PACA Middle School Boys Soccer and Girls Basketball Teams Shine at Nationals in Santo Antônio do Pinhal.

Caption: PACA middle school boys soccer and girls basketball teams celebrate after their victories and metals earned. [photo provided by NR staff]

By Rafaela Miglio

The PACA Middle School boys soccer and girls basketball teams traveled to NR Santo Antônio do Pinhal for the Nationals Tournament from November 12 to 15, where they represented the school with effort, unity, and a strong Christian spirit. 

As a Christian institution, PACA encourages its students to compete not only with skill, but also with values such as respect, humility, and perseverance, reflecting Christ-like character on and off the court and field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08WCLH0tjg4

The girls’ basketball team earned an impressive second place in Division 2, while the boys’ soccer team secured first place in Division 3, marking a successful week for PACA athletics. The tournament brought together a total of 15 schools from different regions, creating an environment full of competition and new challenges. Despite the pressure, PACA athletes showed resilience and commitment throughout the event.

Melissa Hatcher, an eighth grade student at PACA, and a key player who participated in both girls’ soccer and basketball tournaments, described the experience as demanding but rewarding.

“It’s a very tiring experience and I feel like I’ve been having to push through my pain every day, but I am happy to do one of my skills,” she said.

Even with the exhaustion, Hatcher highlighted moments of joy during the week.

“My favorite part so far has been playing, of course, but also the pool in my free time,” she said.

When asked about her goals for the tournament, Hatcher emphasized effort and determination.

“My goal for this tournament has been every day to give our best,” said Hatcher, “and if we lose, we lose knowing we did our best and trying to get that medal.”

She also reflected on the challenges of facing unfamiliar opponents. Throughout the tournament, the girls’ team competed against EAC, British, OLM, EARJ, EAR, Nations, and EAB, each match bringing a different style of play and level of difficulty. Despite this, the team stayed focused and motivated, using every game as an opportunity to grow and improve together.

“Some challenges that I expect to face in this new tournament with new schools and new people is that we are not used to playing with the new teams that are joining,” said Hatcher, “so it will be harder to adapt to their game and tactics.”

Still, her expectations remained positive.

“I have good expectations for Nationals, because in my opinion our team has a great potential to win most games. I think that our team is a united team and being united will be a great thing that will take us to victory,” said Hatcher.

From the boys’ side, Bernardo Regis, a player on the boys’ soccer team that achieved first place in Division 3, shared his thoughts about his role and ambitions during the tournament. As a captain, Regis focused not only on his performance but also on supporting his teammates.

“Goals that I’ve set for myself is to be a good captain and to lead the younger people. Also to win the individual awards and to score a lot of goals,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of unity within the team, saying, “As a team, I want us to be a united team and I really hope that we can win the games and win the medal.”

Bernardo’s leadership and determination played an important role in the boys’ strong performance throughout the Nationals, helping guide the team to their championship victory. During the tournament, PACA faced tough competition from schools such as Graded, PASB, EABH, and Santanna, all of which pushed the team to perform at their highest level and present the strength of their preparation and teamwork.

With strong performances and inspiring attitudes, PACA’s Middle School athletes demonstrated that the Nationals tournament was not only about winning trophies, but also about growth, teamwork, and school pride.

Their achievements in Santo Antônio do Pinhal reflect the spirit of dedication that continues to strengthen PACA’s athletic community.