The 2024 season was filled with many great moments for the Habersham Central High School varsity girls soccer team, many of which were recognized at the team's end-of-season awards banquet on Saturday.
That night, members of the junior varsity and varsity teams were recognized as their coaches shared snippets of their teams' campaigns.
national team
Lady Raiders coach Jeff LaBarbera praised his players by calling them to the front of the room after each player was recognized for their grade point average of 90 or higher. Academic Scholar Award recipients were senior team captain Riley Wilson, sophomore Eden Turner, junior Annabelle Clark, senior Piper Turner, junior Grace Dooley, sophomore Meg LaBarbera, and sophomore Emily Nichols, junior Zoe Anderson, senior captain Addie Banks, junior Ansley Means, sophomore Kelsey Campbell, senior Maggie Vena, junior Hayden Barnett, and junior captain Paisley Means. Kathy, junior Abigail Hotard, sophomore Hannah Vidrine, sophomore Belle Cummings, sophomore Maddox Carroll, and junior Abigail Mize.
Although freshmen are not eligible for Academic Scholar awards, Maddie Wilbanks and Emmy Kyle were recognized as Regional Scholar-Athletes for averaging over 95 points. They were joined by Wilson, Eden Turner, Dooley, LaBarbera, Nichols, Anderson, Banks, Means, Campbell, Vena, Barnett, Cathy, Hotard and Cummings.
Jeff said it was “unprecedented” that all 21 players averaged over 90 points and 16 of the 21 averaged over 95 points.
“I don't know of any team where all the girls have grades above 90. That's really amazing…unbelievable. It's crazy,” he said.
Banks was recognized as the senior with the highest GPA on the team with a score of 98.9344.
The Lady Raiders presented the Caroline Bagwell Award to their namesake, a player who played for the program in the 2000s and tragically died in a car accident shortly after graduation. When LaBarbera took over the program as head coach, he changed the coaching award to the Caroline Bagwell Award.
In explaining the award, LaBarbera also said of Bagwell: Caroline was a great athlete and someone who lived her life to the fullest. The recipient of this award is someone who the coach feels has done everything asked of them and always put the team first.
Meg LaBarbera was deemed worthy of that honor in the 2024 season.
The Most Improved award went to Means. According to LaBarbera, Means was asked to take on a new, unfamiliar role on the team and was able to stretch his left leg in the process. Her hard work in preparing for her new spot on the field caught the attention of her coaches and was highly appreciated.
The Lady Raiders allowed just 13 goals in the regular season and just three in the playoffs. Those three goals were scored by Roswell, the defending state champion and 2024 state runner-up.
In LaBarbera's words, the defense is the best in program history. So when it came to choosing a Defensive MVP Award winner, the head coach said it was “nearly impossible.” Sophomore Eden Turner received the award.
“She was our defensive leader and someone we relied on every day to communicate incredibly and secure Middle Park every day,” LaBarbera said. “Everywhere she went, the conversation was, 'Who's that little girl in the back?' She's phenomenal.”
Addie Banks won the Offensive MVP award. Banks finished his career as the fourth-highest goal scorer in program history and the fourth-highest in assists.
“One of the hardest working forwards in our area. She never stops working and running,” LaBarbera said of Banks. “She leads by example on and off the field. She's our second leading scorer, everything she does is phenomenal and she's a role model for everyone.”
The team MVP award wasn't a huge surprise to anyone who watched the Lady Raiders play this year. Paisley Cathy scored 40 goals this season, setting a single-season school record among the boys and girls programs. The previous record for the women's program was 27 and the men's program was 39. She currently has her career goal of 78, which is a school record for either program, and needs to add another year.
Kathy also won the Golden Boot award for breaking two school records. The Golden Boot is not awarded annually, but is used to mark a significant season for a player within program records.
LaBarbera also gave the family the ball used in Cathy's record-breaking game.
All regions
The Lady Raiders placed six players on the Region 8-AAAAAA First Team All-Region team. Wilson, Eden Turner, Means, Cathy, Meg LaBarbera and Banks were all named in the first team. Hotard and Piper Turner each received honorable mentions.
Kathy was named Region Midfielder of the Year and Jeff LaBarbera was named Region Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season.
“It's unbelievable to have six girls on the first team,” LaBarbera said. “[Cathey] I was hosed down. She was supposed to be player of the year. That's probably the most unfair thing I've ever seen in my life. I would be happy to give her Coach of the Year because she deserves her Player of the Year award. She has won seven matches in this region. She can't win a regional title unless she's on the team.
“Soccer is a team sport, but it's made up of individual moments, and she had 40 individual moments. It honestly broke my heart that they disrespected her. “I don't know what else I can do to be a good player,” he continued.
Regarding winning the Coach of the Year award, LaBarbera said he was surprised to win it again, as the award is typically not given twice in a row, much less a third time. In addition to that, this is the first time the Lady Raiders have won a regional title.
“I think other coaches understand what we're doing here. The program we're building, the things we're doing, the way we do business and doing things the right way on the field. “We are doing this,” LaBarbera said. “They just know what it means to us here in Habersham. I think they realize that. I didn't think it would hit last year or this year. It's just shocking, but I'm honored to have it.”
high score
The Lady Raiders will graduate four seniors from the program in 2024, and all four will go on to play at the collegiate level. Wilson will attend Berry College, Vena will attend Young Harris College, Piper Turner will attend Emmanuel College and Banks will attend Piedmont College.
LaBarbera said this is the first time, to his knowledge, that all graduates of the program have committed to playing soccer at the next level. The four confirmed their commitment at a signing ceremony at the high school this week.
Another credit to the Lady Raiders was Wilson's play in goal. The senior currently holds the career shutout record with 22 shutouts. The previous record was held by DJ Dowdy, who was on the program from 2008 to 2011. She has recorded 12 shutouts so far.
Wilson also ranks among the top three in shutout seasons in program history. This year, she matched her previous record with seven shutouts in the regular season and had another in the playoffs for a total of eight shutouts. Her other single season record is six.
Wilson also posted two shutouts in the playoffs for the Lady Raiders this season, including one in the first round against Paulding County High School.
“We've had some really good goalies in the past, but our program has struggled in the past. This year, with our defense and goalie combination… she's done a phenomenal job. ,” LaBarbera said. “She started playing soccer seriously in 10th grade. It's amazing to me that she achieved that status so quickly.”
junior varsity team
The junior varsity team recognized five players who received various awards for their efforts this season.
Jasmine Alvarado was named Most Valuable Player, Adalynn Hawkins won the Defensive MVP Award, and Bailey Manny won the Offensive MVP Award. Kassidy Stewart received the Heart of the Raider Award and Abigail Quaife was honored as the overall team MVP.
junior high school
Middle school coach Jordan Terrell praised his team for their successful season, which included scoring 118 points while allowing just 11 goals. The team conceded only one goal and went undefeated in district play.
