[ad_1]
It’s true that early June is the time of year often held up for months as the potential endpoint for Virginia high school soccer. Teams talk about the state playoffs all season long, both as a motivator and a dream.
For those programs lucky and skilled enough to play on that stage, perspective can be lost. The journey is forgotten, replaced by the day-to-day struggles and anxieties of a grueling bracket.
So Amato wanted his players to remember just how lucky they were. With that in mind, the Saxons produced a second half that was energetic and effective. After falling behind, they leveled the score with 20 minutes remaining and then scored twice in extra time, earning a 3-1 win over Landstown to claim the Class 6 crown.
“It started in tryouts,” senior Cole Fisher said. “We realized we had a team full of talented guys, and it was a matter of buying in from the very beginning.”
Langley was the only local boys’ team to take home a Virginia state championship, but there were plenty of talented contenders. Here’s a look at the how the best of the best stack up:
1. Langley (18-2-1) Last ranked: 3
Two second-half goals from senior Billy Oh turned around Saturday’s Class 6 championship game and helped the Saxons land the third state title in program history.
2. Meridian (18-2-1) LR: 6
The Mustangs’ quest for the 12th title in program history ended with a 1-0 loss to Tabb in the Class 3 championship game.
3. McLean (9-10-1) LR: Not ranked
The Highlanders were the Cinderella of the postseason, riding a surge of upsets all the way to the state semifinals. They were an overtime goal away from a state title game appearance.
4. Osbourn (17-1-4) LR: 9
The Eagles were the last local team to cling to an undefeated record, but their season ended in heartbreak when they fell to Landstown on penalty kicks in the Class 6 quarterfinals.
5. Riverside (15-7-0) LR: NR
The Rams made a surprising run to the Class 5 championship game but came up just short of a title as they lost to Cox, 2-0.
The Lancers, state finalists last spring, were starting to put together another deep postseason run when they lost to Langley, 2-1, in the Class 6 quarterfinals.
7. Washington-Liberty (16-1-1) LR: 2
The Generals were the Class 6 team to beat in the regular season but lost to Langley in the Class 6 Region D semifinal.
8. Briar Woods (14-3-3) LR: 7
The Falcons saw a promising season end in the Class 5 quarterfinals when they lost to Deep Run in penalty kicks.
9. Yorktown (16-3-2) LR: 1
The Patriots carried some of the momentum from last year’s Class 6 championship game appearance into this season but couldn’t get back to the state playoffs.
10. Tuscarora (16-4-2) LR: NR
The Huskies were the only local team to make it to the state playoffs in Class 4, but they lost to Jefferson Forest in the quarterfinals.
[ad_2]
Source link
