History

Led by Player of the Year Stan Hoover, the Lions won the first District Championship with a record of 12-3, but lost the Regional Title to Niceville. The Lions first varsity coach was George Harper, who moved to Taylor County in 1983, and was replaced by Paul Armor.

Although the 1983-84 squad compiled a record of 13-3, a strong Lincoln team won two one-goal victories and the District Championship. Player of the Year, Gary Williams, led the Lions in winning the Holiday Tournament (later renamed the Kickoff Classic.) Gary returned in 1989-90 to coach the Lions JV team to a best-ever 13-1-1.

Player of the Year, Kenny Schorr, and Coach of the Year, Paul Armor, led the 1984-85 Leon team to Holiday, District, Regional, and Sectional Championships with a 20-2 record. A loss to state champs Tarpon Springs left the Lions fourth in Class 3A. Along the way, Leon also won third place in the Bobcat Invitational.

The Lions lost to state champions Clearwater Center Catholic in the last five minutes, finishing third in the state. Season highlights including winning the Kickoff Classic and placing a strong third in the Gainesville Invitational. Player of the Year Russ Swanson, and Junior Saxon Palmer, were the first Lions ever named All State, as the team went 19-6-1.

After being ranked number one in the state for most of 1986-87, the Lions repeated as Sectional Champions before losing the State Championship to Tampa Jesuit in an eleven-round shutout. Player of the Year, Rick von Goeben, joined Saxon Palmer and Stan Proctor as All State first-team players. The season record was 22-4-2.

Victories in the Kickoff Classic and the Pizza Hut Classic raised everyone’s hopes at the start of the season. However, no one would have predicted an unprecedented record of 27-0, the first undefeated and untied season ever in state soccer. The Lions defeated Jesuit for the State Title, and posted a record-setting fifteenth shutout. Eric Hovda, Will McCarthy, Ken Yon, and Player of the Year, John Beck, were named All State.

The Lions returned to the Final Four for the fifty-year in a row. After being ranked #1 in 3A for 21 straight weeks and being featured on ESPN’s Scholastic Sports America, the Lions suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in the State Championships to Boca Raton John Paul. Co-Players of the Year, Dean Fishback and John Minnick, were named All State, as were Tony Vaughn and Sean Walker. The season record was 25-2.

The Lions again advanced to the Final Four, with a record of 23-2-1. Leon lost to eventual State Champion, Boca Raton, in the state semifinals at Tampa. The loss ended in a three-year string of making it to the State Finals. Player of the Year, Tony Vaughn, and George Clark were named All State.

Leon defeated Godby in the District Playoff for the fifth straight year, but lost a shootout to eventual State Champion, Pensacola Woodham, in the Regionals. All eight losses were by one goal. Player of the Year, Tanner Sly, Parks, Allman, Steven Hales, and Tommy Suter were named All State based on their performances against quality opponents.

The season began with a championship win in the Kickoff Classic, and continued with a strong showing in the Hackett Memorial Classic before losing in the finals to 4A Hialeah American. The Lions defeated Bay for the District Title and, wrought revenge by defeating Woodham for the Regional Championship. However, Gainesville recorded its first Sectional Title in defeating Leon after two earlier regular season losses. The Lions finished 26-3-1, with Gatorade Florida Player of the Year, Tanner Sly, Tom deGrummond, Nick O’Sullivan, and Maurice Smith being named All State.

The Lions returned to the Final Four, defeating Bay in District, Gulfbreeze in Regionals, and Gainesville in Sectionals. They lost the State Championship to Seabreeze in the second sudden-victory overtime period, finishing the year at 22-7-4. Player of the Year and Puma Cup Player, Brian Nickerson, George David, Robby Sutter, Jamie Berry and Tim Boeth were named All State. Boeth, the first Sophomore Lion named All State, set Leon and Big Bend scoring records, with 34 goals and 15 assists.

With the 1993-94 season, Leon welcomed new Head Coach Allan Rice, who led the team to a 21-5-3 record, including a District 2-4A title for the tenth year in a row, and another trip to the Final Four. The Lions were denied a chance at the State Title, losing the semifinal round on a rain-drenched field to Daytona Seabreeze, in what came to be the best remembered as the 1994 State Finals “Mudfest.” Jamie Berry, Tim Boeth, Richard O’Sullivan, and Goalie Mike Zingale were named All State, with Mike recording 14 Shutouts during the season.

Season Highlights – Kickoff Classic Runner-ups, District 2-5A Champions, Regional 1-5A Champions, Section 1-5A Champions, and a return to the Final Four, where the Lions’ season ended with an overtime loss on a shoot-out in the semifinal game. Tim Boeth, Richard O’Sullivan, and Mike Zingale made the Class 5A All State Team, and O’Sullivan captured the honor All Big Bend Player of the Year. Allan Rice was named 94-95 F.A.C.A. Class 5A Coach of the Year.

