BY JIMMY SHOCKLEY, Eastern Shore Post —
Northampton returned to play in the Virginia High School League Class 1 boys soccer championship game for the second consecutive year. But this year, the team brought home the big trophy.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Westmoreland High School, 4-1, in the state championship game at Salem High School in Salem on Saturday, June 10.
“The goal was to get back to the state finals,” said Coach Chase Baxa after Northampton lost last year’s state championship game to Galax High School.
In Saturday’s game, Northampton had goals from Luke Jones, Martin Montalvo, Diego Montalvo, and Kevin Maldonado.
It is the school’s first team athletics championship since Northampton’s wrestling team won the state title in 1995.
Northampton’s soccer squad earned a berth in the title game on Friday, June 9, with a satisfying semifinal win over Galax — the school it lost to in last year’s championship.
Northampton also won the match, 4-1, with two goals from Anthony Castillo, and one goal apiece from Manuel Montalvo and Thomas Dix.
Baxa said the players on the bench were just as talented as those on the field, and that he had confidence all season long that any combination of players on the field could win.
He also has confidence in next year’s team, and emphasized this year’s team saw contributions from upperclassmen and underclassmen alike.
“It was a super-special group. They carried each other,” Baxa said.
