Tuesday, March 20 saw a thrilling and historic event in Jesuit history with the 500th win
of Head Coach Charlie DeLong’s career. In what Charlie described as “one of the best performances of the year,” Jesuit boasted a five goal win over a scoreless Lake Highlands. With seemingly effortless passing and a gorgeous sense of communication, Jesuit could not have looked better. “The kids were playing hard, playing intelligently and showed a lot of good skill. Five to nothing was an accurate result,” Coach DeLong stated.
Less than five minutes after the players took the field, the Rangers stole the lead with a perfectly placed header from Tanner Coffin ’12 just out of the reach of the Lake Highlands goalkeeper. When later asked, Tanner said this was “a crucial first goal that lit a spark,” a spark that propelled him to score twice more in the first half.
Tanner was not alone in the spotlight, as Juan Torres ’14 directed a pass from Zach Stavrou ’14, outmaneuvering a helpless Lake Highlands defense, sending the ball into the back of the net. “Zach helped to supply many of the goal-scoring passes and really made it easy for the offense,” said Colum Farren ’12, who played center back in the iron fortress known as the Jesuit defense that has only let in 7 goals this season.
Not long after Lake Highlands had conceded a second goal, Tanner once again swooped in for yet another header that placed the Rangers in a comfortable lead. He later attributed his spectacular display to the pre-game warm ups, where he felt “ready and enthusiastic for a special game on a special night,” a night that was by no means finished.
Right before halftime, Tanner proved that he was as skilled with his boot as with his head,
with an expertly placed knuckle that soared over a mystified Lake Highlands back line and ducked under the crossbar in what can only be called a “masterful work of finesse,” according to his teammate Colum Farren.
When the teams returned to the pitch for the second half, the Rangers played at a relaxed pace, but unleashed an unrelenting string of what Coach DeLong called “smart” soccer. Lake Highlands seemed to have found an answer with a stronger series of offensive opportunities, all of which proved unfruitful.
The Lake Highlands’ defense stepped up to the powerful Jesuit offense however, allowing only a single goal in the second half, which came from the foot of Raul Caballero ’12 during a penalty kick. At the final blow of the referee’s whistle, the Rangers had a lot more to celebrate than the well-deserved 5-0 victory.
As the players shook hands, head coach Charlie DeLong was surrounded and congratulated by a crowd of former players, current players,
and many other members of the Jesuit Community who came to celebrate his 500th victory. On the field, Jesuit president Mike Earsing was the first to shake his hand and offer a smile-filled congratulation while the varsity soccer team signed the match ball. Many of Coach DeLong’s former players and close friends joined in offering their excitement and happiness concerning such an incredible feat. Varsity soccer player Dalton Eudy ’12 summed up the attitude of his very appreciative teammates, who continued to celebrate for their mentor and friend: “No one is more deserving of 500 wins. Charlie works so hard to keep his players both successful and happy. Not only is he a soccer legend in the Jesuit Community, but also in all of high school sports.” Coach DeLong himself had this to say: “I was grateful for being able to share the moment with so many people from the past 35 years. Even those people who never played high school soccer but club soccer came to support me last night, and it was just fantastic.”
