The undefeated Herndon boys’ varsity soccer team headed to Westfield High School Friday for its long-awaited shot at the Concorde District Championship.
Their opponent: the Oakton Cougars, seeking revenge against their rival Hornets for last week’s overtime loss.
Unfortunately, Herndon (13-1-1) lost Friday's game and would have to settle for runner-up in the district as the Cougars took the Concorde banner back to Oakton for the first time in a decade. Herndon will still advance to the Northern Regional tournament, which begins Wednesday.
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Behind by three in the second half, the Hornets dominated the last 30 minutes of play. Concorde Player of the Year Patrick McLaughlin and EK Korvah attacked Oakton goalkeeper Logan Cropper viciously with a dozen solid shots but the ball would never find the back of the net.
“It just wasn’t our day today and it sucks that we had to come this far and it wasn’t our day,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a lesson to be learned and at least we’re not out of it for good and we’re coming out next week on fire.”
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Oakton took control of the first 25 minutes as Kevin Shavalay and sophomore Christian Ollen worked the give-and-go passing to push the ball up field early and often. Hornet midfielders Sam Eaddy and Peter Sullivan hustled to keep pace with the heavy Cougar attack but Patrick Moore slipped through and drilled the ball just underneath the crossbar with 24:20 left in the half, for what proved to be the winning goal for Oakton.
Herndon played well both offensively and defensively during the first half. But Oakton striker Charlie Ahn scored off of a direct kick from 18 yards out with 16:39 left in the first and once again with 7:44 remaining to increase the lead to 3-0.
Yet, the team that had gone undefeated through14 games would not give up and continued its onslaught against the Cougars' goal in the second half. But as with any team who falls three goals back, frustration set in and time became a factor with just 15 minutes left in regulation.
“I thought we played really well. They outplayed us for the 20 minutes and scored three great goals. I’d thought we’d sink one or two and the floodgates would have opened,” said Hornet coach Sean Lanigan.
“But [Oakton] did everything they could to keep us out of the net. Once they sunk the third one, it was a big deficit for us.”
Lanigan, was named the Concorde District Coach of the Year Award.
“Its humbling," he said. "To come back after everything that’s happened to me and to have these guys rally around me, produce what they’ve produced all season long and for my colleagues and peers to feel like I deserved it was an honor. There are some great coaches in the Concorde District.”
