Potomac School (13-2-4) swept the Independent School League AA conference regular season, ISL AA tournament and NVIS tournament final for the first time.

Marin headed a corner from Reagan Exley into the back of the net early on before doubling the Panthers’ lead in the first half. O’Connell halved its deficit just before halftime, but Marin’s second-half finish gave Potomac a cushion it used to complete a treble.

Each of Marin’s goals was assisted by Exley, a Yale commit. Marin, Exley and transfer Chloe Lee each finished with 22 points.

“We knew we had strengthened ourselves after those losses,” Coach Ross McEwen said. “I’m going to remember all the work that the senior class did over the last three years to give him the opportunity to pull it off for the first time ever. … It’s so hard to do.”

It took less than a minute for Flint Hill to break the most important huddle of the season. Thai Nguyen, the team’s first-year coach, brought the Huskies together in Saturday’s Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I championship game against No. 3 Bishop O’Connell and told them to enjoy the moment after they endured a rare dropped set. The seniors told their teammates to stay focused and aggressive.

“When I saw that and heard that, I said, ‘They’re done,’ ” Nguyen said, laughing. “There was no doubt they were going to take that fourth set.”

They did just that and collected their sixth consecutive VISAA title with a 25-19, 25-17, 18-25, 25-17 win. Maybe, the players said, the quirks and imperfections — that they needed to huddle at all — ultimately made this season valuable.

Unlike last year, the Huskies suffered a few losses in 2023, several against Florida powers early in the year and once locally against No. 1 Holy Cross in October. They endured a handful of injuries that left an already small roster of 11 with just seven players during a midseason stretch. A presumed starter transferred before the season. Almost every player had to fill in some function that she was less familiar with.

“I was grateful for every moment this season,” senior Ryla Jones said. “We had to be consistent and take everything seriously.”

For Natalie Nguyen, this season was doubly special. It offered an opportunity to play for her dad for the first time in six years — even though, as Thai said, she would sometimes offer quips about his coaching decisions at dinner.

“He was definitely tougher on me because I’m his daughter,” she said. “But we both enjoyed that.”

Amanda Martin didn’t even know she had scored 100 career goals until hours after Riverside’s Oct. 16 game against Briar Woods. After scoring a hat trick, she was adding up her numbers that night when she came to the realization.

The accomplishment was one of many this season for the Rams’ star, who broke the program’s single-season goals record with 58 tallies as a junior.

Senior departures opened a greater role for Martin, who scored 56 goals over her first two seasons. Anointed a captain, she stepped up.

The relentless work ethic that makes Martin a dynamic player follows her everywhere. Coach Kevin Brosius, a social science and global studies teacher at Riverside, said colleagues often list Martin among their best students ever.

“She led through example,” Brosius said. “She showed it in the classroom, she showed it in the weight room, she shows it in practice, and then she showed it in the games. … I wish I had 10 more Amanda Martins on the team.”

Martin likens her field hockey commitment to that of a full-time job. When she’s not playing for Riverside, she’s with her club team.

The Rams (16-6) went to the state playoffs, something Martin was previously yet to experience. A loss in the quarterfinals didn’t diminish their delight with the way they performed in 2023.

“I’m so, so proud of us and our team,” Martin said. “We didn’t even think we’d make it back to where we made it last year, but we made it even farther.”

“Our theme this year was getting better every day, and Amanda was a part of that,” Brosius said. “I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Sometimes runners cross the finish line elegantly, arms raised in triumph. But others finish like South County’s Nayan Kasperowski, stumbling their way past the white flag while winning the Virginia Class 6 state championship in Leesburg on Saturday. But as Kasperowski put it, it’s a win either way.

“I knew the [other] guys were kind of dead; I just kind of wanted to get away from them and try to make my move,” he said.

After the Virginia Tech commit ran a 15:09 5K at Oatlands, it took him roughly an hour to regain the senses in his body. Because of his exhaustion, Kasperowski said it took him a while to realize he was a state champion.

The only South County runner at the meet, Kasperowski finished with a triumphant race before he heads to Blacksburg next year.

“I’m really looking forward to training for the next four years,” Kasperowski said.

Sometime around early September, Marcelo Valencia decided his 22nd season coaching Potomac School would be his last.

“It was time to pursue some other personal and professional goals,” he said. “So I decided 22 years was a good run.”

Still, Valencia tried to treat this season like any other. The Panthers, the defending champions in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference, brought back enough talent for another strong campaign.

On the final day of the regular season, Potomac traveled to Sidwell Friends. The winner of that match would be crowned regular season champion and earn a share of the conference title. The Panthers won, 2-0.

“This was a consistent team throughout the year,” Valencia said. “At the beginning of every season, we tell our kids that they have to go get points in D.C. against Maret, Sidwell and Georgetown Day. And out of nine points on the road in D.C., we got nine this year. That made all the difference.”

While the home stretch of the regular season was fun, it did result in injuries. The Panthers were banged up for the MAC and VISAA tournaments; they fell in the championship match of the MAC bracket and in the semifinals of the VISAA event.

“We always say that we have to have a next-man-up mentality, and I think the kids stepped up very nicely,” Valencia said. “So, no regrets.”

Though he’s stepping away, Valencia will not stray far from the game. He plans to remain active in youth soccer and maintain his relationships in the Potomac School community.

“Just knowing that I won’t be back in June or July, I’m sure I will miss the kids the most,” he said. “For me, the wins and the championships don’t mean as much as watching these kids grow up and develop over the years.”