36 Years Later: A Look Back At The First Region Championship And National Appearance For Men's Soccer

During the 2017-18 athletic season, we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Prince George's Athletics. The Owls have posted 41 National Junior College Athletic Conference (NJCAA) region championships and men's soccer has won six titles since its debut in the late 1960s.

Prince George's Community College legend Ronald Mann was hired as the first men's soccer coach in the late 1960s and had some great success on the soccer pitch. In his 11 seasons at the helm, the Owls were 111-73-12 and perennially nationally ranked including holding the top spot in the nation at one point. His team even played a four-overtime game in the regional tournament before overtime rules were changed in the 1980s.

Mann stepped aside to become the athletics director handing Bernie Smolen the reins in 1978. Smolen kept the winning tradition that Mann created and boasted a 183-93-21 record with two region championships and national tournament appearances in 17 seasons.

The fall of 1982 proved to be a big season for Prince George's men's soccer that led to the programs first region title and a trip to the NJCAA Championships. A big freshman class ruled the starting lineup. Brian Colgan, a 1981 All-Met performer from Bowie High School, was a key goal scorer in the tough games and also pumped the team up with his pre-game "Zigga, Zagga Zigga, Zagga Zigga Zagga Zigga Zagga Ra Ra Ra!" cheer and had the nickname of Pit Bull.

In preseason around 75 players tried out for the team, but the team did not have a goalkeeper until freshman Richard Todaro convinced his Largo High School teammate and good friend Steve Morris to come to Prince George's Community College. Morris originally planned to attend the University of Maryland without playing soccer. He also convinced Kenny Eisiminger to come out and play for the Owls. Todaro was showing signs of a great recruiter at an early age, something that would help the men's soccer program continue its tradition for years to come.

"At the time I was not even 100 percent I was going to college," Eisiminger said, who was an NJCAA All-American the following season. "Rich said to come out and play. You don't have to register for class for three weeks. I went out and realized it would be fun playing with the guys we used to compete against in high school. We didn't have a keeper when Bernie asked Rich if he knew one so Rich got Steve to come out. One of the first shots on Steve in practice, he dove and hit his head on the post leaving a big white streak down his face. Bernie looked at us and said, 'what have you brought me?'"

Morris was the netminder while Eisiminger, Jack Carr, Nick Mandrich started in the back with Matt Ciminelli or Pat Cavanaph also seeing time in the defense. In the midfield, the Owls used Scott Kell, Doug Davidson, Dave Boyce or Donny White while the forwards were Colgan, Eddie Allman and John Lovell before Todaro replaced Lovell in the starting 11 after Lovell got hurt late in the season.

"We had a full team of starting 11 with seven key players coming off the bench and an awesome handful of role players," said Todaro.

Dominated by a freshmen class, a great chemistry formed as the season started that included some tough losses to Mercer County Community College, CCBC Essex, Montgomery College-Rockville and CCBC Catonsville.

Todaro points to Smolen's tough, super-kind, often long-winded Ra-Ra speeches to bring them together through the preseason and the team comradery to the team's key to the season. Smolen also had legendary rants after a poor first half that led to epic halftime inspiring speeches.

"We went everywhere on campus as a team and the team was connected six days a week like no team I have ever been a part of from teammate one through 25+," said Todaro.

"We were not as talented as other teams that we played, but I think that we were more of a team with everyone playing his part," said Eisiminger.

Divisions would not be created until 1994 in the NJCAA so the regional semifinals consisted of CCBC Essex, Montgomery-Rockville, CCBC Catonsville and Prince George's, three teams that handed the Owls tough losses turning the regular season.

Prince George's defeated Montgomery-Rockville in penalty kicks 5-4 in the region semifinals. Colgan, Todaro, Davidson, Ed Allman and Eisminger were the five that were successful in their PK attempts to help the Owls advance to the championship game against CCBC Catonsville, who downed CCBC Essex in the other semifinals match.

"Minger (Eisiminger) had this 'I had a dream' speech just as we ended the second overtime vs. Montgomery as we were entering PKs," said Todaro. "He shared with Coach Bernie and us that he had dreamt that we won on PKs and that he scored the fifth goal, which happened by the way with Minger scoring a brilliant fifth PK."

