Northampton Girls Soccer Program Reaches State Quarterfinals

By Samuel Oleynik

The Northampton Girls Soccer Program is gearing up for a significant match on Tuesday, as they face West Point in the Virginia High School League State Quarterfinal Game.

A Historic Season
This season has been a historic one for the Northampton Girls Soccer Team, marking their 11th consecutive year of winning or sharing the District Title. Since the inception of the Girls Soccer District in the spring of 2013, the team has been a dominant force. Under the leadership of Coach Webb, who secured five District Titles, and Coach Bethel, who has added six more, the program has flourished.

The 2023-2024 All-District Team includes standout players such as forwards Edith Palacio and Lizeth Panuco, midfielders Ryan Jones, Johana Molina, and Ava Siegrist, and defender Abigail Locklear. Virginia Brown received an honorable mention as goalkeeper, and Ryan Jones was named Player of the Year.

State-Level Success
The Northampton Girls Soccer Program has also made waves on the state level, qualifying for the State Tournament for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2024). This consistency is a great showcase of the team’s growth and resilience.

Notably, the Northampton Girls Soccer Program is the only 1A Girls Soccer Program to have both Junior Varsity and Varsity teams from the start. A challenge faced this year came in terms of scheduling games for both levels, requiring matches against six 5A schools and four 2A schools. Despite these challenges, the team has persevered and earned their spot in the VHSL State Tournament.