Friday, June 27, 2003
Friday, June 27, 2003 |
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Buckner resigns as Lady Chiefs soccer coach By MONROE
ROARK
One of the most successful coaching stints in any high school sport in Fayette County came to an end this week when Stephen Buckner stepped down as head coach of the McIntosh Lady Chiefs soccer team. Buckner led the squad for six seasons, with astonishing results: In 1999, reaching the AAAAA state semifinals. In 2000, going unbeaten the entire season and sharing the AAAA state championship with Pope. In 2001, moving to the new AAAAA classification and losing to Pope in overtime in the state championship game. In 2002, another trip to the state semifinals. In 2003, going undefeated and achieving a number-one ranking in the nation before losing to Parkview in the state quarterfinals. "He's had them there every year," said McIntosh athletic director Marc Mickelboro. "When you get down to the last three or four in any sport, everybody is good." While the McIntosh program is obviously one of the most prestigious in the state in girls soccer, filling Buckner's slot may not be easy. Most coaches have already signed contracts for the upcoming year, Mickelboro said. Moving an assistant into the head coaching position is also out of the question, he added, since Heather Allen has already accepted the head coaching job at Whitewater High School. Buckner could not be reached for a comment before press time, but published reports indicated that he wished to seek other opportunities, including the possibility of work as an actor. He was the drama teacher at McIntosh "He did a great job at that, too," Mickelboro said had has been very active in community theater in the area. Excellence in girls soccer has been a staple at McIntosh for more than a decade. Before Buckner took over, the team won state championships in 1992 and 1994, when all girls teams competed in a single classification, and then took the first state title in AAAA competition in 1995.
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