LEXINGTON, Ohio – Mansfield Christian boys soccer coach Stephen Armstrong hopes a new book on motivation will help his defending state champion Flames author another great season.
MCS wrote chapter one of their own new book Friday night by opening the season with a 3-1 non-league win at Lexington before an overflow crowd estimated at more than 1,000.
The game was part of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Friday Night Futbol initiative, allowing soccer teams to open their season under the lights one week before the high school football season begins.
Armstrong said his team is sharing the book, “Training Camp,” by John Gordon, which offers 11 winning habits that separate the best from the rest.
“It’s very motivational … very inspiring,” Armstrong said. “We are reading all 11 principles, one per week for the next 11 weeks. The first one we shared this week is on ‘you gotta know what your truly want.’”
What MCS wants is a third straight trip to the Division III state title match.
A feeder program that constantly replenishes the Flames is essential to that success, according to Armstrong. It was evidenced again Friday as sophomore Jared McPeek knocked in two goals and freshman Jared Mount added another.
“The Flames Soccer Club has really stepped up the last few years in creating players for us,” Armstrong said. “A lot of teams have to start (from scratch) with freshmen, including teaching them basics like how to pass. We have some of that, but not to the extent others do.”
Flaming fast start: It took Mansfield Christian just 39 seconds to score its first goal of the season. That’s when McPeek slammed a shot inside the box past Lexington goalkeeper Tristan Kraft. It set the tone for the Flames, who lost to Lexington, 3-2, last season.
“We talk about critical moments,” Armstrong said. “The first five minutes … the last five minutes. We want the momentum.”
Despite the disheartening start, Lexington stemmed the tide and trailed just 1-0 at the half.
“I am proud of the way our kids responded,” said Lexington coach Peter Them, who led his team to the Division II regional tournament last year. “We didn’t quit.”
The Minutemen had a great opportunity to tie the game with 1:07 left in the first half when senior Jace Morris rocketed a close-range shot at the goal, denied by a great save from junior MCS keeper J.P. Trueblood.
“If that shot goes in, it’s tied at the half and we have a much more wide open second half. It would have been more exciting,” Them said.
Lexington did cut the MCS lead to 3-1 with 19:45 left in the game when senior Connor Baughman struck a header that soared past Trueblood.
Praising the opposition: Them spoke highly of the Flames after the match.
“They have a great soccer style, soccer smarts and soccer sense,” Them said. “They are really good at lulling you to sleep and then switching the point of attack. One thing that impressed me is whoever has the ball has (multiple) options in terms of what to do with it.”
Armstrong credited the Dutch soccer style.
“I have read a lot of books about how the Dutch play and we like to play that way,” he said. “It’s all about using the space .. width and depth. We work a lot on possession (in practice). Everything we do is based on possession.”
Great atmosphere: Both coaches praised the game’s atmosphere, which included live TV coverage on WMFD-TV.
“Soccer is a growing sport,” Armstrong said. “Tonights like tonight didn’t exist in soccer 30 years ago. We are joining the highlight of sports in America.”
Them said, “It’s a great initiative by the start. Both of these teams have some of the biggest fan bases and it’s just a great way to start the season. You can’t beat this atmosphere. Our goals are still intact. We want to win the (Ohio Cardinal Conference) and district titles again. The only way to get there is to play the tough non-conference schedule we play.”
Up next: MCS (1-0) hosts Loudonville on Tuesday. Lexington (0-1) travels to West Holmes that same evening.
“Soccer is a growing sport,” Coach Stephen Armstrong said. “Tonights like tonight didn’t exist in soccer 30 years ago. We are joining the highlight of sports in America.”
