Wootton's Lettermen student section showed up at varsity soccer games this fall for the first time, a move driven by the Class of 2027. The expansion to boys' and girls' soccer, alongside the BBQ Club's new senior leadership, signals a class carving its own identity even as fall teams post mixed records.

Four seniors run the grill this year. Malia Bellamy, Keon Gray, Alex Rabin and Benedict Santos took over the BBQ Club, one of the school's most recognizable traditions, the Wootton Common Sense reported Tuesday, Oct. 6. Student Annika Gully suggested the club bring back activities from previous years to draw bigger crowds. "Last year there was music, spikeball and cornhole, and more people came," Gully said.

The Lettermen made the biggest visible change. Last year's section attended only football. This year's group added soccer and stayed through at least one rainy match, chanting and yelling despite the weather. Sophomore Brody Winokur told the Common Sense last year's Lettermen would not have stuck it out.

The energy comes at a time when the teams could use it. Wootton varsity football sits at 1-4 after a 21-20 overtime loss to Magruder on Friday, Oct. 2, according to MaxPreps. The Patriots' lone win was a 47-0 rout at Rockville on Sept. 4. Boys soccer stands at 4-5 under head coach Liam Giffin, though the team has won two straight. As we reported Oct. 8, the Patriots snapped a five-game skid with consecutive victories. Girls soccer is 2-4 overall and 1-0 in Class 3A West II region play, including an 8-0 win at Watkins Mill on Thursday, Oct. 8.

Junior Matthew Caban told the Common Sense that two soccer captains have missed games but still contributed from the bench. He said this year's captains are doing more than last year's, who were also hurt for stretches.

Not every club has kept pace. The Spikeball Club drew more than 100 members in 2025 with weekly events and a large tournament. That energy left with the Class of 2026.

Wootton football travels to Richard Montgomery on Friday, Oct. 9, then hosts Sherwood on Thursday, Oct. 15, and rival Churchill on Friday, Oct. 23. Boys and girls soccer both visit Northwood on Tuesday, Oct. 13.