Competition for high school soccer was brought to a whole new level on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. 

High school soccer stars from all over Virginia were invited to participate in an “All-Star Game,” where the best seniors play the best underclassmen. 

“It’s a necessity for the better players in our area to combine and play a great game of soccer,” said Rich Graham from Rich Images Photography. “They have earned the right to showcase their skills in a highly competitive environment while enjoying the beautiful game.” 

Graham initiated the idea for an All-Star Game and organized it with the help of Drew Damico from 757 High School Soccer and reporter of PrepSoccer.com. Graham coached Team Futures whereas Damico coached Team Seniors and led them to a 4-3 victory. 

Both Graham and Damico were heavily involved in the high school season. Graham traveled to several games for photography and refereeing while Damico traveled to the best games of the week and reported the scores of every single high school match. With these qualifications, the two coaches scouted out the best players according to player stats, all-region lists and coach recommendations. Each team consisted of 18-19 players. 

“There are certainly even more talented student-athletes out there, but we really feel that the 37 players representing the 19 different teams were a beyond fair representation of soccer in the 757 area,” said Graham. 

Two Ocean Lakes soccer players were selected from both teams. Junior Dylan Tomayo played on Team Futures, and senior Sam Wiggins played on Team Seniors. 

“It was a fun experience and an honor to play and compete against my former teammate and captain in the first edition of the All-Star Game,” said Dylan.