MUSKEGO, Wis. — The Muskego girls soccer team is heading to the state tournament with a chance to win its 5th straight title. The send-off starts in the morning with the coaches cooking breakfast. They made the varsity team food while parents wrote cards and decorated the team's room with photos — a tradition the program has carried out for 5 years.
Senior captain Sadie Mittelstaedt said the ritual carries meaning beyond the meal.
Watch: Muskego girls soccer state send-off tradition includes breakfast, cards and photos
"It's just kind of like a reminder to play for the little girl that fell in love with the game," Mittelstaedt said.
The team acknowledges the stakes grow with each passing year.
"I feel like we are the team to beat. Probably everyone wants to beat us," senior captain Abby Artlip said.
But the pressure has not fractured the team's bond. Senior captain Savannah Mittelstaedt — Sadie's twin sister — said the closeness of the roster is what keeps them grounded.
"At the end of the day these are my best friends I get to play soccer with every single day," Savannah Mittelstaedt said.
The twins say the community support is what makes the state tournament their favorite time of year.
"Our fans travel well so it is so loud and energetic," Sadie Mittelstaedt said.
Savannah Mittelstaedt echoed that sentiment.
"We look out into the stands tonight and see our family and friends and everyone is there to support us. So it is a really cool experience to be a part of," Savannah Mittelstaedt said.
Muskego plays Oregon Thursday at 7 p.m. The last time the two teams met, in April, the game ended in a tie.
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