Characterized as a rebuilding year, after the team graduated seven major players, the Lions moved up to Class 6A. With a winning season of 15-9-2, and a solid core of returning players, the Leon Lions recorded the fourteenth consecutive year with a winning record.

With the opening of several new large (6A classification) high schools in Florida, Leon returned to 5A status next year and will likely remain there. Therefore, the Leon Men’s Soccer team was the only Class 6A team at Leon High School to accomplish the following:

Pre-season Kick-Off Classic Champions
Mitchell Brothers Kick-Off Classic
Champions
5th place at the Diadora Soccer Invitational
Class 6A District Runner-up
Class 6A North 1 Regional Champions
The 10th showing in the State Final Four

This team was molded by Coach Rice and united by the Senior Leadership. The 1996097 Leon Men’s Soccer Team regained respect for the tradition of Leon soccer and upheld the pride of the Lions.

Leon came back to Class 5A. The season witnessed a quality team, with an unlucky end. The season started out on a positive note, with the team beginning as co-champion to the Pre-Season Classic. The Lions continued their success by securing second place in the Kick-Off Classic and fourth place in the Puma Cup Invitational. The team grew stronger with a District 2, Class 5A championship, the 13th District Championship for Leon Boy’s Soccer. Unfortunately, the team suffered an agonizing 1-0 loss to Pensacola Washington in the Regional Quarter-finals.

With its solid core of returning players, Leon became the Pre-season Classic Champions, with its defeat of the Lincoln Trojans, and went on to capture 3rd place in the Kick-Off Classic. At the Puma Soccer Invitationals in Tampa, the Lions were able to defeat the highly ranked St. Thomas Aquinas team to become Consolation Champs. While this season the team had the cooperation of the weather, some of its key players were sidelined by injuries. However, the team’s depth kept the season strong. With a season record of 22-6-4, the Leon Lions went on to become the District Runner-Up and the North 1 Regional Champions. The team finished the season with an exciting showing at the Final Four, displaying both skill and tenacity as a team, and true sportsmanship.

In what was expected to be the rebuilding year with several young starters, this Leon team surprised fans by winning the District 2, 4A Championship and the State of Florida Regional Quarter-Finals, finishing with a record of 15-13-2.

With a strong group of seniors, Leon had a season far better than the record indicates. At 18-13-2, the Lions were once again District 2 champs and won the State Regional Quarter-Finals, only to lose the semifinal in a shootout following a controversial game in Gainesville. The Lions defeated Lincoln, twice, and were runners-up in the Raider Invitational in Ft. Lauderdale.

This was a young and inexperienced team with a record of 17-5-6. Although not a stellar year, the team continued to uphold the Leon tradition in soccer.

The Lions started off the season with high hopes, which were diminished when two starters were injured during the Kick-Off Classic. Other teams would have been devastated, but not this one. They pulled it together and accomplished the following:

2nd place at the PACE Invitationals
8-0 Record in District Play
Class 3A, District 2 Runner-up
Class 3A, North 1 Regional Champion
The 12th showing in the State Final Four
Class 3A State Runner-Up

Motivation, discipline, and the senior leadership of Adam Rice and Jon Pat VanDen Dooren molded this outstanding State contender.

Losing only four seniors from the State Runner-up team the past year, the Lions sensed a trip back to the Final Four, accomplishing the following on their way:

3rd place at the Kick-Off Classic
4th place at the Student Sport Invitationals
7-1 record in District play
Class 4A, District 2 Champion
Class 4A, North 1 Regional Champion
13th showing in the State Final Four

only one tie, the team looked like the Leon teams from the past. Leon lost the District Championship, and had to travel to Gainesville and Gulf Breeze to secure a spot in the Regional Finals. The Lions met the challenge, and dominated play in the Regional Finals against Lincoln, losing narrowly 1-0. The future looked bright for a State Championship the following year. Hugo Mio, Brandon Jones, Brandon Clark, Craig Costigan, and Trey Johansen were named to the All Big Bend first team.

