By Charles Chaney

TOWANDA, Kansas — The record may not show the growth and the fun Circle girl’s soccer is having this season but when you watch them play, you see it.

Circle capped off senior day with a fun, 8-0, mercy-rule win over Chanute. It was filled with goals, hugs, high-fives and smiles.

It all starts with these seniors.

“I feel like being a captain senior year has been an honor,” senior Chloe Whyte said. “We’ve really found a connection between everybody and we’ve really pulled it together these last few games.”

After a handful of players chose not to come out for the team over the last couple of seasons, it’s almost as if they had to built a program from the ground up. Senior Kamella Worthington who scored the first goal of the night has been through it all. She was apart of the state qualifying team and she’s on this team as a captain as a senior.

It’s a tale of different teams.

“We’re definitely a younger built team,” Worthington said. “I think coming together, we built a great community all around. We work really well together and I can’t wait to see how they do in the future.”

Coach Wyatt Bobo said Whyte and Worthington were two who saw a void in leadership and stepped up. They saw what coach Bobo was doing and bought in.

“They were great team managers in letting me know the progress of the team and they were doing a great job as far as recruiting and bringing new people into the program,” he said. “They put us on the same page. There are no egos and there’s not a lot of finger pointing or anything like that.”

You saw it in the dominating win over Chanute. They shared the ball well, including a pretty pass from Bailey Reedy to sister Rhylie Reedy for a goal. The ball split two defenders down the left win as Rhylie was able to put it by the keeper in the first half.

For the sisters, it’s been so much fun playing with each other even if Rhylie was a bit apprehensive at first.

“I remember I didn’t want to because I thought she’d to take the spotlight off of me,” she said. “Now, that I play with her, we connect very well. I mean, I anticipate where she’s going. It’s actually really nice.”

Bailey is loving the time together, too.

“It’s really cool because when we first started playing soccer, we played together even though she was a year younger,” she said. “We kind of learned together. Then we split apart for because we got older and now we’re here again. We work really well together and we helped the team.”

Bailey finished with four goals, including a first half hat-trick. She would score her fourth with the game clinching goal with five minutes remaining to secure the win.

Worthington’s goal on senior night is a special moment she may never forget. She’s not a club player and neither is Whyte and they’re examples you can love a sport, play it competitive and do well without having to be on a club squad.

“We all understand that it’s not a club sport and we’re here to have fun and build a family and a community,” Worthington said. “That’s one of our main goals as seniors and captains were to encourage the girls the younger team to have fun and feel like they’re welcome, especially on a on a team, is important.”

White has loved seeing her teammates get better as the season progressed.

“This was a building season for us,” Whyte said. “But seeing how far we’ve come from the first game to tonight, it’s been really cool.”

Coach Bobo has loved seeing his girls buy-in to the foundation of the program. He was enjoying the senior night win for his team.

“I don’t have the words to explain it, but the feeling inside feels really good,” he said. “It feels good for those seniors to go out with a big win. It feels good to see those seniors connecting and in getting a victory.”

“Tonight was even more special, just because it was senior night. The girls were kind of giddy going into the game, and they were excited for their for their teammates scoring and succeeding.”

Circle now will wait for playoff pairings. They don’t have a preferred opponent but they know they’ll be ready for whoever they play.

“We had some games where we were only down 1-0,” Bobo said. “We had chances and we think we can turn some of those opportunities into goals.”

Worthington and Whyte aren’t worried about opponents. They’re just relishing in the fact they were able to play with their best friends.

“It’s all the friendships. I mean, I love these girls,” Worthington said. “They’re really just like a family.”