MANSFIELD — Lambert Sommers never left the program he helped build, he’s just a little less visible these days — unless you are an upcoming opponent of the Mansfield Christian boys soccer team.
Sommers, who took over as MCS head coach in 1998 and piloted the Flames to their first Final Four appearance in 2000, stepped down after the 2002 season. Since then he has been one of the program’s most trusted scouts.
He was in the stands when the Flames advanced to the Final Four in 2011 under Ben Stauffer, the man who replaced him in the fall of 2003. He was there for Mansfield Christian’s run to the state championship game last fall under Jesse Rider, who succeeded Stauffer.
And he will be there again tonight when the Flames make their third Final Four appearance in four seasons, this time under Stephen Armstrong, Rider’s successor.
“It’s wonderful to see the program stay at such a high level,” Sommers said. “This is what we were trying to build when I started coaching.”
Mansfield Christian boasts Richland County’s oldest and most storied boys program. Since 2000, the first year for three divisions in high school soccer, the Flames have won nine district championships and four regional crowns. MCS has advanced to the Sweet 16 each of the past five years, compiling an overall record of 84-14-8 during that stretch. The program has produced 10 All-Ohioans since 1999, including a first-teamer each of the past four years.
“The program has enjoyed a lot of success, especially these last four or five years,” Sommers said. “What I’m most proud of, though, is when I see guys who came through the program and they realize the impact that the school and soccer have had on their lives.”
Count Stauffer, Rider and Armstrong among them. All three are MCS graduates and products of the program. Stauffer graduated in 1996, Rider in 2002 and Armstrong in 2007.
“It’s awesome having Lambert and Ben and Jesse as resources,” Armstrong said. “They have helped maintain the continuity of the program. That is one of the reasons we have been so successful here.”
So what is the recipe for success? It depends on who you ask.
“What I found is that the guys had a love for the game and they wanted the best for each other,” said Stauffer, who lives and teaches in Florida but keeps tabs on the program. “They would really push each other in practice. They expected a lot from themselves and their teammates.”
The 2014 edition of MCS soccer is no different. Six players have scored five or more goals, led by dynamic strikers Brendan Ernsberger and Brandon Mount. They have each scored 33 goals and have 12 assists. Freshman Jared McPeek has 18 goals and 11 assists, while Stevie Grown has eight goals and 16 assists and David Cochran has eight goals and nine assists. Sammy Paul has 14 assists to go along with five goals.
“The kids start playing at a young age. They see the success the older kids are having and they can’t wait until it’s their turn,” Stauffer said. “Jared McPeek was in my wife’s second grade class and I remember him kicking the ball around back then. The same for Brandon Mount and some of the other guys on this year’s team.”
The program has forged bonds that extend beyond the soccer field. Stauffer is planning a return trip to Mansfield for the wedding of Cory McKee, the goal keeper on the 2007 team. The wedding will take place a week after the Division III state championship game.
“Hopefully, it will be more than a wedding celebration,” Stauffer said. “It would be great if we were celebrating a state championship, too.”
