Highlands Christian and Pines Charter coaches are Broward Boys’ Soccer Coaches of the Year
Pembroke Pines Charter’s Marc Lue Young has helped the Jaguars become one of the most consistent winning programs in recent years.
And Davidson Loriston has gradually built Highlands Christian into one of the state’s best and led the Knights to a breakthrough this past season.
Young and Loriston each led their respective teams to the state final four this past season.
And each shares the honor of being selected Miami Herald Boys’ Soccer Coaches of the Year for Broward County.
Marc Lue Young earns the honors for Classes 7A-5A after leading Pines Charter to its second consecutive state semifinal appearance.
Although the result was similar as the Jaguars suffered a tough 1-0 loss to perennial powerhouse Tampa Jesuit, Pines Charter achieved plenty on its way to Auburndale.
The Jaguars went 18-1-2 and carried a 20-game unbeaten streak into the state tournament after winning a fifth district title under Young and a second consecutive regional title.
“This group was very eager to try and re-write the history books and get back,” Young said after that state semifinal loss. “They’re disappointed for us to not move on. But it’s a really great group that shared a brotherhood. It’s very quiet and somber right now, but we had 80 minutes to get it done and unfortunately we couldn’t.”
Pines Charter was led by Miami Herald 7A-5A Player of the Year Logan Hall and returns enough players to make another strong push for a state championship next season.
The same can be said for Highlands Christian, which gradually built its way up to state over the past five seasons under Loriston’s tutelage.
Loriston guided the Knights to their first state final four appearance since soccer became a winter sport. Highlands Christian had won state titles in 1982 and 1985 and reached the state semifinals in 2001 when it was a fall sport.
Unfortunately for the Knights, their journey was also halted in the state semifinals when it lost 3-0 to eventual Class 1A champion Hobe Sound Pine School.
“The journey here was still awesome,” Loriston said. “We’ve been putting this thing together over the last five years, finally got over the hump and got a taste of the final four. We’re young so most of these boys will be coming back. We’ll get back at it in the offseason.”
