McDonough girls soccer wins third straight region title
Rams win title for third straight year
Having defeated Chesapeake Science Point 11-0 in last year’s Class 1A South Region girls soccer championship game, the McDonough Rams entered Tuesday night’s region final rematch at North Point High School confident in their ability to produce a similar result against the Tigers.
But through 40 minutes McDonough was locked in a 1-1 tie against a team that had improved exponentially in a year’s time. Pushed to the limit through a half, the Rams steadied themselves and took control of the scoreboard in the second half, with goals by Lauren Haley, Emily Edwards and Jordan Parker lifting the team to a 4-1 victory. The win marked the third consecutive region championship for the McDonough program.
“Last year it was a way different game,” said Haley, one of the Rams’ 10 seniors. “I don’t think we expected them to be this good, and they really were. They really showed up, but we battled through.”
McDonough (15-3 overall) controlled the bulk of the action throughout the first half, and grabbed the early 1-0 edge on Alexis Bourassa’s goal roughly eight minutes in. But the Tigers, from Anne Arundel County, eventually countered with a Abby Wilkes’ goal off of a corner kick with just less than 12 minutes left in the first half and continued to generate pressure through the half’s duration.
McDonough used the halftime break to regroup and re-established control of the match when play resumed.
“We showed really good resilience,” McDonough head coach Dave Bradshaw said. “They were a very tough team, a much-improved team from last year. They battled us hard, were able to get a goal off a set piece and it changed the complexion of the game. I think at halftime we kind of refocused and realized that if we wanted this we had to take it. I think the effort and the calmness on the ball that we showed in the second half, we really had some great attacking opportunities that we finished in the second half that we didn’t in the first half. I’m really, really proud of the kids.”
Haley’s goal with 27 minutes 34 seconds showing on the scoreboard clock lifted McDonough to a 2-1 lead, while Edwards followed up with another tally less than three minutes later to further secure the Rams’ hold on the night’s affairs. Parker tacked on another goal close to seven minutes
after Edwards’ goal to extend the advantage to 4-1, essentially sealing the team’s third straight region crown.
“Focus is the number one thing,” Parker said of the difference in the Rams’ performance from one half to the next. “I don’t think we came in with enough respect for them. They are a tough team and I wish them the best of luck.”
When McDonough’s current seniors entered high school, the girls soccer program had never won a region championship. In four years, those seniors have played in four region title games and with Tuesday night’s result have won three.
“I still don’t have words for it,” Haley said. “I knew we would do it, but it was scary for a minute. But I knew we’d pull through.”
“I can’t believe that we won this game three years in a row, and to go out with a bang [as seniors],” added Parker, “but this isn’t the goal. The goal is states.”
Opposite McDonough in the state semifinals will be Sparrows Point of Baltimore County, which has won the 1A state championships each of the last five years. The teams are scheduled to square off at 7:30 tonight at Northeast High School in Anne Arundel County.
The challenge is great, but the Rams have already risen to the occasion several times during the season, winning games against perennial Southern Maryland Athletic Conference powers Calvert, Leonardtown and North Point while claiming the SMAC Potomac Division for the first time. So the state semifinal offers and opportunity to rise to another challenge and, maybe, create some more history.
“We’ve talked about taking them one at a time and continuing to value our opportunity together as a team,” Bradshaw said. “It’s another chance for us. We’ve been there three times. Playing a different opponent this time. To play the five-time state champion is an honor for us and we’re looking forward to playing as hard as we can for 80 minutes of soccer and we’ll see what happens.”