On November 14, 2025, the Abington Boys’ Soccer team brought home their first PIAA State Championship. However, the soccer team still does not get the same recognition as popularized teams such as football. I got the opportunity to sit down with one of the soccer team captains to spotlight the team’s hard work that, before this year, often went unrecognized.
Sean Westmoreland, a junior at Abington Senior High School, is one of the captains of the varsity team this year. Westmoreland plays as a midfielder, a role that requires him to cover the field and both attack and defend. When asked if he felt he had to work harder than usual because he’s younger than most captains, he responded, “Not really, I feel like maybe last year because I was named captain with three games left because I was technically above the kids who were two years older than me, but I feel like most of the kids now have a lot of respect for me.” I also asked him something that the team taught him about leadership. Westmoreland talked about how the team taught him how important respect was and how things work more easily when respect is present.
Before the 2025 season, the soccer team wasn’t gaining recognition. The soccer team has not won a state championship in over 30 years, and because of this, the question arose: Did you think you were going to be state champs, and what was your mindset going into the season? Westmoreland answered with, ”For every season, we have a meeting that basically says that we want to win districts and states. We always have these lofty goals, but I didn’t really think that we were going to make it to states. But once we started beating some really good teams, I started thinking that we could actually win this.” However, to win this season, motivation was a key factor when it came to the team’s success. One way Westmoreland says that he does this is by showing his effort throughout practices and games and by trying to keep a positive attitude.
During the season, not only was motivation needed, but support through the team was also crucial. According to Westmoreland, the team treats each other as family, often saying, ”family before everything.” He also stated that it was important that the team keep the same mindset that got them to states so they can do it again in the 2026 season.
After the win at state championships, the soccer team earned more respect and put the Abington Boys’ Soccer team on the map. Despite this, teams such as the Abington Football team continue to be more successful in their viewer turnout. One of the team’s goals is to see continued support from the school and community that they got this past season, but not in previous years.
