On Wednesday night, the McLean boys varsity soccer team faced off against the South County Stallions. McLean hosted their senior night and honored all 17 seniors on the team in a ceremony prior to the game. After the festivities, the Highlanders took the field in good spirits, looking to continue their winning streak.
“It was really cool because we have so many seniors on the team,” senior defender Ben Frechtel said. “Obviously we can’t fit 17 guys on the field, so it was a really cool experience for us.”
McLean put in an all-senior lineup to kickoff the game, which started off very back-and-forth, the ball traveling between offensive and defensive sides. Not long into this stagnant period, senior forward Yussef Koussa scored a strong goal and the crowd erupted, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
“Senior nights are tough sometimes because you want to make sure our seniors have an opportunity to play, but at the same time you’re still competitive and trying to win a game,” said Greg Miller, McLean’s director of student activities. “It was good to see them all get out there, and a lot of them had success last night too.”
Throughout the first half, there were some opportunities for South County to score, but good saves by McLean’s defense held the Stallions to just one goal. With multiple shots on goal, and the starting lineup back in, the Highlanders gained their momentum and strength back, and although the half ended 1-1, it was clear that they would bring intensity to the second half.
“A lot of the guys got playing time, so our morale was really high,” Frechtel said.
Just a few minutes into the second half, senior midfielder Rafa Cabral put the ball in the back of the net, giving the Highlanders a 2-1 lead. Shortly after, junior midfielder Luke Hamel took that driving force, putting another goal up for a 3-1 lead.
The Highlanders maintained their lead and, keeping the ball in the offensive half, were able to prevent South County from scoring again, giving themselves numerous chances for a goal. Dominance from McLean’s midfield and defense kept the game in the Highlanders’ favor.
Midway through the second half, senior center back Connor Bo scored, the Highlanders now winning 4-1. Not long after, senior forward Joe Margita put the ball right in the corner of the net for a 5-1 lead.
With 10 minutes left, head coach Leland Jameson made the decision to put his seniors back in, and with fights brewing on the field, the crowd began to get loud and riotous. The tension on the field led to determination from the Highlanders, resulting in another goal from Margita, the score now 6-1.
Nearing the end of the clock, with a South County penalty in the box, senior midfielder Arman Badipour lined up for a penalty kick, swiftly hitting the ball into the goal to bring the lead to 7-1. The crowd erupted in support of Badipour as he secured a decisive victory for the Highlanders.
“From everything I’ve heard South County is a good team and usually has a good program, so to beat a team like that was a good victory for our boys,” Miller said. “They have to just keep taking it one game at a time, and forget about last night and previous nights and focus on tomorrow night and try to win that game as well.”
Now, the Highlanders are preparing for an exciting matchup against Yorktown on Friday, May 2. Yorktown remains a strong competitor for the Highlanders, but they feel confident in their ability to win.
“It’s a big game at home and a big district game,” Frechtel said. “We’re definitely going to go out there and play hard and do what we can.”
