Courtesy of Benilde-St. Margaret’s

The Benilde-St. Margarets girls varsity soccer team smiles bright on picture day.

Fall sports are officially underway, and the girls’ soccer team took its annual trip to Duluth. Each year, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s girls’ soccer team travels to compete against the Hermantown varsity team, a tradition that has become a highlight of the season.

The team leaves in mid-September to go on the trip, where it spends the night in a hotel. Given that it is an overnight trip, it allows the girls to form a stronger team bond off the field. “Our team grows because we’re able to build chemistry through spending a lot of time together. Which in turn helps us on the field because we’re able to build trust and depend on each other,” senior captain Anna Prange said.

The Duluth trip comes with many longstanding traditions that make the trip more enjoyable. Beyond just playing soccer, they engage in various activities on and off the field to foster a stronger connection with their teammates. “We always go to the same dessert place, and we go get caramel apples and take pictures,” junior captain Aida Parker said.

Every year, the team takes photos at the rocks of Lake Superior; these photos have become a staple for the team, as they rock their matching zip-ups and sweatpants. “The lake is always super pretty, so it’s the perfect place to get some team photos,” senior Nora Potter said.

One of the most delicious things the soccer team does in Duluth is get their favorite caramel apples. They go to a small candy store in Duluth, and everyone buys a delicious caramel apple. The caramel apples have been a staple on their trip; they just cannot miss the opportunity to get them while they’re up there. “After dinner, we always go get caramel apples, and they are so good. It’s something I definitely look forward to. I have never had a better caramel apple before,” Potter said.

While on the trip, the team successfully scored a victory against Hermantown. The girls took to the field on the sunny September 13th morning, where they fought long and hard but secured a 3-0 win against the Hawks. The team expressed their love for the trip and all of the traditions it entails. “This year we had so much fun, and we did all the typical things we usually do when we visit Duluth. It makes me sad, though, that this will be my last year participating in the trip. I will miss all of the fun memories of my teammates, whenever we play Hermantown; it is just overall a great experience,” said Potter.