Prince Edward County High School’s varsity girls soccer team finished third in the James River District (JRD) this season and ended up with three 2019 All-JRD representatives — all on the first team.

The Lady Eagles drawing the honors included sophomore defender Amber Gillen, sophomore midfielder Maria Waleska “Walle” Brito Raia and sophomore defender Makylah Tillerson.

They helped lead Prince Edward to a 9-6 final overall record. The Lady Eagles placed third in the district behind Bluestone and Goochland high schools, and their season ended in the Region 2A tournament quarterfinals.

“Overall, I think we did well,” Prince Edward Head Coach Jessica O’Bryant said, reflecting on the 9-6 record. “Obviously, I would have liked to see that second number a little lower, but I’m proud of the way my girls fought. We were very unlucky this year with injuries. We started off with few subs and had several injuries — ankle injuries, concussions, an ACL tear — that lowered our number of subs even more. I think we showed a lot of determination to overcome this adversity.”

O’Bryant said she felt good about her team’s all-district representation this year.

“I think these three all deserved these honors and have earned them throughout the season,” she said.

Eight of the 14 first-team players were either juniors or seniors, meaning that the Lady Eagles were in the unique position of having young, top-tier standouts across the board.

“I think it shows that we have a lot of talent in our younger players, that these players will be able to grow in ability and leadership even more as they get older,” O’Bryant said. “These players will also be able to lead our younger players coming in after them and help them to develop good habits and increase our overall team potential.”

This was Gillen’s inaugural all-district first-team honor for soccer.

“I was very proud of Amber,” O’Bryant said. “I think that her leadership on the field helps her to get recognized by other teams’ coaches. She is able to lead vocally and also through her actions. I think of Amber as the glue that holds our team together on the field. Her ability to make runs forward and combine with midfielders also makes her stand out on the field. She is also a versatile player that can play in both the center defense and defensive midfield roles.”

Her effectiveness when making forward runs out of the defense is made abundantly clear by the fact that she scored 11 goals in the regular season.

Brito, too, was honored for the first time at the All-JRD first-team level in soccer this year.

“I think Walle has a very unique style of play which allows her to stand out on the field,” O’Bryant said. “She is very crafty and has the ability to beat players (one-on-one) and also has the ability to combine with other players on the field to work the ball around. She is another player who has been beneficial in multiple roles this season, as a midfielder and forward. She understands the game well and can play in multiple positions. She has definitely earned first-team honors and has proven herself this year.”

Brito finished with 15 goals in the regular season.

Tillerson also enjoyed her first all-district first-team accolade for soccer this year.

“Makylah is sort of the do-it-all player for us,” O’Bryant said. “She can play up top or on defense. Additionally, Makylah won our “Eagle Award” this year. This is given to the player who always works hard, does everything they are asked and is easy to coach. Makylah is definitely this player. Her hard work and grit on the field help her to get recognized by other coaches. She is a very composed player who can play multiple roles on the field. Unfortunately she sustained an ankle injury towards the end of the season, and we did not have her for postseason play.”

Tillerson finished the season with five goals scored.