11/06/2025
This story came up in the OWS memories. It is crazy that it was six years ago! What a great reminder about what high school sports is all about! Thanks, Academy of Holy Angels Girls Soccer and MSHSL
ANOTHER GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP STORY
The email below was sent from Orono High School girls soccer coach Erin Murray to athletic director Michael Kautzman and girls soccer coach Dave Marshak at Academy of Holy Angels the day after the 2019 state tournament ended. Orono defeated Holy Angels 2-1 in the Class 1A semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium, and a day later Orono fell to Mahtomedi 3-2 in the championship game; the deciding goal came on a penalty kick with less than four minutes left in regulation.
Michael and Dave,
As grateful as we are to have played in the state tournament, the dramatic ending to our final game has made for a rough 24 hours for my team and I. With all the sadness and frustration (things we can't change), there has been another recurring topic, which is the Holy Angels girls soccer team.
Yesterday at our postgame lunch the team asked, "Coach, does the high school league give out a sportsmanship award?" I thought they were asking for themselves. Since I thought they showed excellent sportsmanship, I said, "Well, they used to give a sportsmanship banner, but they don't do that anymore. Why?" They went on and on for about 10 minutes about the Holy Angels team. Here are the stories they shared:
1. When (Orono’s) Anna Tesar went down in our semifinal game, who was the first player who ran to her side? It was Holy Angels goalkeeper Rachel Kawiecki. Rachel stayed with Tesar until I got onto the field.
2. After our semifinal game, as we were walking out of the locker room and the Holy Angels team was exiting theirs in front of us, I motioned for our team to slow down, knowing the feeling of seeing the team that just beat you isn't fun and we should give them their space. Well, I was wrong. The Holy Angels team turned around and Rachel came up to me, "Coach, who scored the final goal on me?" I was caught off guard and asked her to repeat herself. I replied, "The same girl who scored the first one on you, Nora (Chouanard)." Rachel asked me what number she was and then asked where she was. I hesitated, not knowing where this was going. I then pointed to Nora in the middle of the team. Rachel came up to Nora and told her what great goals she had scored and continued to compliment her. She then walked with the team, wishing us all luck and letting us know they would be rooting for us.
3. During our final game, there was a small group of players in the player section cheering us on with "Let's go Orono!" and other encouraging cheers. It was Holy Angels. As we walked to our locker room at halftime they stood up and came to the edge and encouraged us, clapping for each player who walked past.
4. After our game, it wasn't just our students and parents who were waiting for us, but also that group of Holy Angel girls led by Rachel. They waited for at least 20 minutes to congratulate our players. It lifted their spirits and made them smile.
Before our game against Holy Angels we didn't know these girls. We don't play them in the regular season, we don't play on the same club teams, but these groups made a connection.
This is what high school sports are all about. My team will unfortunately never forget the loss, but they also will never forget the way Holy Angels made them feel. I hope my wide-eyed freshmen, along with my sophomores and juniors, can pay this forward, that they will remember this and be the first one to console an injured opponent or congratulate an opponent after a hard loss.
The girls really wanted your school/community to know how impressed they were with your soccer team. Thank you, Dave and team!
Erin Murray
Orono High School
Special Education Teacher
Varsity Girls Soccer Coach