"I remember running back and telling Eddie that I had a dream about going to PK and me making the last one to go to nationals," said Eisiminger. "The guy from the paper was right there writing it all down."

The Owls then defeated CCBC Catonsville in the title bout to hoist the region championship trophy for the first time.

The NJCAA Championships were held at NJCAA Region XIX perennial national champion powerhouse Mercer County Community College in New Jersey around Thanksgiving. Mercer County was wondering how Prince George's made it to the national tournament since Mercer beat the Owls 5-0 at the beginning of the season.

"There was no seeding of the tournament, but rather rotational by region/districts. The local paper called us 'Dark Horses,' who arrived in New Jersey in station wagons," Todaro recalled. "We had to fundraise for a week just to get there as we didn't budget for it."

"I remember we went and played and then had to drive back home for the day to only get up and drive back since we didn't have enough money for all the nights in the hotel," said Eisiminger.

Playing in the national spotlight for the first time and being the only team there that did not give out scholarships, the Owls were not fazed in their first game thanks to a 2-0 victory against Brevard despite some travel issues.

"Our entrance into the playing arena was historically odd as we got to our quarterfinals of the national tournament, a mere five minutes before kickoff so no warmups because we got lost driving from the motel to the Mercer fields," said Todaro. "Coach Mark Bickford led us in a PGCC white-marked station wagon with 12 guys in each through the woods and over the hills to Mercer since he knew a shortcut. A funny story that's true and laughable after we won!"

The squad fell 2-0 to 1982 NJCAA national runner-up Lewis and Clark in the semifinals and then won 5-3 in the consolation game against Ulster to claim third place in its first appearance in the tournament.

"The next year Jimmy Panor showed up on the first day at PGCC and told us that he went to Ulster because they were a powerhouse," said Eisiminger. "He never thought of going to PGCC." The Owls win in 1982 changed that notion and Panor would go on to be an All-American at Francis Marion.

It has been 35 years since that team played on the national stage, but a moment that team will remember forever.

"It was the highest level, greatest honor and the best team I have ever been a part of bar none to this day," said Todaro. "Underdogs who rarely got any respect even as we won and progressed to third in the nation, which only came the next year. Thanksgiving time, even today, 35 years later, reminds me of that cherished weekend.

Todaro and Eisiminger returned in 1983 to win the regional title and advance to the national tournament for the second time and is the only team in program history to win back-to-back regional titles and play on the national stage.

"Back-to-back trips to the national tournament was amazing for us," said Eisiminger. "I remember as a captain the first day of practice in 1983 telling the freshmen we are going back to Mercer this year. You either be with the plan or not."

"We were no longer considered 'dark horses' since we finished third out of eight teams at 1982 nationals," said Todaro. "It was a special time that I will never forget ever and my teammates are still some of my best friends 35 years later."

Todaro would go on to continue his legacy as the head coach of his alma mater and you could consider Eisiminger and Morris his first two prize recruiters in his outstanding coaching career. He would return to Prince George's Community College to take over for his mentor and former coach Smolen in 1996. In 12 years as the head coach, Todaro posted a 153-72-16 record, won three region titles (1996, 1999 and 2009) and returned to the "Final Four" in 1999.

The Owls men's soccer team has won six regional titles and one might say that Todaro has had a hand in all six after winning two as a player, three as a coach and just like Smolen had the opportunity to watch one of his former players, Machel Millwood, guide Prince George's to a region title in 2016. Millwood was part of the 1999 region championship team and NJCAA "Final Four" team that Todaro considers one of Prince George's most talented teams.

Along with his passion for coaching, Todaro went to the University of Maryland to earn his engineering degree and currently serves as the Senior System Engineer for Pioneer Evolutions. Eisiminger and four of his Prince George's teammates went to Francis Marion College (now University) and earned their degrees. Eisiminger is currently a salesman for Horizon Sales Republic National Distributing Company in South Carolina.

"Being a part of both teams instilled the desire to always to be the best at whatever you do," said Eisiminger. "I am in sales and have always tried to be the best, making numbers, leading my sales division. Even though I wanted to beat everyone I still always tried to be a team player helping my teammates succeed. This is definitely something I learned being a part of those two PGCC teams."

The NJCAA Men's Soccer Championships just took place over the weekend and Prince George's was not one of the eight teams that participated but with each new season that comes is the hope of another magical men's soccer season like 1982.