The Massachusetts District Select 13U Girls soccer team from District 5 (Essex County), made up of 19 players from eight towns across the region, recently captured the state championship for the third straight season, winning the crown at Progin Park in Lancaster.
A 2-0 title game triumph over District 4 of Middlesex County capped off a terrific weekend for the Essex County squad. Ava Rapczynski and Peabody’s Brielle Broughton had the goals in the final.
Two shutout victories by Essex County preceded that game, including a game-winning goal off a header in the final seconds by Peabody’s Gabrille Imbriano that put her team in the championship bout.
Members of the team, which played together for six weeks en route to their title, included Julianna Iannaccone of Topsfield; Nora Ferace of Beverly; Stella Cass, Mia Padovani and Sky Light of Hamilton; Addison Skinner, Gabriella Imbriano, Emma McKinnon, Brielle Broughton and Gabriella Galbiati of Peabody; Molly Mosquera of Newburyport; Emerson Call of Merrimac; Rhys Greer, Lily Zacher, Natalie Cryrier, Ava Pacczynski and Madilyn Maxam of Andover; and Violet Grimley and Kailyn Tontz of North Andover. Joe Iannaccone served as head coach, assisted by Gia Cryier and Katie Greer.