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Top 50 Howard County Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time


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#1 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 11 October 2020 - 08:14 PM

In a 24 year period, from ‘79 through ‘02, Howard County soccer teams won 35 state championships (1.5 per year), going an incredible 35-6 (.854) in the state title game. During that same 24 year period, Howard County teams won 50 regional championships (2.1 per year), going 41-9 (.820) in the state semifinals.

At least one Howard County team won a state title in 21 of those 24 years. In 12 of those 24 seasons, Howard County produced multiple winners, including two years, ‘97 and ‘99, where Howard County won all three classifications in which they had teams competing - no 4A teams in the 90s. Oakland Mills won all of their 12 state championships during that 24 year period, going 12-1 in the state title game.

Centennial won all of their 7 state titles in that period, and won 10 regional titles in a 15 year period from ‘82 through ‘96. Wilde Lake won 6 state titles in that period, including becoming the first MPSSAA school to win four straight state championships.

River Hill won 4 state titles in that period, though they played in just 6 of those seasons. Glenelg and Mt Hebron each won two in that time frame, while Atholton and Howard both won one a piece.

Over the last 44 years, 106 Howard County boys soccer teams finished among the Sun’s top 10 in its final rankings. 69 have ranked among the top 5, 46 among the top 3, and 21, #1.

Amazingly, all of the 21 #1 honors occurred in a 25 year period, from and including ‘79, through ‘03. ‘91, ‘92, ‘96, and ‘02, were the only years in that period where a Howard County team wasn’t ranked #1. And in all four of those years, the county boasted the #2 team.

At and around the turn of the century, private school athletic programs in all sports, including soccer, stepped up their recruiting heavily. This depleted many would-be state champions and #1 teams in the region from Howard County. In the 70s and 80s, Oakland Mills and Centennial dominated the best privates from Baltimore, including Calvert Hall, Mt St Joe, and Curley.

While Oakland Mills has been ranked #1 seven times, more than any other school since ‘79, Centennial’s consistency to either win, place or show, in the 80s and 90s was remarkable. For 14 straight seasons, from and including ‘83, through ‘96, the Eagles finished ranked among the top three in the Baltimore area.

Centennial has finished ranked among the top 5, 17 times, while Oakland Mills has finished among the top 5, 16 times. Every county soccer program but Long Reach has been ranked among the top 10 in the Sun’s final rankings.

Top 10 seasonal final rankings;

Centennial (22) - ‘80 (#5), ‘81 (#9), ‘82 (#4), ‘83 (#1), ‘84 (#2), ‘85 (#2), ‘86 (#3), ‘87 (#1), ‘88 (#3), ‘89 (#2), ‘90 (#3), ‘91 (#2), ‘92 (#2), ‘93 (#1), ‘94 (#1), ‘95 (#1), ‘96 (#2), ‘97 (#5), ‘01 (#8), ‘12 (#7), ‘15 (#8), ‘17 (#9)

Oakland Mills (20) - ‘78 (#6), ‘79 (#1), ‘80 (#1), ‘81 (#1), ‘82 (#6), ‘83 (#3), ‘84 (#3), ‘85 (#1), ‘86 (#1), ‘87 (#8), ‘88 (#1), ‘89 (#4), ‘90 (#1), ‘92 (#8), 94 (#4), ‘98 (#5), ‘99 (#2), ‘00 (#3), ‘02 (#4), ‘03 (#3)

River Hill (17) - ‘96 (#8), ‘97 (#1), ‘98 (#1), ‘99 (#1), ‘00 (#10), ‘01 (#1), ‘02 (#2), ‘03 (#1), ‘04 (#2), ‘05 (#6), ‘07 (#3), ‘08 (#7), ‘10 (#6), ‘13 (#6), ‘14 (#2), ‘17 (#7), ‘18 (#4)

Mt Hebron (14) - ‘95 (#4), ‘96 (#4), ‘97 (#7), ‘98 (#4), ‘99 (#5), ‘00 (#1), ‘03 (#6), ‘04 (#5), ‘05 (#10), ‘06 (#2), ‘11 (#8), ‘14 (#8), ‘15 (#9), ‘16 (#4)

Wilde Lake (13) - ‘76 (#9), ‘’79 (#4), ‘81 (#2), ‘82 (#1), ‘83 (#5), ‘84 (#1), ‘85 (#4), ‘91 (#3), ‘93 (#9), ‘96 (#9), ‘98 (‘#8), ‘10 (#9), ‘19 (#5)

Hammond (6) - ‘84 (#6), ‘86 (#8), ‘95 (#9), ‘97 (#9), ‘05 (#9), ‘06 (#5)

Marriotts Ridge (5) - ‘’08 (#4), ‘09 (#2), ‘10 (#2), ‘11 (#5), ‘12 (#4)

Atholton (4) - ‘90 (#5), ‘91 (#10), ‘92 (#9), ‘04 (#9)

Glenelg (2) - ‘92 (#4), ‘02 (#5)

Howard (2) - ‘89 (#1), ‘90 (#2)

Reservoir (1) - ‘10 (#3)

