ROANOKE, Va. – The Virginia High School League has announced its 2026 Class 4 All-State Boys Soccer Team, with Blacksburg senior midfielder Craig Huxtable earning Player of the Year honors and Bruins head coach Shelley Blumenthal being named Coach of the Year.
Huxtable capped an outstanding high school career by leading Blacksburg to a state championship and an undefeated season. The attacking midfielder scored 31 goals and added nine assists as a senior, finishing his career with 72 goals and 35 assists.
The Roanoke College signee played a key role throughout Blacksburg’s postseason run. He scored the game-winning goal in the Region 4D quarterfinals and added another goal in the regional championship to help the Bruins advance to the state tournament. In the state quarterfinals, Huxtable recorded three goals and one assist. He followed with a goal and an assist in the state semifinals before scoring Blacksburg’s first goal in the state championship match.
Huxtable’s individual accolades include three first-team all-region selections, two River Ridge District Player of the Year awards and two first-team all-state honors. He also served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons.
Blumenthal guided Blacksburg to a perfect 25-0 record and the program’s 14th state championship this season. The Bruins secured the Class 4 title with a 4-1 victory over Loudoun County High School after finishing as state runners-up in 2025.
Over 33 seasons as head coach, Blumenthal has compiled a career record of 637-56-25, establishing one of the most successful programs in Virginia high school soccer history. A member of the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame, he has led the Bruins to 13 state championships and 10 state runner-up finishes.
Among the highlights of Blumenthal’s tenure was an 87-match unbeaten streak that ended in the 2001 state championship game. Blacksburg also won 64 consecutive matches from 1998 through 2001.
In addition to his success at Blacksburg, Blumenthal served as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Roanoke College from 2007 to 2023 and again from 2024 to 2026. He also was an assistant coach for the Maroons’ women’s soccer program from 2001 to 2003.
State champion Blacksburg was well represented on the Class 4 All-State team, placing four players on the first team. Senior midfielder and Class 4 Player of the Year Craig Huxtable was joined by fellow senior midfielder Keanan Kopp, senior defender Ethan Eschenmann and senior goalkeeper Nathan Pratt. EC Glass also earned all-state recognition as sophomore defender Ebubenna Ogbu was selected to the second team. Additionally, Hilltoppers junior forward Cooper Napior received first-team all-state honors after helping lead Glass to another successful season.