ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997 TAG: 9704170026
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: ANGIE WATTS THE ROANOKE TIMES
Unfazed by a 3-2-1 start, Christiansburg High's boy's soccer team and first-year coach Kevin LaRue eye postseason possibilities.
It has been a season of enormous ups and downs thus far for the Christiansburg boys soccer team, but that has not dampened the Blue Demons' spirits. Nor has it distracted from the goal set at the beginning of the year: to make it to the state tournament.
Christiansburg is wavering just above the .500 mark with a 3-2-1 record, which includes a big win over rival Blacksburg at home - the first time the Demons have ever beaten the Indians on their home field - and also a disastrous 7-0 loss to William Byrd.
"All I ever heard about when I got here was having to beat Blacksburg," first-year coach Kevin LaRue said. "That was a big one for us ... but then we turn around and get beat by William Byrd. It was an ugly game where nothing went right. We came out flat physically and mentally."
There is a difference between the Demons and other teams who may have gotten off to a similarly rocky start: Its confidence is growing rather than fading.
"We don't really have a true weakness, just some mental letdowns at times," LaRue said. "We have the talent. William Byrd beat us, but we can just as easily come back and beat them. When they come down here I'm looking for the reverse - a great game for us."
Part of the reason for LaRue's confidence is the play of senior midfielders Don Haga and Zach Johnson. Johnson was a second team all-state selection a year ago, and is headed to a Division I college to continue his career. He is still considering Radford, James Madison and VMI. Haga, who played for Christiansburg as a freshman, spent his sophomore and junior season traveling nearly an hour each way to North Cross School to advance his soccer skills. He has returned to Christiansburg for his senior season, and will most likely continue his career at Virginia Tech.
"Even though they hadn't played together in school for a couple years, they were in an Olympic Development program together so they complement each other's game well," LaRue said of Haga and Johnson. "They bring experience, a knowledge of the game, tactical skills and an ability to pick the team up when it's down. I'm very blessed to have them."
Haga said the team is equally blessed to have LaRue leading the way.
"I think he's done a really good job," Haga said. "I know its hard for him sometimes because Zach and I are playing Division I soccer next year and then there are other guys on the team that are in their first year playing, so it's tricky. He has to come up with drills that will help everyone.
"It seems to me that six games into the season, we're just beginning to gel now. I think about two weeks from now we'll start to really peak."
All Christiansburg can do is hope that two weeks isn't too long. Only the top three teams in the Blue Ridge will advance into the Region III playoffs. The Demons say they intend to be there. Coach LaRue, a student-teacher this semester, will finish his teaching responsibilities in May, but said he plans on being around into the summer.
"I'll be here until the season ends," LaRue said. "Let's see, when are the state playoffs? June? Then I plan on still being here in June. There's no doubt we have the talent to get there. ... We just have to pull it all together in time."
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM THE ROANOKE TIMES. Christiansburg's Don Hagaby CNB(#8) in action against Lord Botetourt. color.