Park View Patriots 1991 Boys Soccer State Championship Team
Sterling, VA (August 21, 2016) – This past spring, the Park View boys soccer team closed out the 2016 season with a trip to Liberty University, defeated the Chancellor Chargers by the score 1-0, and returned home with a state championship crown. Twenty-five years earlier, the 1991 Park View boys soccer team accomplished the same feat, but on their home field in Sterling, Virginia.
Two-thousand and sixteen marks the 25th anniversary that the 1991 Park View Patriots boys soccer team shut-out the William Byrd Terriers by the score 3-0 to win the Virginia Group AA boys soccer state championship. In a sheer display of dominance, the 1991 Patriots outshot the Terriers 31-10.
Forward Terance Gunnells scored two of the Patriots goals, both assisted by midfielder Brian Bechtold. Midfielder Johan Allerbrand scored the third goal, assisted by midfielder Steven Dardis.
Reflecting back on that season, Patriots goalkeeper Greg Prouty shared, “It was not until we went to Chancellor for a preseason game that we all looked at each other and thought we had a chance to accomplish something special that year. Up until 1991, Chancellor was the powerhouse in 2A Virginia soccer. When we beat them on their home field, we knew it was on. We met them again at Regionals and that was by far one of the most stressful high school games I ever played. For me, the best parts of that championship season were not just beating Chancellor in the preseason and Regionals, but winning the state final at home in front of a sold out stadium.”
Midfielder Zack Gross remembered the rather large thunderstorm that delayed the state championship game for 30-minutes after being up 2-0. “We beat up our opponent pretty bad that day. Though the game was 3-0, it wasn’t even that close. I also remember the life long friendships that were made that year. My family had just moved from Southern California, and though the transition to Northern Virginia was difficult, being a part of that team made the move much easier.”
Asked what he remembered about the championship season, defensive sweeper Ivan Flores shared, “I first remember our loss in the first round of Regionals the year before, which we should have won. The highlight of that game was the penalty kick by Western Albemarle, and right before striking the ball I yelled ‘shank!!!’ and he missed. The ref called that verbal obstruction, a call no one had ever heard of, so he received a re-kick and scored. Needless to say, we were really itching for the 91 season and had high expectations. That championship season, we had to overcome some early challenges, but once we overcame our differences, and better understood expectations and talents, we hit the pitch, which was awesome. Not only did we win the state championship, but went undefeated as well.”
Park View went on to successfully defend their 1991 title after once again hoisting the state championship trophy at the conclusion of the 1992 season.
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