After 39 Years, the Hornets Are State Champions Again

by Erin Grogan, Guest Writer

The Herndon soccer team poses outside their stadium as state champs. Photo by Will Bonham Photography

Herndon High School’s men's soccer team made history in Glen Allen, defeating regional rival Wakefield to claim their first Class 6A state title since 1986. Their dominant 3-0 victory was the final stamp on an improbable comeback season. After opening with a 4-4 record, the Hornets needed a shift—and they found one. Over their final 14 games, they went 12-1-1.

Photo by Will Bonham Photography

According to senior forward Otu Bisong, head coach Jordan Steffey was the catalyst behind the turnaround. “Coach sat us all down and woke us up,” Bisong said after the championship win. “He opened our eyes to how good of a team we could really be and snapped us out of our lazy mentality. It made us hungry for the state title—and from that point on, we were unstoppable.”

Bisong’s goal in the 58th minute, assisted by junior Angel Romero-Rivas, helped seal the victory. Senior Bilal Hawa scored earlier on a penalty drawn by junior Eric Marenco, and junior Manny Mequanint added the final goal in the 71st minute, assisted by Bisong.

The second half of the title game mirrored the second half of Herndon’s season: confident, composed, and dominant.

The day before, the Hornets had battled more than 100 minutes against reigning state champion Cosby, needing overtime and a penalty shootout to advance to the final. Despite the grueling semifinal, the team arrived ready to play.

Photo by Will Bonham Photography

“The mindset was all about keeping momentum and staying focused,” said junior right back Rafa Garcia. “We knew we had a tough final ahead, so we stayed humble and on the same page. We just wanted to go out there and win it.”

And win it they did, defeating Wakefield for the third time in four meetings this season.

“To be part of the team that won the state title after so long is a surreal feeling,” said senior right back Bryan Leiva. “Doing something that hadn’t been done in four decades is something I’ll never forget. We’re thankful the community stuck with us through the season, and I hope we made everyone proud.”

It was a complete team effort, highlighted by a stifling defensive performance that left no doubt that the Hornets earned this championship. After several recent trips to the state tournament, Herndon finally brought the hardware home.

And even with a talented senior class moving on, don’t count the Hornets out. “We’ll be back,” said junior center-mid Liche Rodriguez. “We’ll be back with the goal to do it again.”