The Lamar girls soccer team is coming off its third-consecutive state championship, and midfielder Darby Gillette had a huge hand in the most recent one.

Last fall, the Lady Raiders topped Pillow Academy 1-0 to capture the MAIS Class AAAA, Division II crown, and Gillette scored the team’s lone goal in the 27th minute of the game that ultimately proved to be the difference.

It capped off a season in which the Southeast Louisiana signee finished with 17 goals and 12 assists, earning her All-Region and All-Star accolades. Because of her success on the soccer field, Gillette was named the 2017-18 Premier Preps girls soccer player of the year.

“It’s an honor,” Gillette said. “There are so many great athletes and girls playing soccer around Meridian and Lauderdale County, so I’m honored and excited to be chosen.”

Anyone who’s watched Gillette practice wouldn’t be surprised at her success. She could often be found taking one-on-one lessons with Lamar soccer coach Leon Powell outside of regular practice time. The work she put in made her one of the area’s premier soccer players, and earned her a Division I scholarship. It goes back to a love for the game she developed at a young age, and Gillette said she has no regrets with how much time she’s spent improving her game.

“Ever since I was 10 I decided to choose soccer and focus on it and try to make it to the D-I level, and I never looked back,” she said. “I continued to practice and put in the extra work in order to get there.”

Three state championships later, and Gillette said she is grateful for what the Lady Raiders were able to accomplish during her high school career.

“It feels great knowing you left such a good mark,” Gillette said. “It’s an awesome feeling, because it was with a great group of girls. I wouldn’t trade them for anything, and I was happy to do it with them.”

Her lone goal in the 2017 championship game wasn’t the only impact she’s had on a Lamar state title. In 2016, she had an assist and penalty kick in the championship round when Lamar won the title on penalty kicks, and in 2015, she had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 title game victory.

While most known for her abilities as a soccer player, Gillette also played tennis for the Lady Raiders this season and teamed up with Mary Claire Whitehead to win the No. 2 doubles state championship at the MAIS Class AAAA, Division II level.

“We were partners in 10th grade but weren’t last year so this year we wanted to win it together,” Gillette said. 

“We started off well off the bat, then we got nervous in the final match, but we got it together and realized we really wanted to win the title for our senior year.”