Devaney named State Coach of the Year

Mike Devaney has guided the Bentonville boys soccer program for 12 years, but he didn't lead the Tigers to a state championship until 2014. He didn't waste any time picking up another one. Devaney led the Tigers to their second consecutive Class 7A state championship this season, and for his efforts he has been named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps boys soccer coach of the year. Bentonville was coming off a 17-0-2 season in 2014 and returned several key starters this season, including Zack Estrada, Josh Howard and Bennett Moehring. The Tigers didn't go undefeated in 2015, but they still finished 18-2 and defeated Fayetteville and Little Rock Catholic in the Class 7A state tournament before knocking off 7A-West Conference rival Fort Smith Northside in the state championship match in Fayetteville. Bentonville scored 70 goals this season, 27 more than it managed in 2014. Howard led the Tigers with 16 goals and Estrada scored 13. "It was going to be a tough act to follow," Devaney said, "but you could make an argument that we did that in many ways." The Tigers had 16 seniors on the 2015 team, with Howard, Estrada and Moehring leading the way. Devaney said there was no substitute for experience. "They just knew what they needed to do to get done," Devaney said. "They were fabulous every day. They didn't forget the hard work that got them there the year before." Bentonville was one of three teams from the 7A-West Conference that made it to the semifinals of the state tournament, joining Northside and Rogers. It was that experience of playing in the 7A-West that helped the Tigers in the state tournament, Devaney said. "It's invaluable," Devaney said. "Three of the four teams were in the semifinals. ... Just playing once, you could put in a set piece and take a team by surprise, but you weren't going to sneak up on anybody this year." Bentonville has gone 35-2-1 since the start of the 2014 season, and Devaney said that type of high expectations has been a key to the Tigers' success. "They enjoy playing with one another," Devaney said. "It sounds very cliche, but that team chemistry, they were incredibly tight. They wouldn't accept one or two kids not getting the job done. They held each other to those high standards. "They policed themselves. That's invaluable."

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Bentonville High School Athletics

DEVANEY NAMED STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

JEREMY MUCK

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | 6/14/2015

PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Reyes