratman had the task of gelling three once rival schools into one cohesive unit this Fall in Danville, and passed with flying colors, tying a program record with 11 wins. The catalysts for his dynamic offense were junior Eli Russell and freshman Omar Miksic-Knibb and they were rewarded with Mountain League First Team honors. Russell added to his Vermont All-State selection from a week ago. He had double digit goals and assists on the year, while quarterbacking Stratman’s ball control offense from his midfielder position. Miksic-Knibb broke on to the varsity scene in a big way, scoring 18 times to lead the team. The raw freshman forward is still learning the game and will be a problem for Mountain League opponents for years to come.
“Eli has been with us since he was an eighth grader and I’m so proud of his growth into such a phenomenal player. He’s a leader on the team and a dynamic leader of our offense. He, along with Jola Otten and Evan Whitehead, were an integral part of us maintaining possession and dictating tempo this season. Omar has raw talent and intuition on the pitch that you just can’t teach. He can be the best player in this league someday if he wants to be,” said Stratman.
Otten, Sam McLane, and senior Darshan Eddleman led Second Team selections for Cal United. Eddleman and Bailey Huang were the only two seniors on the roster this fall. Eddleman was one of the league leaders in goals scored his sophomore season but has battled a litany of injuries ever since. His perseverance is something Stratman admires the most about the skilled lefty, as he played his best soccer of the season down the stretch. He notched four goals in his last four matches, including the game-winner against Hazen Union in the first round of the Division III tournament.
“Darshan battled so many injuries and still had an excellent high school soccer career. It’s so rare in soccer to have such a talented player like Darshan who is also a natural lefty. His leadership and play will be sorely missed by our program,” said Stratman.
Cal United goalkeeper Josh Petersen and defensive back Evan Whitehead received Honorable Mentions for their outstanding seasons.
Oxbow’s Andrew Barrett and Enosburg’s Hunter Meunier were named Mountain League Co-Players of the Year. Enosburg’s Randy Swainbank was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Hornets to a 9-5-2 record that included a rare win over three-time Division IV champion Winooski.
