On October 29, the Hoffman Estates High School boys soccer team played one of their toughest matches of the season against their cross town rival, the Schaumburg Saxons. Even though the Hawks were, unfortunately, unable to pull out a win against Schaumburg, the boys fought incredibly hard against the Saxons and this season overall still made Hoffman Estates history.
“Going into this season our goal was winning a regional title,” said said Henry Henning, senior. “Since the first summer league game to our first practice, the goal and standard was winning a regional and breaking the 30-year cycle as a collective team. I knew our mindset was just different. We were hungrier.”
Passion has never wavered during the entire season. The team’s determination is what sets them apart from their opponents. On Saturday, October 25, the HEHS boys soccer team made history after beating Wheaton North, 1-0, in the regional final. Winning that game made this year’s boys soccer team the first team in 33 years to be regional champions.
“We made history at Hoffman, and it just felt great,” said Olivier Pleban, junior.
The boys faced many ups and downs throughout the season. From injuries to challenging calls during games, the team was able to persevere through the toughest of games.
“I have seen these kinds of “shocks” to a team impact the culture and mental mindset in extremely negative ways,” said Sean Armstrong, head coach. “Fortunately, we are a much stronger team than that and so many people stepped up to really turn negatives into positives. This has really been a historic season for our soccer program.”
Building on that, Armstrong described how the roster reinvented itself in real time. “The special thing about this team was just how connected they became in a short amount of time. We started the season missing two of our starters from last year, athletes who would have made a huge impact on our season,” said Armstrong.
“We also were missing two additional players who would’ve been major contributors this season. We had 11 new players to the varsity team which meant we would really have to ‘learn’ to play as a team and create a culture where we can grow our game,” continued Armstrong.
The adversity hit early and hard. “During our game against Elgin, we received seven red cards (none were warranted, except mine) which is unheard of… this could have really set us back because we went from having a strong shot at winning the tournament to a very disappointing 0-3 record.
Armstrong said the team also lost one of its team captains, Henry Henning, who was having an outstanding season until his season ending injury. “I have seen these kinds of ‘shocks’ to a team impact the culture and mental mindset in extremely negative ways. Fortunately, we are a much stronger team than that and so many people stepped up on the team to really turn negatives into positives,” Armstrong added.
There were moments that defined the group’s identity. “During our game against Elgin, the opening game in a highly competitive tournament, we lost our most vocal captain and center back to injury. Additionally, we received 7 red cards in that same game against Elgin, we never gave up fighting and scrapping for the win. For most of the second half, we were playing with two less players and a coach for red cards. For the last 12 minutes we were playing three players down. The score was only 1-0, we were still hanging in there playing 8 vs. 11 players. We tied up the game with around 4 minutes left only to give up the game winning goal in the final minute of the game. Absolutely heart breaking, but really showed the spirit, character and potential for this team,” Armstrong said.
The numbers match the narrative. “As a team, we scored as many goals (54) as we did in the previous two seasons combined. We are a very dangerous attacking team. We currently have a record of 11-8-3 (6-3-1 Conference, 2nd in MSL West) which is the first 10+ HEHS team in over 20 years. We won the 6th Regional Championships in school history and the first in the last 33 years. We have an All-State player Lukas Varanauskas who has 21 goals and 9 assists on the season so far. We have won two games, and tied another by scoring in the last minute of the game, including our Regional Semifinal victory over Conant,” Armstrong said.
Henning’s view from inside the huddle mirrors the coach’s emphasis on response and belief. “I think one of our biggest turning points was towards the end of the season at one of our last conference games that ultimately put us into the MSL semifinals, but during this Wheeling game we came out slow and found ourselves down 3-0 to a team we had previously beat, but as a team we didn’t back down we believed, brought our energy back up and fought hard finishing the game with a 4-3 win.”
He also pointed to how the staff shaped the culture. “Coach Armstrong and Coach Bird always want the best from us, and they didn’t want our season to be another ‘what if.’ They pushed us into being a team that ended a drought, and the coaches were also always big on creating a sense of brotherhood and community within our team. It is our soccer family,” said Henning.
Asked about mindset, Armstrong kept it simple. “We are a very talented team. The most talented team that I have coached at HEHS; however, the most defining characteristics that sets this squad apart: outstanding leadership, mental toughness, passion for the game, support for each other, and we truly are a family.”
Before the sectional matchup, the approach was steady. “At this point in the season, we need to stay healthy and continue to approach each opportunity the same way we have done all season… together. We are blocking out any and everything that many happen and we are locked in on the present. As long as we play our best, that is all we can ask for,” Armstrong said.
When the final whistle came against Schaumburg, the group still stood together. “Unfortunately our season came to an end Wednesday night after a hard fought battle [with] Schaumburg. After double overtime, we ended up falling short, losing in penalties,” Henning said.
The legacy, though, is already set. “I am just so unbelievably proud of my team through all the adversity we have faced,” said Henning. “Even after all of the injuries, we managed to do something no Hoffman team has done in 30 years, double digit wins and a regional championship. This program took a big step forward and will continue to thrive. The standard has been set and the core returning juniors and sophomores will continue this standard.”
Armstrong sees that same long view. “I have learned how hard it is to maintain a high level of performance throughout a grueling season. The most important thing that I have learned is how much of an impact that sports have on all of our lives,” he said. “Lead by example and hold yourself as accountable as you hold others is another important lesson. In the end, it is about the relationships that have been built throughout the season. They will always have this memory and moment together, so will our managers, and so will the coaches.”
“I also have learned how lucky I am to have such an amazing coach working with me. Coach Jeff Bird is such a talented coach and is an amazing role model for all of our team,” Armstrong added.
As for the future of Hoffman soccer, the message is clear. “I know this season is going to have an incredible impact on our program because it has made us see that we are strong enough to win and that Hoffman Estates Boys’ soccer is back. We BELIEVE!” said Armstrong.
