The last time a Beekmantown High School girls’ soccer player reached 200 career points was in 2018. Fast-forward to 2025, when two Eagle teammates did it in the same season. The Villemaire sisters, Kallie and Kirsten, would be proud to see both Grace McCasland and Payton Parliament reach the milestone during their senior season on the pitch. McCasland reached 200 after a two-goal and two-assist performance in a 5-0 win against Saranac High School on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Eight days later, it was Parliament who reached 200 after a hat trick of goals in a 4-0 win against Northeastern Clinton Central high school. “It’s amazing,” McCasland said. “We’ve been with each other since the very beginning … We started our journey together, and ever since, it’s just been me and her.” That journey began when they were around 7 years old. Starting with playing for local youth and recreation soccer programs, the two eventually made their way to the club soccer circuit. They played for Plattsburgh Football Club (PFC) before switching to a new club: Queen City Football Club Adirondack. From playing with Queen City, the two say they have been exposed to playing against all types of competition against soccer players from across the nation and the world from as early as 12 years old. “That’s playing teams all around the country, so we’ve experienced many championships together and many teams together,” Parliament said. Michele Barnes, who has coached Parliament and McCasland since their first days in a Queen City uniform, is happy to have helped facilitate tournaments for North Country athletes like the two Eagles to gain exposure and improvements for their talents on the pitch. “We put them up against competition outside of this area, just to see how they matchup,” Barnes said. “The more you play the better you get, the more touches you get on the ball, the better you can be. (Parliament and McCasland) are both girls that are going to work outside of any normal school season … and put in the extra time.” One of the biggest tournaments the ladies competed in was at Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Queen City won the U14 championship in Florida competing against teams across the state and even an international squad from Haiti, leading to the championship match against New York city squad Asphalt Green Soccer Club. Both players played a pivotal role in the championship match. Parliament assisted McCasland for the game-tying goal against Asphalt Green, which led to a Queen City victory in penalty kicks for the championship title. The Parliament to McCasland connection in this game was one of many moments Barnes said gave these girls a tremendous amount of potential. “It was obvious that both of them were going to be special,” Barnes said. “Their quick feet, their ability to pass the ball, and their ability to finish. They are special players. I am privileged to be a part of their lives since they have been really young and they just make me so proud to watch them.” Fast forward to the high school pitch, where Barnes continues to coach them with Beekmantown’s varsity girls’ soccer team as an assistant. She’s coached Parliament and McCasland on the Eagles’ sidelines since their freshman seasons on varsity, and by their senior seasons, the two both lead the Northern Soccer League (NSL) Division 1 in total goals and points thus far. McCasland currently has the goal lead with 20, while Parliament sits in second with 18. Parliament has the points advantage, with 51 over McCasland’s second-place mark at 49. The two both agree that their experiences with Barnes and Queen City have played dividends to their success. “Honestly, our coach Michele (Barnes), she’s helped us a lot,” Parliament said. “We worked together practicing in travel ball, she helped us get to where we are now. Without her, we wouldn’t be here now.” Barnes says the two girls, who also are close with Barnes’ daughter Lindsay, are in many ways a part of her own family. She says Parliament and McCasland are not only great for their skills off the field, but also for their kindness off the field. “I love these girls like they’re my own children,” Barnes said. “They’ve been best friends with my daughter since 7-8 years old. I’ve built a relationship with them … and they are family to me, they are my girls.” Barnes, McCasland and Parliament will get to share the love for one more season with Queen City’s U19 travel team this spring. Right now, the focus is on the varsity high school season. Beekmantown, who still stand undefeated at 10-0 with a New York States Sportswriters Association ranking of No. 13 in Class A, is confident they can make a deep run in the postseason. “Nothing is going to stop us,” McCasland said. “We are ready to keep going. We have multiple people who can contribute, and finding a way to stop us is very difficult right now.” Beekmantown is looking for back-to-back sectional championships in Class A, but first, they will look to finish as NSL Division I’s top team before the regular season closes on Monday, Oct. 21.
