By Hayden Ronga

The 2021 Collegiate varsity boys soccer team will forever go down as one of the, if not the best, teams in school history. With an outstanding record of 21-0-1, the boys captured the VISAA Division I state championship for the first time since 2004. 

Having little to zero weakness at every position, the Collegiate Cougars instilled fear in their opponents on the pitch this fall. They played with a pace no one could keep up with, and they exhausted their opponents out. The boys earned a 74:10 goals-to-goals-allowed ratio this season, which, along with their undefeated record, helped put them in the top 20 nationally. The team’s one tie came against the Saints from St Christopher’s during the prep league championship, where neither team could find the back of the net. 

When asked for three words to describe the team, forward Porter Vaughan (‘23), stated; “We were complete, ruthless, and competitive.” Vaughan, one of the top contributors to this electric offense, with 15 goals and 7 assists on the year, ran alongside Matthew Jenkins (‘23) in the front court. When asked about why this group was so complete, Vaughan stated, “the main thing was we all knew [that] we were good, and we all wanted to win for each other, so we came together and played for each other, which helped us get to the state championship.” Two of Vaughan’s fifteen goals on the season occurred in the VISAA state championship game when they defeated three-time defending champions Cape Henry Collegiate on Nov. 12, 2021.  

The matchup between the two was played in City Stadium in Richmond. I, alongside many of my Collegiate Upper School classmates, showed out for the 7:30 p.m. game on that frigid Friday evening. The electric student section helped the boys perform well in the elements. All the pressure around Collegiate’s undefeated and nationally ranked soccer team was tested in this game, which many players considered to be the most intense games of their lives.

Coming off of a hard-fought 1-0 win against cross-town rivals the Saints just three days before, the Cougars were warmed up for this matchup.

The usual starting lineup for the Cougars this season consisted of four senior defensemen, led by standout player Colin Ryan (‘22) who was named VISAA player of the year, with the addition of being an All-American. Midfielders Charles Nolde (‘24), T Rigby (‘23), co-captain David Cheon (‘22), and Robert Westerman (‘22) were key components for controlling both sides of the ball.

The boys played with grit, determination, and energy all game long. They captured the state title with a win and a final score of 3-0. 

When asked about his favorite memory from this past season, assistant coach Shep Lewis said, “It’s hard not to say the championship game against Cape Henry, but when we played them in the regular season, we won that game 2-1. After this game, I think everyone knew, including us, that we were now the team to beat.”

When asked about his final season, Cheon stated: “We built really good friendships from the start, which helped build the chemistry that most teams did not have, and that made us stand out.” In addition, “we have a really good senior class, and most of us have been on the team since freshman year. Winning the state championship had always been a dream of mine, and that dream came true for me and the rest of my teammates. It was a great way to go out.” The boys’ varsity soccer team this season had accomplished their goals, overcame adversity, and proved that they had what it took to win a state championship.

Featured image courtesy of Collegiate School.