After a pair of home playoff games, the Patrick Henry High girls’ soccer team was tasked with going on the road to win a state crown. Safe to say, the Lady Patriots don’t care where the venue is. The bottom line is they show up expecting to win.
Patrick Henry dominated play last Saturday when it mattered most, rolling to a 5-0 road victory over Warren High (Downey) to claim the CIF Division III Regional Championship.
Goals from Lizzy Barefoot (assist Emma Cunningham), two by Kathryn Mokhov (assists Lizzy Barefoot), one from Naima Castro, and another from Cunningham (assisted by Castro) proved more than enough to put away the home team. 
Leading up to last weekend’s title game, Patrick Henry tallied wins over Thousands Oaks (4-0) and Long Beach Poly (3-0), respectively. The Lady Patriots captured their second CIF title in three years.
“It felt super great to go out my senior year knowing we went all the way,” Castro remarked. “This season was unforgettable and going out knowing I made history with my family twice makes it just as sweet.”
For Amanda Bear, she is forever thankful to have had this opportunity.
“I’m so proud with how the girls finished the season,” Bear said. “And I’m forever thankful for this group of girls, I’ve been surrounded with. We constantly were fighting to become a better team, and everyone contributed, and kept their head up even when it was hard. I think that shaped our character to help make such great history.”
Teammate Abby Weiss felt the team was very deserving of their accomplishments.
“I don’t think that any team is more deserving of winning D1 CIF and D3 SoCal Regionals,” Weiss stated. “We’ve worked hard to earn these titles as a team, and it wouldn’t have been possible without any single one of us. I’m so proud of our season and the chemistry we’ve built and the trust we’ve found in each other.” 
Briahna Geiger, one of seven seniors on the team, noted, “Winning the SoCal State Championship and making history for the PHHS women’s soccer team filled me with bittersweet emotions. While I was proud of my team and our journey this year, I was sad for it to be the last game of my high school career.”
Fellow senior Mokhov remarked, “Winning the state championship my senior year is a dream come true, and scoring makes it so much more special. Our team has been working towards this from day one, and all the hard work, sacrifice, and trust in each other have finally paid off.”
Cunningham, an underclassman, said the emotions were pretty high as things came to a close last Saturday evening.
“After the game, I felt a wave of emotions, not just because we were champions, but because I knew that would be my last time stepping on that field with our seven seniors,” Cunningham stated. “This team has really found a special place in my heart. Seeing all of our friends and family members slowly pouring onto the field at a game 2+ hours away. I am so proud of the obstacles our team has overcome this season, and in that moment, I felt pride knowing that I was given the opportunity to play and cheer alongside my teammates to make school history.”
They say defense wins championships and you don’t win many soccer games or titles for that matter without solid goaltending.
Goalkeeper Zoe Claisse finished the game with four saves and earned her third shutout of the state playoffs, an incredible accomplishment.
The 2025 senior class of Castro, Gieger, Mokhov, Chloe Tran, Avery Negrete-Rojas, Risa Soto-Webster and Emily Guerra will take many special memories with them when they graduate in a few months, many of which will involve a soccer ball.
(Photos courtesy of Patrick Henry High School)
