Taylor Takacs thinks Sewickley Academy boys' coach Uwe Stender is a master at motivating players. The Panthers goalkeeper said the best example came in a match against Seton-La Salle in the WPIAL Class A title game in November.

"Matt Hoch just wasn't having his best day, and Stender pulled him and put him on the bench," Takacs said. "That [upset] Matt a little. He eventually went back in and ended up scoring the game-winning goal.

"Stender knows how to push everybody's buttons."

Stender's leadership skills led Sewickley Academy to a 25-1-2 record and WPIAL and PIAA Class A titles in 2007. For his efforts, he was recently named the NSCAA/adidas High School Coach of the Year for Region 2, which includes Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware.

Stender is one of eight finalists for the National Coach of the Year, which will be announced at the NSCAA convention Jan. 18 in Baltimore.

"He's definitely deserving," Takacs said. "He's probably the most knowledgeable coach I've had. He knows what he's doing."

In the fourth season of his second tenure with Sewickley Academy, Stender led the Panthers to a remarkable turnaround. After winning eight games in 2006, Sewickley Academy finished this past season with a 14-game winning streak and was unbeaten in its final 22 games.

How dominant were the Panthers? Backed by Takacs' 17 shutouts in goal, they outscored opponents, 109-17.

"To have a turnaround like that is a testament to [his] coaching," assistant coach David Long said.

"There's a lot of stuff tactically that goes on, but he does an excellent job of motivating the young men to play at the highest level and have confidence."

Stender's best motivational job this season might have come before the PIAA championship game, a 3-0 victory against Camp Hill Nov. 17 in Hershey. Stender had previously won a PIAA title in 1997 in his first stint with the Panthers (1994-98).

"He was able to explain to the boys before they got there some of the things they were going to experience and how they should prepare and get ready for the game," Long said. "For some kids, it makes them nervous. Our kids were calm and confident when they got there."

Added Takacs: "He definitely kept us calm. He told us before the [PIAA] final that it didn't matter who was the most skilled, but who was the most relaxed mentally. He kept everything in perspective."

Stender, who was named the 2007 PIAA Class A coach of the year, said he hopes to travel with his assistant coaches to Baltimore for the NSCAA convention.

He downplayed his contributions to the Panthers' season, instead giving credit to his assistant coaches and players. He said winning the PIAA championship wasn't a surprise, but rather his team's goal this season.

"It's always the dream," he said. "We always set our goals high. We have a good program at Sewickley, and our goal from day one is to go to states. Now, whether or not that's achievable ..."

A pair of ties against Seton-La Salle -- the 2006 WPIAL and PIAA Class A champions -- in the regular season provided a confidence boost to the Panthers.

"Considering what Seton-La Salle had done the year before, that was really when the players realized they could achieve a lot," Stender said.

When he is not coaching at Sewickley Academy, Stender works as a literary agent. He described soccer as his passion.

"I just love it," he said. "It makes me forget everything else. It's a release. I have a lonely job. I spend a lot of time reading manuscripts, with no face-to-face interaction with people. Being at the soccer field, it's a nice way to connect."