Varsity girls soccer recently got second place at the 5A State Championship and senior captain Paige Welch played a huge role in getting the team so far.

“It felt really good making to the state finals two years in a row,” Welch said. “Being such a young program and having accomplished so much it’s very exciting and shows how dedicated my teammates and I are.”

Welch was selected varsity captain two years in a row and has been selected MVP and elected Second To None. Paige has been playing soccer since she was 4 years old and will continue to play soccer at the collegiate level on a full scholarship at the University of Oklahoma.

“I’m very excited to continue playing in college,” Welch said. “I’ve worked really hard for this and I get the opportunity to play soccer at a whole different level. I’m looking forward to meeting new teammates and experiencing a different atmosphere.”

Not only is Welch a star on the soccer field, but in the classroom as well. Currently, Welch sitting number 1 out of 423 in the senior class, Welch is set to be valedictorian at this year’s graduation.

“Qualities on the soccer field definitely transfer over into the classroom,” Welch said. “Dedication, determination and hard work are essential in succeeding on and off the field.”

At the University of Oklahoma, Paige will balance her time between playing soccer and pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering where she hopes to become an engineer in the future.

“I’m looking forward to learning about medicine and engineering in college,” Welch said. “College will definitely be challenging with having to balance soccer and school, but hopefully I’ll be able to manage and I’m excited for what the future will bring.”