Station Camp soccer chemistry brings school first team state title

MURFREESBORO — Thomas Morand has been with Station Camp since the Sumner County high school first opened its doors in 2002.

So it’s only fitting that he was the one to lead the school to its first TSSAA team state title.

“It’s kind of surreal right now,” Morand said following the Bison’s 1-0 Class AAA boys soccer championship win over nationally-ranked Houston on Friday. “I’ve been to the state finals twice in Kentucky, and we’ve been here I don’t know how many times now. Sometimes I thought I was snakebit that I’d never won it.”

Morand, who also coaches the Station Camp's girls team, led three previous Bison squads to the state tournaments (2016, 2009, 2008). 

Team chemistry made the difference this time around, according to the 28-year Kentucky and Tennessee coaching veteran.

“Everybody at this stage has great teams and great players, but it’s their chemistry,” Morand said. “Caden (McGranahan) called it a brotherhood, and they don’t just talk it, they walk it. They sell out for each other, they back each other up, they rotate for each other.

“People underestimate chemistry. Everybody always talks about great players, but defensive chemistry wins games a lot of times and it won us a state championship.”

That defensive chemistry was on display as the Bison held Houston scoreless for the first time since a March 24 draw with Christian Brothers.

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“(Collin Scott) was dangerous, (Sebastian Musciante) was phenomenal, and we knew that they’d been here before,” Morand said of the six-time state champion Mustangs. “We knew we were going to have to do it as a team — together — and I think the boys did that.”

The brotherly bond bled over to the offensive side as well, resulting in sophomore Tyler Jessen’s score off senior Chase Freeman’s 53rd minute assist — just the eighth score surrendered this season by the Mustangs, who are ranked No. 3 nationally in the USA TODAY Super 25.

“Most of my goals, the assists come from him,” Jessen said of Freeman, who provided assists on 14 of Jessen’s team-leading 30 goals on the season. “He’s such a playmaker. It was a perfect through ball, and I couldn’t do anything except finish it.”

Reach Michael Murphy at mfmurphy@tennessean.com, 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.