From Boys' Soccer, the Best of the Season

By Paul Tenorio

Saturday, June 7, 2008

With Stone Bridge and Park View losing 2-1 games Tuesday in the Virginia AAA and AA state quarterfinals, respectively, the last remaining Loudoun County boys’ soccer teams saw their seasons come to an end. Let’s take a look back on some of the highlights from the spring.

Best Goal

This is no contest, it has to be Potomac Falls senior Uche Onyeador’s state record-breaking 125th career goal. In the first half of the Panthers’ final regular season game against Broad Run, Onyeador lined up for a kickoff after a Spartans goal and sent the kick over the head of the Broad Run goalkeeper for a rare restart finish. Onyeador finished the season with 26 goals (127 career), but Potomac Falls fell in the first round of the Virginia AA Dulles District tournament.

Best Move

Stone Bridge senior Ronnie Shaban was a second-team All-Met selection as a defender last season, but Coach Randy May decided to move his talented star up top. It paid off in a big way for the Bulldogs, as Shaban led the team with 14 goals and 11 assists to spur Stone Bridge to the Northern Region championship.

Best Crowd

This is another hands-down winner, as Park View’s boisterous crowd set a scene that no other high school environment matched. Taking a cue from the attitude and life of the D.C. United fanatic Barra Brava section, the Patriots’ student section had drums and noisemakers and borrowed songs like “Vamos, vamos Park View. Esta noche, tenemos que ganar,” which means “Let’s go, let’s go Park View. Tonight, we have to win.” Kudos to the section for cheering Park View on to the Region II title.

Best Game

The Loudoun County-Potomac Falls game April 1 provided all the excitement one could hope for in a soccer game. Three times the Panthers took a one-goal lead, and three times Loudoun County battled back, tying the score with nine minutes remaining on a goal from Matt Backenstoss. The Raiders won the game on a goal from Chris Herrarte with just over three minutes remaining in overtime. Great comebacks, great goals (and lots of them) and an overtime finish.

Best Surprise

The Heritage boys’ soccer team could be considered the biggest surprise in itself, but the play of senior forward Ivan Callejas specifically was the most impressive surprise of the season. An unknown entity entering the year, Callejas had only briefly played soccer at Heritage his freshman season but came in as a senior to lead the Pride in goals and help guide the team to the Dulles District regular season championship.

Top Up-and-Comers

There are several players that fit into this category, including juniors like Stone Bridge defender Chris Kamara, Heritage midfielder Josh Thiel, Park View defender Pedro Mendoza and Potomac Falls midfielder Asa Fox. But don’t forget about underclassmen like Stone Bridge sophomore forward Mike Herndon, Loudoun County sophomore goalkeeper Calle Brown and Park View freshman Jose Herrera, all of whom had big impacts this season for their teams and will be some of the top returning players next season.

Tagged: soccer

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