Time for fever pitch
Broadneck, Severna Park, South River, Arundel are teams to beat
Coaches anticipate the teams that’ll hold control of Anne Arundel County this abbreviated fall season will be some of the more traditional picks: Broadneck, Severna Park, South River, Arundel.
“I think Arundel has a big and talented senior class,” Severna Park coach Rick Stimpson said.
But there’s another team likely to impress this short season, one that made a significant leap as a program in 2019 – Meade.
Though they can’t pull from the depth many of the county’s perennial powerhouses can due to a lack of a feeder system in the area, the Mustangs’ slow burn into a competitive team finally paid off last season when they turned in their first winning record in at least six years, and netted 49 goals – more than the past four seasons altogether.
“I am extremely proud of the effort the girls put into the team — last year referees came up to me after three different games stating that they hadn’t seen a Meade team play as well in ten years,” Meade coach Lee Campbell said. “A real tribute to the players that isn’t always reflected in the standings.”
Coronavirus affects every
team this year when it comes to turnout, especially as this “fall” season coincides with club play, but Northeast may have been hit the hardest. The Eagles bring only 21 players to the table this year, wiping out the ability to field a junior varsity team completely.
Others who made a splash in the 2019 postseason will look dramatically different this time — and not just because it’s an unusual fall season. Severna Park, last season’s county championship runner-ups that fell in the 4A state final on penalty kicks, bid farewell to 12 players — nine of which started.
Some will notice the effects not just this season, but beyond. South River has enjoyed a place at the pinnacle of the county for years, last season putting in an undefeated county record — including in the county championship — as well as 13shutouts,outscoringteams59to7.
However,onlysixfreshmancame out to tryouts this “fall,” which will impact development to come.
Some teams have luck on their side. Senior-heavy Annapolis is one of them.
“This is the most veteran team we have ever had at Annapolis since I’ve been here,” Panthers coach Charlie Heath said. “We are returning nearly every starting player.”
Interest spiked in Harwood, as Southern saw an influx of a dozen more players than usual this year. Old Mill and Chesapeake boast strongreturningrosters,eachbringing back nine starters. The Cougars, which fell doom to penalty kicks in theClass3Astatesemifinalsin2019, also pulled in more players than normal (23 total) including a transfer from Northeast.
Broadneckislikewiseexpectedto maintain its strength, bearing seven returners, including All-County First Team selection Eva Mowery.
Glen Burnie’s overall numbers dipped, but coach Kreghan Rebstock is motivated by the hard-working crop of 23 freshman that entered their ranks this year.
The girls soccer season will begin Tuesday, March 23 with the final game scheduled for Thursday, April 15. All games will be played on Tuesdays and Thursdays at either 5 or 7 p.m. with boys varsity alternating start times. For the shortened season, no county championship or state playoffs will be taking place.
Here is what to expect from each local program:
ANNAPOLIS
2019 record: 4-7-1 overall
Coach: Charlie Heath, third season Top players: Seniors Catherine Gilman (D), Leah Marcus (D), Saylor Whitaker (F), Lucy McKenzie (D) and Bethany Yamaner (D); juniors Mariana Ordonez (D) and Grace Corey (M); sophomore Ashton Anderson (GK).
ARUNDEL
2019 record: 16-3, Class 4A East region I champions
Coach: Caitlin Rankin, first season (interim coach)
Top players: Seniors Jenna Folmar (F), Megan Kozdras (D), Josie Joyner (M), Sumaya Togba (F) and Simone Flynn (F).
BROADNECK
2019 record: 10-5-1
Coach: John Camm, 17th season Top players: Senior Mara Buto (F); juniors Eva Mowery (M), Molly Yeomans (M), Carly Johnston (B) and Sunny Bowers (M).
CHESAPEAKE SCIENCE POINT
2019 record: 1-12
Coach: Darryl Kelly, sixth season Top players: Senior Abby Wilkes (CM); sophomore Alessandra Ortiz (D).
CHESAPEAKE
2019 record: 13-4-2, Class 3A South region II champions, state semifinalists
Coach: Kevin Keeter, fifth season Top players: Seniors Sarah Cuttler (GK), Amy Dolan (D), Jessica Calvert (D) and Brooke Hurst (F); junior Ryan Byle (M); sophomores Ella Shannon (M) and MaKenzie Boyd (M).
GLEN BURNIE
2019 record: 12-3
Coach: Kreghan Rebstock, second season
Top players: Seniors Ally Hall (M/D), Christy Sims (M), Hope Castaneto (M) and Sydney Baker (GK); sophomore Karen Morales (M).
MEADE
2019 record: 9-7
Coach: Lee Campbell, third season Top players: Seniors Victoria Wilson (M) and Katelyn White (D); juniors KensleyPierce(M)andAniaWhitmire (F); sophomores Ashlin Fuentes (M) and Hayden Sunder (M).
NORTH COUNTY
2019 record: 1-9-1
Coach: Nicholas Tackett, third season
Top players: Juniors Jaylin Sheffield (M/F), Ella Morgan (M) and Camryn Wyatt (GK); sophomores Alyssa Yost (D), Isabella Steinebach (D) and Sydney Bollinger (M).
NORTHEAST
2019 record: 8-7
Coach: Scott Langlois, eighth season Top players: Seniors Asylin Wesemen (M) and Abigail Zimmerman (M); juniors Marissa Ambrose (D), Samantha Nguyen (D), Aiyanna Pullins (M) and Alexis Trombley (D); sophomores Caitlyn Cornwell (F), Morgan Lanham (F) and McKensie Lanham (GK); freshman Kaya Pullins (M).
OLD MILL
2019 record: 7-6-2
Coach: Lauren Carrier, 10th season Top players: Seniors Carrigan Bidinger (F), Jordan Hoffman (M), Molly Sheridan (F), Jaden Stiffler (GK), Naomi Malone (D), Morgan Tongue (D), Rebecca Verdi (M), Olivia Olin (M) and Grace Koehler (D).
SEVERNA PARK
2019 record: 15-3-2, Class 4A East region II champions, state finalists Coach: Rick Stimpson, second season
Top players: Seniors Ella Raines (F), Leah Meyers (D) and Liv Nicholson (D); junior Sofia Espinoza (M); sophomore Ava Schultz (M).
SOUTH RIVER
2019 record: champions
Coach: John Sis, 16th season
Top players: Seniors Elizabeth Gleeson (F/M), Julia Cobb (GK), Ashley Tarjick (F), Kylie Lopez (F) and Madalyn Bonzella (M).
14-1-2, county
SOUTHERN
2019 record: 4-7-2
Coach: Brooke Walsh, 10th season Top players: Seniors Kori Barnhill (F), Elizabeth Reidlin (D), Kayla Hughes (D), Hailey Moore (D), Erin Gulden (M) and Hailey Potts (GK); junior Amelia Abell (M); sophomores Skylar Williams (M) and Natalie Voorhees (F).