Averie Doughty’s soccer season was defined by clutch goals - and a PIAA Class 4A state championship

As Souderton girls’ soccer coach Lindsy Jones made the final cuts to her roster in August, assistant coach Todd Andrade had one request.

“I said, ‘Listen, we have to bring Averie [Doughty] up to varsity this year,’ ” Andrade said.

Andrade got his wish.

Not only did Doughty make the roster, she had a huge impact on Souderton’s season. The sophomore helped the Indians win the PIAA Class 4A final, 1-0, over Pennridge with an overtime goal in November.

Doughty led Souderton with nine goals on the season, including all five of its scores in the playoffs. She finished her freshman year with six goals on the junior varsity squad.

“I knew that I had to really work hard and try my best to score, and it just happened,” Doughty said of her playoff run.

One reason Doughty developed so fast between her freshman to sophomore years was a position change, Jones said. Jones played the 5-foot-7 Doughty at striker instead of outside-mid, where she worked as a freshman, because of her combination of size and speed.

The change allowed Doughty to be creative off the ball, especially in the playoffs, Jones said.

In Souderton’s state semifinal game against Peters Township, Doughty scored with 11 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. She then sealed the win with an overtime goal to lead the Indians into the championship game. In the final, Doughty sealed the win with an overtime goal against Pennridge after she cut to the net to flank the defense and goalkeeper.

In the Indians' 2-1 win over Seneca Valley in the quarterfinal round, Doughty scored a goal in regulation and then the winning goal on penalty kicks.

“She scored at very clutch times for us.” Jones said. “That says that she doesn’t let the pressure get to her, that she’s very composed off the ball.”

Andrade said he believed Doughty could be the clutch player she became this season after watching her play in the youth leagues. Andrade is the former president of the Harleysville Football Club, a youth soccer organization for boys and girls.

Doughty played for the HFC’s travel teams until she started high school soccer at Souderton. She also now plays for PA Dominion, a youth club soccer team based primarily in Harleysville.

“She had a lot of training throughout her youth,” Andrade said. “I knew she was going to be a standout high school player. I just didn’t know it was going to happen so quickly, her sophomore year.”

Doughty said she didn’t expect this much success in her first season on the varsity team. But after fighting for a starting spot on varsity, Doughty said she can build off her strong sophomore performance.

“We want to keep this going,” Doughty said. “We want to get there next year and go as far as we did this year.”

Now, Doughty will return as one of the key contributors in a strong junior class, Jones said.

“I’m just so proud of her,” Andrade said. “It really almost gets you choked up.”