Oakton Named TCC's Fairfax Top Program in 2006
After little deliberation, Gameday Magazine has selected Oakton High School as the winner of the 2005-2006 Fairfax TCC Cup. This is awarded to the school in Fairfax County that had the most successful athletics program throughout the ’05-’06 school year.
Although many other schools performed incredibly well across the board, the Cougars’ overall prowess, from fall to spring, edged out the competition. They’ve had as good a year as any AAA school in the state.
Oakton kicked off the school year on the right foot, taking home state championships in two fall sports, with one state runner-up to boot. First featured will be the team that can be found on the cover of the January issue of this very publication- the varsity football team.
Bringing home the state championship gave their team and athletic program tremendous pride, especially when coupled with the fact that they possessed few star players. They ground out each victory with a team-oriented approach.
Said coach Joe Thompson, “They played and practiced with an unselfish attitude and an unbreakable will. They played with pure emotion, and I don’t know that I’ve ever coached a more likable group of young men.”
Another important aspect in their rise to excellence was scheduling. They were able to endure one of the toughest schedules in the state and continue to remain focused. They faced the likes of Robinson, Westfield, Centreville, Stone Bridge, and T.C. Williams - all programs with great players and great traditions.
Said Thompson, “We were a tougher team mentally and physically at the end of the season because we had to work so hard to face this competition.”
However, with every great production, there is great work done behind the scenes. This all stems from the assistant coaches, who tirelessly spent many hard hours creating game plans to put the players in the right situations. “The assistants’ hard work set the tone for how we would respond to adversity,” said Thompson, “and their commitment to the kids earned them instant credibility with the players.”
Fall was not all about football at Oakton, for there were other Cougar teams pulling out incredible performances. Their cross-country program- both boys and girls- flat out dominated. The boys’ and girls’ teams both won their district and regional championships. While the girls were state runners-up, the boys’ team took the casket, winning the state championship.
The boys ran up a slew of accomplishments last season, winning the Great Meadows Invitational, Eastern States’ Boys CC Championships, Concorde District Championships, Northern Region Championships, and the aforementioned Virginia AAA State Championship. They were led by seniors James Phillips, Matt Kroetch, and Tommy Mason.
Head coach Phillip Tiller reflected on one of the best seasons in Cougar cross-country history, “We put all of our energy and focus into winning at that level and knew that if we worked together as a team and put the TEAM over the individual we would be able to find success… We are a family and we stuck together through some very difficult times, personal tragedy, and several injuries. In the end, the spirit of the team overcame all and helped propel our boys to the third state CC title in school history.”
The Cougar field hockey team capped off the fall season with a Concorde District title for the second year in a row. This is quite a feat, considering that they had lost 10 senior starters from the previous year’s squad. The lone returning starter for the hockey team was senior Katie Moran.
Moran performed incredibly this past season, receiving many remarkable accolades. She was also voted the 2005 Washington Post All Metropolitan Player of the Year, and was just chosen as the 2006 recipient of the Michael Trillon award, which is an award that recognizes an All Met athlete who demonstrates superior athleticism, academics, community service and good character. Only one female and one male are chosen for this award.
Moran’s coach, Lizzie McManus, commented on the highlights of their 2005 campaign, “We’re extremely proud to see Katie win this award…While Katie was a very skilled player, it’s quite difficult to carry a field hockey team to a championship alone. Many of our younger players, sophomores and juniors, contributed greatly to our District defending season.”
One of Oakton’s most significant accomplishments in winter sports was achieved courtesy of the gymnastics team, which won the Concorde District and finished 6th in states. This team has been on a tear; over the past four years, they’ve won three district championships and a regional title.
Among the many triumphs in only nine months, the Cougars have also succeeded in basketball, lacrosse, dance, softball, and baseball. Their dance team finished 6th at Nationals, their girls’ basketball and girls’ lacrosse team each won the Concorde District Title, and their baseball, softball, and boys’ lacrosse teams advanced to Regionals.
Oakton athletic director Philip Levine is very proud of his program and the recognition it receives by being crowned the Fairfax TCC Cup Champion.
"I attribute the success of our athletic programs to our outstanding coaches, and the tremendous support we receive from the Oakton faculty, staff, administration, Athletic Boosters, parents, and community,” said Levine, “but most of all, the willingness of our student athletes to dedicate themselves to making a commitment to work hard in the classroom and on the field.”
