ROANOKE, Va. – Cave Spring’s historic state championship season was recognized with two of the Virginia High School League’s highest individual honors as sophomore midfielder Gabriella Carnevali was named the Class 3 Player of the Year and head coach Simon French earned Class 3 Coach of the Year honors.
The awards were announced as part of the VHSL’s 2026 Class 3 All-State Girls Soccer Team.
Carnevali claimed Class 3 Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season after leading the Knights’ attack throughout their championship run. The attacking midfielder finished the season with 26 goals and 18 assists while appearing in all 24 matches and serving as a team captain.
After totaling 15 goals and 24 assists a year ago, Carnevali expanded her impact in the attacking third by becoming a more dangerous scoring threat while continuing to create opportunities for teammates. Through three varsity seasons, she has amassed 53 goals and 54 assists.
Carnevali played a key role in Cave Spring’s postseason success and delivered in the biggest moments. She converted one of the Knights’ penalty kicks in the Class 3 state championship match against Western Albemarle, helping Cave Spring secure a 4-3 shootout victory after the teams battled to a scoreless draw through 100 minutes. The title was the first state championship in program history.
A three-time first-team all-district and first-team all-region selection, Carnevali has now earned first-team all-state honors in back-to-back seasons. She also has been named Region 3D Player of the Year twice.
French was recognized after guiding Cave Spring to a 23-0-1 record, an unbeaten season and the first state championship in school history during his first year leading the program.
The Knights capped their title run by defeating Western Albemarle in a rematch of the previous season’s state final. Cave Spring prevailed in penalty kicks after neither team could find a breakthrough during regulation or overtime.
French brought two decades of coaching experience to the Knights. He began his coaching career in England before moving to the United States, where he has worked extensively in club and collegiate soccer. He currently serves as sporting director for Virginia United in Roanoke.
Throughout his coaching career, French has emphasized a player-centered philosophy focused on development, trust and investment in each athlete, a formula that helped produce one of the most successful seasons in Cave Spring girls soccer history.
Cave Spring placed three additional players on the first-team all-state squad. Junior forward Lucy Pietravalle, junior midfielder Myla McDonald and junior defender Abby Tozier each earned first-team honors after helping lead the Knights to an unbeaten 23-0-1 season and the program’s first state championship. Hidden Valley junior defender Brynnigan Raymond also was selected to the first team, while Titans freshman forward Lilah Harding and sophomore midfielder Addison Johnson earned second-team all-state recognition.