STAFF REPORT

COURTLAND
The Southampton Academy soccer club finished the regular season as the Virginia Commonwealth Conference runner up. The Raiders breezed past Isle of Wight in the semifinals of the conference tournament, but fell to top-seeded Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot in the championship round.

“Our team fought hard, but couldn’t respond after being down 2-nil at halftime,” head coach Jamie Weist said. “The highlight of the match for us was our senior goalkeeper, Chris Fly, saving a penalty kick in the first half against the conference’s most valuable player Matt Scheifer.”

Following the match, several Southampton Academy players earned regular season and conference tournament awards. Seth Edwards, Chris Fly and Emery Weist earned first-team all-conference, while Christian Edenfield and Justin Holland captured second-team honors. Fly was Southampton Academy’s Player of the Year, registering 128 saves on the season.

“This award is given to not only a talented soccer player, but a team leader,” Weist said. “An individual that demonstrates the willingness to sacrifice for the team and has the ability to raise the level of play of those around him. He kept us in every match.”

Edwards, who scored 18 goals — including 4 hate tricks — to earn Golden Boot honors for the highest total on the team, was also named to the academic all-conference team. Coach Weist, meanwhile, won the conference’s co-coach of the year award.