Seven years after walking off the field disappointed following a loss in the 2019 WPIAL championship match, a group of Mt. Lebanon soccer alumni returned to the very same stadium to celebrate a championship of their own.
The Lebo Lions, a men’s soccer team made up primarily of former Blue Devils players, captured their second consecutive Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League championship this summer. For co-captains Steven Vines, Bryce Andra and Zach Nellas, the victory meant more than another trophy. It represented a full-circle moment.
“Coming back to that same field and winning a championship made it pretty special,” Vines said.
Vines founded the Lebo Lions after college as a way to stay connected with longtime friends while continuing to play the game they love. He noticed there were few opportunities for players in their 20s, with most recreational leagues geared toward athletes 30 and older.
“Like all good ideas, the team started at The Saloon,” Vines said with a laugh. “We got everybody together, and I didn’t really know how good we were going to be. Some guys played in college, but most hadn’t.”
Building the team wasn’t always easy. Between careers, families and busy schedules, the co-captains had to coordinate practices and games while bringing together players with different levels of experience.
For Andra, however, the commitment has been well worth it.
“I probably care a little too much,” Andra said with a smile. “I just love doing this and seeing everybody every week. We all had some unfinished business, and we wanted to get back to playing competitive games together. That’s been really fun.”
The Lions have now won championships in each of their first two seasons, a success Nellas credits to the chemistry the group developed years ago while playing together at Mt. Lebanon.
“I think we always knew our team had a lot of chemistry,” Nellas said. “We knew we’d compete, we’d have fun, but we’d also take it seriously and play to win.”
Although their high school careers have long since ended, the players remain connected to the Blue Devils program. Many recently returned to Mt. Lebanon to participate in an alumni game, reconnecting with former teammates and longtime coach Tim Gullo.
One of Vines’ favorite moments with the Lions didn’t involve one of the team’s former stars. Instead, it belonged to teammate Fadi, who never made the Mt. Lebanon varsity squad but delivered one of the biggest moments in club history.
During last season’s playoffs, Fadi converted the winning penalty kick in a double-overtime shootout.
“It was a full-circle moment seeing him step up and score the winning kick,” Vines said. “Having him do that was something special.”
For the players, the championships are gratifying, but they say the friendships have always been the real reason they keep coming back.
“Getting the chance to be part of something you care about and do it regularly with people you care about is always rewarding,” Nellas said. “We all really love the game.”
As the Lebo Lions prepare to defend their title again this fall, they’re chasing more than another championship. They’re continuing a tradition that began years ago on the fields of Mt. Lebanon—one built on competition, camaraderie and a shared love of the game.