HoCo’s boys soccer 15 unbeaten teams over the years, including 12 of the 15 that occurred over a 16 season period from ‘80 through ‘95. From ‘79 through ‘00, HoCo produced 19 teams that were unbeaten and/or finished #1 in either the state or Baltimore Sun, over those 22 seasons. The 15 unbeaten, covering seven different schools;

‘80 OM (16-0)
‘81 OM (15-0-1)
‘82 WL (14-0-2)
‘84 WL (16-0)
‘85 OM (16-0)
‘87 CEN (15-0)
‘88 OM (15-0-1)
‘89 HOW (15-0-1)
‘91 CEN (14-0-2)
‘92 CEN (14-0-2)
‘94 CEN (15-0-2)
‘95 CEN (17-0)
‘06 MTH (17-0-4)
‘12 MR (17-0)
‘14 RH (18-0-1)
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#2 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 11 October 2020 - 08:14 PM

These were the last 20 teams considered for Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time, but fell short of making the final cut. Among them, nine state champions, two more sides that finished with an undefeated regular season record, including one that finished #1 in The Sun, and eight others that finished with just two losses, five of those without a tie. The last remainder of the twenty was a county champion, and went 14-3.

‘16 Mt Hebron (16-2-0) Coach Mike Linsenmeyer >>> State Finalist, #4 in The Sun - The Vikings quest for its third state championship in their program’s history, and its first in 10 years, came up one goal short in the state title game, as the Vikes lost to Urbana, 2-1, with the decider deflecting off their own player and star, Johnny Lindsenmeyer. The Vikings blanked Towson, 1-0, in the state semifinal, for their 14th straight win. The Vikings capped off the regular season winning their first outright back-to-back county championships in their program’s history. The Vikes won their first regional title since 2011, and nabbed their first win over River Hill since 2009.

Linsenmeyer (13g, 8a) won the Howard County Player of the Year award for a second year in a row, and the 14 game win streak began when the coach’s son was moved from center midfield to striker. Joining Linsenmeyer on the All-County 1st team were seniors Michael Yacynych and keeper Torey Jones.

‘03 Oakland Mills (13-2-0) Coach Don Shea >>> State Semifinalists, #3 in The Sun - The Scorpions pursuit to extend their state-best 12 state championships to the magic 13 ran into some voodoo, as there hopes were dashed when the Howard County Player of the Year, Saah Johnson, was ejected for pulling his jersey over his head after scoring in what would turn out to be 2-1 state semifinal loss to Pocomoke. Johnson had evened the game in the 18th minute before being ejected for excessive celebration. The Scorpions had lost to the Warriors in the ‘01 state title game, but did come back to win a state title in ‘02. The Scorpions were the only team to beat #1 River Hill in the ‘03 season. The Scorpions shared the county title with the Hawks, their first title, won outright or shared, since ‘88.

Johnson was named to the All-Met 1st team, after leading the county in goals scored, with 21, and leading the county in points, with 49. Johnson scored a goal in 13 of the Scorpions 15 games. Goalie Dan Rogers joined Johnson on the All-Met 1st team, allowing just one goal in county play. Senior midfielder Alex Douyon was named to the All-Met second team.

‘13 River Hill (16-2-0) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Semifinalist, #6 in The Sun - The Hawks won their 8th county title, but first in six years, sharing the honors with Marriotts Ridge, at 10-1 in county play. The Hawks had to survive post-season shootouts with both Mt Hebron and Reservoir, in the regional finals and semifinals, respectively, before a showdown with Urbana in the state semifinals. While the Hawks hadn’t won a regional championship since winning a state championship in 2007, Urbana had played in three of the last four state championship games.

Reservoir, the defending state champions, were the only team to beat River Hill all year, and they gave the Hawks all they could handle, before the 8-time state champions pulled it out in a sudden-death shootout, 6-5. Then, the Hawks pulled a sudden-death shootout victory over Hebron, 5-4, in the penalty kick round. In the state semifinal clash with Urbana, the two teams went scoreless through the first 79 minutes of the match, before a Urbana freshman scored the game-winner with just 34 seconds to play.

‘10 River Hill (14-2-1) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Finalist, #7 in The Sun - The Hawks hopes for a 9th state championship and 11th regional title in 15 years were derailed by eventual state champion Reservoir, losing 3-2 in the shootout round, after battling through 100 minutes in a 1-1 draw. The Gators had beaten unbeaten Wilde Lake in the regional semifinal.

This season produced a quartet of Howard County teams that finished among the Sun’s top 10 teams, which also included all four ranked among the top 5 at one time during the post-season. The Hawks, county champ Wilde Lake, and state champions Marriotts Ridge and Reservoir, went a combined 53-0-2 versus opponents outside of themselves. The Hawks had beaten Resi’, 2-1, in the regular season, and tied Wilde Lake, putting the only slight blemish on the Cats regular season record. Aside from the regional final loss, the Hawks only other defeat came to the state champion Mustangs.

