Coach Ellen Goyda had a vision of getting Newtown’s middle school players up to the level of those on longer-established surrounding town squads in the near future.

It appears the future is here already. Newtown’s newly-formed middle school team could not have gotten off to a better start, winning its first five games and outscoring opposing teams a cumulative 21-6; culminating with a 4-3 win over Brookfield on October 11.

Goyda, a former coach at Newtown High School, with roots in the town’s youth organization, saw the need for a middle school-specific team and got it off the ground late this past summer. The plan was for some growth leading to success that would eventually translate onto the high school field when these seventh- and eighth-graders move up to the next level. Goyda said she has been thrilled with the success of her team right out of the gate.

“I expected a lot of bumps in the road, being the first season, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Between finding field space and last-minute scheduling changes I could understand how the kids and parents would want to run, but there’s been nothing but 100% cooperation by both parents and my little athletes,” Goyda said. “The parents are totally supportive and the kids beyond excited and always come out ready to play.”

The team’s practices and games give Goyda and Assistant Coach Kris Schwartz plenty of reason for excitement.

“The improvement we all see from day one to now, is incredible. That is a testament to the kids’ work ethic. They just love it and it shows! We are at the point where they keep asking for more,” Goyda said.

This fall campaign is not over yet, but Goyda is already eying the future.

“Next year my goal is to separate the group to make a seventh grade team and an eighth grade team because we definitely have the numbers,” she said.

Members of the team competed in an intra-squad scrimmage at halftime of the high school game at the Blue & Gold Stadium turf on October 7. In the coming years, these same players will be in Newtown High uniforms playing games on that same field, and will have the advantage of having played together on their own middle school team.

Jocelyn Schwartz leads the team with five goals, Emily O’Neil has put in four, Charlotte Grasso, Gabby Costa, Iris Brown, and Vivian Eaton have two each, and Delaney Albert, Evelynn Schoen, Kaylin Pimentel, and Sadie Singlak all have one. Schwartz has recorded six assists, O’Neil has four assists, Evelynn Schoen and Pimentel each had three, Albert and Brown both have two, and Celia Plaue has one. Stella Wasley is the team’s lone goaltender and has stepped up to keep the opposing team offenses in check.

Team members are Delaney Albert, Katie Bader, Lia Battaglia, Amanda Blatter, Iris Brown, Lyla Bshara, Claire Caico, Keira Campbell, Charlotte Comstock, Gabriella Costa, Kaitlyn Doyle, Vivian Eaton, Camryn Egan, Charlotte Grasso, Emma Hettenbach, Rachel Hugo, Edith Kaplan, Isabella Malitsky, Deirdre McCleary, Maggie Murphy, Emily O’Neil, Kaylin Pimentel, Celia Plaue, Emily Sachs, Maeve Schnitzler, Evelynn Schoen, Jocelyn Schwartz, Sadie Singlak, Ainsley Stott, Kate Sullivan, and Stella Wasley.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.