It was an ill-fated season, though no fault of the players. The tight loss to Lincoln in the 2004-05 Final Regional Championship Game by a Leon team that included five sophomores left the Lions with high hopes of making it to the “show” in 2005-06. Given a team mostly juniors, a few seniors and sophomores, and one freshman this year, time would tell if Leon would gel in time for the play-offs. Undefeated at the time the Lions tied St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1), and losing to Chiles twice this year, the team was working toward consistency. Determined to be ready for the playoffs, even the questionable officiating during the season did not discourage the players; instead, it made them better overall, ready to take on any challenge they might face. This winning attitude brought about a stunning victory over Lincoln in the district semifinals, and secured the District Championship against Mosley. Leon beat both Pace and Fleming Island, playing at home in the regional quarter-and semi-finals. One step away from the “big show”, Leon then traveled to Jacksonville to play Wolfson High School for the Regional Finals. Coming from a 2-0 deficit, the team tied the game and was poised for a win. But as fate would have it, Wolfson was handed a win. With an 18-9-2 record, a District Championship Trophy, wins in both the regional quarter and semi-final games, it was a very successful season. Hugo Mio, Davey Beck, Manuel Rico, Clayton Hinson, Nick Brinson, and Patrick Manderfield were named to the All Big Bend first team, and Coach Allan Rice was named a Coach of the Year. By virtue of its success, the team challenged the next year’s team to take it all the way to the 2006-07 State Championship.

This soccer season, Leon was a school to be reckoned with, with eight senior starters boosting a disciplined, skilled, and tactical team. Ranked 16th in the state overall (6A – 2A), the team proved just how talented they were. After taking 7th place in the Admiral Tournament in Boca Raton, the team set its momentum throughout the season, winning the District Championship with a 10-0-0 record (a first for any team in Tallahassee in 20 years). A win over Pace in Quarter-Regional play for the second successive year led to a re-match against Jacksonville-Wolfson, to whom Leon lost earlier in the season and in the previous year’s Regional Final. This game was a different story. The team dominated play with sheer determination, but took the game to overtime, and ultimately won on PK’s, as Junior Goalkeeper Dylan Harris blocked 3 shots in a row. With this victory, Leon traveled to Niceville for the Regional Final, the ticket to the State Finals. Out shooting Niceville 17-3, Leon lost on a PK for a controversial foul called in the 9th minute of overtime play. The team that had appeared to the State Finals headed for home. However, boasting a season record of 24-4-2, this was one of the best teams in Leon Soccer History. With a little luck, this team would have won a State Championship. Great Year, Team! Hugo Mio, Davey Beck, Clayton Hinson, Nick Brinson, Luke Clary, Matt Cade and Dylan Harris were named to the All Big Bend first team. Beck was chose All Big Bend Player of the Year, and Allan Rice was named Coach of the Year.

The graduation of eight starting seniors from last year’s team foreshadowed the work to be done in 2007-08 to prepare for another run for the State trophy.

An evaluation of the team during summer camp revealed potential. The players appeared to have enough knowledge and raw skill to compete effectively, if all the pieces came together. During the season, Coach Rice made numerous adjustments in the line-up, some late in the year, but the pieces didn’t quite fit. The desire was there, but the season ended too soon for the players to refine their skills and gel as a team. Even so, with a win against Gainesville in the Kick-Off Classic and ties against Gulf Breeze and Lincoln, there was lingering hope the team would put it together in time to make it to the State Championship. In the District playoffs, the Lions rallied to a tie against Rutherford, and won the game in an exciting finish during penalty kicks. The team also played strongly against Chiles in the next playoff match-up, but couldn’t come up with the goals to win the game.

IN a very trying year, the Leon High School Men’s Soccer team played with heart and hope. As Lou Holtz once said, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”

After fifteen years as the Head Soccer Coach at Leon High School, Allan Rice left the team in the hands of Coach Jamie McBrearty, hopeful that Coach McBrearty will carry on the rich tradition of Leon Men’s Soccer.

During the 2008-09 season, Leon welcomed new Head Coach Jamie McBrearty, who led the team to a 12-9-6 record and advanced to Regionals as the District 2-5A Runner-up. Expected to be a rebuilding year with several young starters and a new coach, the regular season had its share of triumphs and struggles. The challenging district schedule and Tampa tournament, which included games against (6A0 State Champion Melbourne High and tying (5A) State Champion Palm Harbor proved to prepare the Lions for post-season play. District record aside the boys knew they could play with any team in the area. Setting up what would be the highlight of the season, the Lions worked their way up from the 5th seed in the district, and upset tournament host and No.1 Seed Chiles High School in a very scrappy game by a score of 4-2. Eventually the Lions lost to Lincoln in the District Championship and took the Runner-up spot in the district. Leon was unable to continue their momentum gained from the district tournament and were upended in the regional quarterfinals by Niceville who advanced to the 5A State Final Four.

We are proud of the 2008-09 Leon Men’s Soccer Team, the growth of the program and the wonderful display of “sportsmanship’ displayed all season, on and off the field.