MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Lewisburg goalie Tony Burns tips the ball out of bounds on a corner kick in the second half.

HERSHEY — Lewisburg’s players were mingling around near their team bench shortly after the conclusion of Saturday’s PIAA Class AA championship game. The Green Dragons had just defeated District 7 champion Deer Lakes, 6-0, and were taking turns being photographed with one another the PIAA championship trophy.

With his gold medal around his neck, Lewisburg goalie Tony Burns talked with assistant coach Logan Cho for a bit before the two got a photo together.

It was a special moment the two shared.

Burns had just recorded his fifth consecutive shutout in the postseason — four of which came in states — and helped the Green Dragons secure the program’s fourth state title with a 6-0 rout over Deer Lakes. Burns wasn’t tested much Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium — he only recorded one save — but a shutout’s still a shutout. And if anyone knows about clean sheets, it’s Cho.

Burns and Cho share a relationship as two excellent goalies in Lewisburg’s storied history. Cho ended his career as Pennsylvania’s all-time shutouts leader with an incredible 61 during his four-year career from 2012-15.

While he won a state title as a player in 2015 and now as an assistant coach in 2020, Cho was most proud of being able to be a coach and mentor to Burns. Cho was mentored in 2011 before he took over the goalie job as a freshman in 2012 from Lewisburg great Christian Gallagher, who he replaced.

Cho wanted to be able to provide that mentorship to a goalie, and this year he was able to do just that.

“It’s something that I always wanted to do,” Cho said. “We had a long line of goalies at Lewisburg. It’s so special to me to pass that baton on and there’s nobody more deserving. Tony’s one of the top, top goal keepers in Lewisburg history.”

Cho became an assistant coach in Ben Kettlewell’s program this year and his first year as an assistant ended the same way his senior year did: an undefeated season concluding with a title in Hershey. In 2015, Cho and the Green Dragons went 25-0 and won the title, 4-0. Fast forward to 2020 and it’s very similar as Lewisburg finished 22-0 and won the title, 6-0.

Cho had 18 shutouts his senior year, the second most in District 4 history in a season behind only Lewisburg’s Pat Donegan (2004). Burns this year recorded 16 shutouts, the fifth most in a single season in district history.

“It’s almost surreal. I was just talking to the players and coaches and just being back here, it feels like it was just yesterday,” Cho said. “Being on the other side of it, these guys have come so close for the last so many seasons. We graduated all of the classes that won it (in 2015 and 2016), so I wanted them to win so badly.

“I’m so happy for them. I know the feeling as a player, and to see the joy on their faces? I remember that feeling. It’s one I’ll never forget.”

Cho wasn’t anticipating being an assistant coach this year at all. It was sort of just sheer coincidence that it happened. The former Green Dragon goalie was originally supposed to be in New York City as a medical student this year, but he ended up being back in Lewisburg. That’s when Cho reached out to Kettlewell, one of his former coaches as a player, and asked if he needed help.

“I’m so fortunate that coach Kettlewell let me join as an assistant. I’m so fortunate I get to work with such a great group of guys in terms of personality and talent.”

Six seasons ago, Cho was playing alongside Nathaniel Liscum, Joey Bhangdia, Tommy Bhangdia, Michael Permyashkin, Cade Dieffenderfer and Andre Permyashkin. This year he was coaching Ben Liscum, Anthony Bhangdia, Philip Permyashkin and Jack Dieffenderfer.

Cho knew the younger siblings from when he played alongside their older brothers and this year he got reacquainted with them as a coach.

“I played with so many of their brothers, I’m almost like their teammates at times. It makes it more special because these guys brothers were old teammates and watched us five years ago,” Cho said.