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DMS Saints soccer hits the field
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Saints - photo by Chris Tramel photo

The newly formed DeKalb Middle School Saints Boy’s Soccer Team is gearing up for its first season with practices and a couple of scrimmage games. While there is no way to judge the team from past teams, the head coach says he sees potential and has high hopes.
"I’m very excited about our first year with a DeKalb Middle School boys soccer team," Coach Justin Nokes told the Review. "We started in the fall with the girl’s team, and we had a great season, but we have a lot of talent and hard workers on this boys’ team. When we get it all together, I think we’re going to have a really good team."
With a new program, experience is obviously something lacking with the Saints Soccer Team. But, Coach Nokes says his players have experience with other programs. "A lot of these players have been playing in the rec league. The rec league has been great to develop these young players. Some, are brand new, trying to figure everything out, but they’re coming along strong as well."
Nokes says the Saints will face other programs that are well established, but the dedication of his players is encouraging. "Our schedule consists of five home games and six away games. Most of those games are against teams from Cookeville. There are ten teams in our conference, and those teams are very, very good. Some of those schools have had soccer programs for years and years. We are lacking in experience, but I think we will make that up with hard work."
"It’s hard to gauge our team with no "win/loss" statistics to compare to, but I think that as we get along, just like the girls’ team improved, it will be the same thing with the boys."
On Feb. 18, the Saints played their first scrimmage game at Warren County, and the new team held its own. DeKalb came out strong with two early goals by Cristobal Flores, but would not be able to hold Warren off. The game would end in a 2-2 tie, but the result was an impressive start for the Saints.
If a tie was a good first step for DMS, their next scrimmage was a giant leap. On Feb. 28, the Saints faced off with Central Magnet, and came away with a 5-1 victory.
The game would remain scoreless for the first twenty minutes, then Flores put one in the back of the net. DMS would get another before the half, giving them a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, the Saints opened up, scoring three more goals. Central would come out of the scrimmage with a goal, but the Saints would get the 5-1 win.
Flores had three goals, and Dylan Easterwood and Luis Hernandez would each get one.
"It was a great game for DMS," Coach Nokes said. "We’re starting to really work together."