Page County’s boys soccer team setting new standards for program
By Randy Arrington
SHENANDOAH, May 22 — Some Page County boys soccer fans can still remember the lean years…like just two years ago. The juniors on this year’s squad were freshmen on the 0-16 team in 2023. That season, varsity and junior varsity boys soccer at PCHS combined for a record of 0-32. Now, says Coach Tyler Knight, his team is tired of losing.
“We tell our guys, ‘It’s us against the world,'” he said this week after the Panthers closed out their seventh win in their last nine matches. “When we are playing our ball, we can beat anybody.”
The Page County boys soccer team is posting its best season in at least six years. In 2019, the Panthers went 9-6-1 and advanced to the region tournament, where they fell to Clarke. However, for a program that has struggled through a number of previous seasons, the 2025 squad has accomplished the following milestones:
- First win over Clarke (1-0 at home April 8);
- First sweep of Strasburg (3-1 win at home April 15, and 5-2 win on the road May 9);
- First sweep of Rappahannock (2-0 road win April 22, 5-0 win at home May 20);
- First 10-win season (accomplished on Thursday against Stonewall);
- Second time playing in a district semifinal (Wednesday, May 28);
- First time hosting a regional playoff match (Monday, June 2 – as No. 3 seed).
Freshman Reed Richards broke his brother Dawson’s freshman record of five goals, by netting his sixth goal against Stonewall Jackson on Thursday night in a 3-0 district win.
The improvement comes from several sources — one of which being the addition of the O’Neill twins, Josh and Sam, who are arguably among the best players in the region; and another being the rededication of the players to the program and the off-season preparation that illustrates that. Once, when no fields were available due to the winter snow, the boys practiced in an empty poultry house.
“I’m very happy with where we are…we switched some guys up after early games and where we have them now opens it up,” Coach Knight said. “Our skill level does not drop off when we substitute…most teams see a drop off when they substitute, but we have 15 or 16 guys that can start, and they did a ton of work in the off-season.”
Madison County (10-5-1) is the only team that has beaten the Panthers twice this season (3-1 at their place, and 2-1 at home in overtime). Page split with perennial powerhouse Clarke, and has now split with Stonewall Jackson after an impressive shutout Thursday at Buddy Comer Stadium on Senior Night.
After a back-and-forth, scoreless first half in which both teams bounced multiple balls off the post, Page County exploded for three goals in the second — one just 19 seconds in.
Senior Sam O’Neill initiated the scoring at 39:41.
“We talked at halftime and I was not happy with the way we played in the first half…getting angry, not communicating…I said with us playing the way we are, we’re still at 0-0. Just imagine if we can play our ball,” Coach Knight told his team. “We tell our guys, ‘It’s us against the world.’ We reminded them of that at halftime, and it showed in the second half.”
The Panthers kept the pressure on the Generals with a half dozen shots on goal in the first 10 minutes. Then, at the 15:40 mark in the second half, Reed got that sixth goal to break his brother’s record and Page went up 2-0. His two previous attempts just minutes before had barely missed, but the third attempt in the series proved to be the charm.
Senior Sam O’Neill added another goal less than two minutes later to cap the scoring at 3-0, marking his team-leading 17th goal of the season. Senior goalie Avery Alger had a solid game with a half dozen saves and aggressive play outside of the box.
Last Friday, Page beat Luray on the road, 2-1. Junior Dawson Richards scored his seventh goal of the season, while Sam added one as well. Alger had a tremendous night and came up with 10 saves on 11 shots.
On Tuesday, the Panthers of Page County beat the Panthers of Rappahannock County, 5-0, at home. Senior Josh O’Neill and Richards both scored two goals, while Rapp added an own goal for the second goal of the game.
Thursday’s win over Stonewall Jackson marked Page County’s first 10-win season in boys soccer — surpassing its nine wins in 2019. In winning that battle with the Generals, the Panthers have locked in the No. 3 seed in both the Bull Run District and Region 2B tournaments.
The Bull Run tournaments — for soccer, baseball and softball — have been down-sized to the top four teams and reduced to only semifinals and finals. Page County will travel to either Madison or Clarke for a Bull Run semifinal on Wednesday, May 28. The district championship will be played at the higher seed on Friday, May 30.
Win or lose, Page County (10-5-1) will host its first region quarterfinal on Monday, June 2.
“We are about to go into a realm we have not been before,” Coach Knight said, “and these boys are ready to keep making history.”
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
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