3 Cups O' Cheer

When George Mason High School captured both the boys’ and girls’ State Soccer Championships in 2002 some questioned whether that accomplishment would ever be repeated. Two years later, we have our answer. Not only did the 611-student school reclaim the State Championships in soccer, they added another in boys tennis.

On the hardcourts the Mustangs utterly dominated the competition, sweeping their opponent en route to their ninth title in the history of the program.

Meanwhile on the pitch, a pair of pristine performances by two goalies named Alex and goals by senior Alison Penland and sophomore Gregg Curtin proved the difference in a pair of classic Group A soccer championship matches, both over Mason’s biggest rival, the Clarke County Eagles.

In its most complete and total victory of the season, the George Mason boys tennis team absolutely annihilated opponent J.I. Burton High School en route to the State Championship, with each player winning in straight sets during a 5-0 sweep.

Alex Goetting, Colin Ehmer, Luke Rabin, Andrew Roller, James An and Ben Andrews all prevailed, though Andrews' victory didn’t count in the official standings, as the Mustangs had clinched the title before he could finish his match.

“It was the perfect way to go,” senior Luke Rabin said of the experience.

But the Boys Tennis Title was just the first on the day for Mason.

For the second time in their past two meetings, the Mustangs rallied for a second half comeback to defeat the Eagles and steal a championship match.

After watching Mason snatch away the Region B Championship on the strength of three second half goals, Clarke watched as Penland keyed a Mustang surge with two of three Mason second half goals to lead her team over their chief rival.

Following up a “Hail Mary” goal to open the second half, Penland pounded a corner kick by junior Christina Kirkbride underneath the diving Clarke goalie for the game winner.

Refusing to yield, the Eagles mounted a counterattack, but two point blank saves by sophomore Alex Pender kept the score at 2-1, and a final goal by freshman Katie Turner capped the victory, giving the Mustangs their second State Championship in three years. Mason’s girls team has appeared in the State Finals each of the last three years.

For the boys team, Sophomore Gregg Curtin scored the contest’s only goal and senior goalie Alex Fatovic stopped a decisive penalty kick late in the game to clinch the title. The boys team has won the title in four of the six seasons since Group A beginning a state tournament in 1998. The Mustang boys’ last title came in 2002. Last year they fell in the District Championship to Clarke County and did not qualify for the state tournament.

Fatovic, a back-up goalie on the 2002 championship team, was clearly the man of the match according to Head Coach Art Iwanicki, making a diving save on the Eagles leading scorer’s penalty kick with twelve minutes remaining in the match. Fatovic, the Bull Run District Player of the Year, then saved a shot off the ensuing rebound, snuffing out the Eagles’ scoring opportunity and their hopes for the title.

With the momentum clearly behind them, the Mustangs mounted the decisive attack. Senior Peter Dittmar headed a clearing attempt back inside the Clarke County box and Curtin calmly trapped the ball of his chest and sent a well-placed shot into the lower right corner of the goal. Less than ten minutes later, the Mustangs had their title.

“When our boys saw the tennis team bring the trophy over, while they were watching the girls win, I know they were saying to themselves: ‘We’re not going to be the only ones to bring home a silver one,’” Boys Assistant Coach Frank Spinello told the Washington Post.

“This [championship] feels better than sophomore year,” Fatovic said. “It was great then and I was happy for the team, but I was the backup goalie. Now I’ve got one where I played a role in it.”

Fatovic could hardly have envisioned a more story-book finish to his career, hoisted up by Spinello and Curtin and leaving the field for the last time carried on the shoulders of his teammates as a State Champion.

Adding to the school’s success last weekend, both soccer teams were awarded the Wachovia VHSL Sportsmanship Award for their conduct during the tournament, an honor that Mason Athletic Director Tom Horn said was rare for the Tournament Champions.

The achievement of three State Championships in the same athletic season is a first for Mason, at least as far as Horn can recall since joining the school ten years ago.

The championships also provide a huge boost for Mason in the Group A Wachovia Cup standings for best all-around athletics program. While the results are not official, Mason should finish second to Radford High School. It would be the fifth-straight top three finish for the Mustangs, who last won the Cup in 1996.

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