The last time a Beekmantown High School girls’ soccer player reached 200 career points was in 2018. Fast-forward to 2025, when two Eagle teammates did it in the same season.
The Villemaire sisters, Kallie and Kirsten, would be proud to see both Grace McCasland and Payton Parliament reach the milestone during their senior season on the pitch.
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McCasland reached 200 after a two-goal and two-assist performance in a 5-0 win against Saranac High School on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Eight days later, it was Parliament who reached 200 after a hat trick of goals in a 4-0 win against Northeastern Clinton Central high school.
“It’s amazing,” McCasland said. “We’ve been with each other since the very beginning … We started our journey together, and ever since, it’s just been me and her.”
That journey began when they were around 7 years old. Starting with playing for local youth and recreation soccer programs, the two eventually made their way to the club soccer circuit. They played for Plattsburgh Football Club (PFC) before switching to a new club: Queen City Football Club Adirondack.
From playing with Queen City, the two say they have been exposed to playing against all types of competition against soccer players from across the nation and the world from as early as 12 years old.
“That’s playing teams all around the country, so we’ve experienced many championships together and many teams together,” Parliament said.
Michele Barnes, who has coached Parliament and McCasland since their first days in a Queen City uniform, is happy to have helped facilitate tournaments for North Country athletes like the two Eagles to gain exposure and improvements for their talents on the pitch.
“We put them up against competition outside of this area, just to see how they matchup,” Barnes said. “The more you play the better you get, the more touches you get on the ball, the better you can be. (Parliament and McCasland) are both girls that are going to work outside of any normal school season … and put in the extra time.”
One of the biggest tournaments the ladies competed in was at Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Queen City won the U14 championship in Florida competing against teams across the state and even an international squad from Haiti, leading to the championship match against New York city squad Asphalt Green Soccer Club.
Both players played a pivotal role in the championship match. Parliament assisted McCasland for the game-tying goal against Asphalt Green, which led to a Queen City victory in penalty kicks for the championship title. The Parliament to McCasland connection in this game was one of many moments Barnes said gave these girls a tremendous amount of potential.
“It was obvious that both of them were going to be special,” Barnes said. “Their quick feet, their ability to pass the ball, and their ability to finish. They are special players. I am privileged to be a part of their lives since they have been really young and they just make me so proud to watch them.”
Fast forward to the high school pitch, where Barnes continues to coach them with Beekmantown’s varsity girls’ soccer team as an assistant. She’s coached Parliament and McCasland on the Eagles’ sidelines since their freshman seasons on varsity, and by their senior seasons, the two both lead the Northern Soccer League (NSL) Division 1 in total goals and points thus far. McCasland currently has the goal lead with 20, while Parliament sits in second with 18. Parliament has the points advantage, with 51 over McCasland’s second-place mark at 49. The two both agree that their experiences with Barnes and Queen City have played dividends to their success.
“Honestly, our coach Michele (Barnes), she’s helped us a lot,” Parliament said. “We worked together practicing in travel ball, she helped us get to where we are now. Without her, we wouldn’t be here now.”
Barnes says the two girls, who also are close with Barnes’ daughter Lindsay, are in many ways a part of her own family. She says Parliament and McCasland are not only great for their skills off the field, but also for their kindness off the field.
“I love these girls like they’re my own children,” Barnes said. “They’ve been best friends with my daughter since 7-8 years old. I’ve built a relationship with them … and they are family to me, they are my girls.”
Barnes, McCasland and Parliament will get to share the love for one more season with Queen City’s U19 travel team this spring. Right now, the focus is on the varsity high school season. Beekmantown, who still stand undefeated at 10-0 with a New York States Sportswriters Association ranking of No. 13 in Class A, is confident they can make a deep run in the postseason.
“Nothing is going to stop us,” McCasland said. “We are ready to keep going. We have multiple people who can contribute, and finding a way to stop us is very difficult right now.”
Beekmantown is looking for back-to-back sectional championships in Class A, but first, they will look to finish as NSL Division I’s top team before the regular season closes on Monday, Oct. 21.
