CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia High School League announces its 2024 Class 1 all-state girls soccer team. Auburn senior midfielder Katie Light is the Class 1 Player of the Year, and Auburn head coach Adam Ritchie is the Class 1 Coach of the Year.
Light totaled 49 goals and 16 assists as a central attacking midfielder and helped lead Auburn to the state title by scoring a brace in the finals against Northumberland. She finished her career with 118 goals and 49 assists. A three-time first-team all-state selection, the Ferrum University signee scored 24 and 36 goals as a sophomore and junior. Only a shortened COVID-19 season (nine goals/nine assists in four games) prevented Light from adding to her career totals.
Head Coach Adam Ritchie guided the Eagles to a 19-4 record with a 6-2 win over Northumberland in the Class 1 finals. Down by two goals within the first ten minutes, his Auburn XI rallied with six unanswered goals. A state runner-up the past two seasons, losing to Eastern Montgomery during their three-peat, his Eagles broke through for the program’s second state championship (2019). Since the 2021 season, his teams have gone 55-18-4. Auburn’s 2019 win over Stonewall Jackson, won by penalty kicks 5-4 after the game ended in a 0-0 draw, was the first girls state title conducted by the VHSL for Class 1 schools.
The all-state soccer team consists of five forwards, five midfielders, five defenders, and one goalkeeper. Only those players selected first-team all-region are eligible for selection to the all-state team. The all-state selection committee comprises eight coaches, with two from each region.
