Herndon Boys Soccer Begins Post-Season #1
HERNDON, VA - Sean Lanigan's return from Major League Soccer to coach Herndon's underachieving boys program doesn't look to be in vain thus far, as the Hornets are ranked number one in the state heading into tonight's 7 p.m. Concorde District semifinal home match with Fairfax.
In recent years, the Hornet squads-- while widely acclaimed as heavy in talent-- consistently fizzled out in the postseason. The past two seasons have found them dropping out of the first rounds in districts and regionals in '07 and '06 respectively.
Lanigan signed with Herndon before this season in hopes of reestablishing the glory days of his first tenure.
"It's about a sense of discipline," Lanigan, whose Herndon teams amassed three district and two regional championships from 1996-2000, said. "I don't know what these guys have done in the past except that the talent has been really good."
"It's (also) the expectations. That's why I'm coming back to high school (soccer), and putting the burden on the players ... I'm putting everything together, and they're doing all the work."
After a string of success that started with him being named Washington Post All Metropolitan Boys Soccer Coach of the Year in '96, Lanigan would go on to assist MLS clubs DC United and the Kansas City Wizards in the coaching department-- while Herndon would field highly touted prospects but fall short of the bar that had been set prior.
This year's squad sports an 11-1 record and features five first-team and two second-team All-District standouts that feel poised to reset their program's culture.
"Everyone works with each other and everyone believes in each other," All-District senior center midfielder Anatole Doak (4 goals, 2 assists), who will play Ivy League soccer at Cornell next season, said.
"That's really been the difference. I mean, we've had the talent and this year it's just come to blossom because of our team chemistry."
Fellow senior center midfielder Christian McLaughlin, who's tallied 12 goals and 14 assists en route to being named a finalist for Gatorade State Player of the Year, seconded that notion.
"We didn't really trust in one another, and people would be selfish at times when we really needed to pass," McLaughlin, who's signed on to play at college powerhouse Virginia, said.
"I feel like this year, at least, everybody trusts each other and everyone makes the right pass."
Sean Murnane's transfer from Westfield to Herndon this winter has only helped the chemistry, and the junior striker's team-leading 16 goals injected instant offensive potency into Herndon's line up.
"We all meshed real well, real quickly," Murnane said, "Everyone gets along, there's not one person out here that someone doesn't like."
This year's team includes All-District athletes at keeper (sophomore Alex Stopa, first-team), center back (senior Sol Mourtaza, first-team), and outside midfield (senior Yazen Sleem and sophomore Ewum Etuk, second-team).
McLaughlin feels it's the most well rounded Herndon group in recent memory; "We're solid throughout our entire lineup; there's really no weaknesses."
The National Soccer Coaches of America Association must've agreed when they ranked the Hornets above all others in the Commonwealth this week, but Herndon's leaders won't let the buzz distract them.
"It feels good because finally we're getting recognition after we beat Westfield (who was ranked number beforehand), even though we weren't ranked ahead of them immediately after, " McLaughlin said, "but that doesn't mean anything."
"Number one in the state before the postseason means nothing," McLaughlin continued, "You want to be number one in the state after the championships. We can't underestimate anybody."
Doak didn't want to see another talented Herndon team fall in the postseason either.
"We could be last in the state," Doak said, "As long as we win at the end, it wouldn't matter."
Tonight's match will take place at Herndon High School.