‘10 Wilde Lake (13-1-2) Coach Matt Pickett >>> County Champion, #9 in The Sun - The Wildecats went unbeaten through county play and throughout the regular season, the first time they had done that since 1984, when they finished 16-0. The Cats beat eventual state champions Marriotts Ridge and Reservoir, and tied River Hill. The Cats were the only team to beat the Mustangs all season. The Cats survived a double overtime thriller over Mt Hebron in the regional quarterfinal, before the rematch with Reservoir.

The Cats ran into a buzz saw in the second meeting, as the Gators began their magical run with a 1-0 win over ‘The Lake’. The Cats finished the season as just one of four teams in the program’s history to finish with one loss or less, joining ‘79, ‘82, and ‘84. Senior defender Alex Driessen, junior forward Zach Johnson, and keeper Daniel Evans, all were named to the All-County 1st team. Driessen was also named to the All-Met second team. Seniors Kendrick Pacchioni and Brooks Letiner, and junior midfielder Matt Flyer were named to the All-County second team.

‘92 Glenelg (12-2-2) Coach John Bauman >>> State Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Gladiators won (shared) their first state title in the program’s history, sharing state co-champion honors with Rockville, after battled through 100 scoreless minutes in the state final. The Gladiators held off Oakland Mills in the state semifinal, 2-1, with Russell Payne recording nine saves.

In the state final, it was Payne who carried the Glads again, blanking the defending champion Rams through 100 minutes. The Gladiators dominated play, out-shooting the Rams, 18-5, but couldn’t get on the board. Payne was named to the All-Met 1st team, registering 7 shutouts on the season, as was senior midfielder Dan Gaertner (8g, 5a). Howard County placed four teams in the Sun’s top 10 final rankings, with fellow state champion Centennial, #2, the Glads, #4, Oakland Mills, #7, and Atholton, #9.

‘19 Wilde Lake (15-3-1) Coach Trevor Shea >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - The Wildecats won their first state championship in 22 years, their 8th overall, snapping Howard County’s longest state championship drought - 5 years, it had ever seen since Wilde Lake won the first in 1976. The ‘Cardiac Cats’ survived a penalty kick shootout to Reservoir in the sectional semifinal, then had to come from behind to beat both Huntingtown and Mt Hebron in the state quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, just to get to the title game. Though the Cats finished second to River Hill in the county standings, the Cats topped the Hawks twice, including a 2-1 win the sectional final and a 2-1 overtime win in the regular season, handing the 9-time champs their first county loss in two years.

After getting past the Hawks in the sectional final, and coming back from behind to beat Huntingtown, the Cats Ousman Touray scored two goals within a minute to turn a one goal deficit to Mt Hebron upside down in the state semifinals, and put the Cats in the state final for the first time since 1997, when they won their 7th and last championship. In the final, after battling two-time defending champion CM Wright to a scoreless 80 minutes in regulation time, it was Touray’s heroics that were the deciding factor again, when his ball found the net with 1:38 remains in the extra session. Touray was named Howard County Player of the Year, as the junior led the county in both goals scored and points, with 23 and 51, respectively. Senior goalie Gabriel Viteri (8 shutouts) and senior defenseman Denzel Pinyin, a McDonogh transfer, were named to the All-County 1st team, as was junior midfielder Liam Nesbitt. Coach Trevor Shea was named Howard County Coach of the Year.

‘17 River Hill (15-2-2) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Finalist, #7 in The Sun - The Hawks rolled in winning their 13th regional championship, stomping Calvert, 8-0, while registering their fourth straight shutout. In the state semifinal, Evan Doten scored a pair of goals in a 3-1 win over Fallston, as the Hawks advanced to the state title game for the 11th time in 21 years. The Hawks fell short in winning their 10th state championship in the title game, as Eastern Tech scored the game-winner in the 65th minute, then added an insurance goal, for a 2-0 win over the Hawks.

The Hawks were led by their defense, allowing just 15 goals in 19 games, spearheaded by defender Cameron Coates and junior goalie Patrick Sherlock, both of who were named to the All-County 1st team. The two were largely responsible for the Hawks allowing just .8 goals per game. Junior midfielder Justin Harris and junior forward Alex Smedley were also standouts for the Hawks, who won their county championship.

‘07 River Hill (16-4-0) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Champions, #3 in The Sun - The Hawks won their seventh state championship in 11 years, their first under Coach Matt Shagogue. This championship run was different than any other, as the Hawks started 1-4 before finishing on a 15 game win streak. In the first of a two year trial of a county championship game, the Hawks edged Oakland Milks, 1-0, in the inaugural game.

The Hawks needed overtime in both the state semifinals and finals, but persevered with a 1-0 win over Liberty in the semis, then a 3-2 victory over Loch Raven in the final. Tony Riso nailed a penalty kick in the 94th minute in the games lone goal versus Liberty, then it was Jake Pace’s header in the 86th minute of the state championship game that was the decider. Pace (9g, 9a) was named to both All-State and All-Met teams, before winning a national championship at the University of Maryland.

‘90 Atholton (12-3-1) Coach Reg Hahne >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - In 1990, the Raiders won both their first regional championship and their first state championship, after coming off of a 4-7-1 season. The Raiders three losses came to the top three ranked teams in the Baltimore area - fellow state champ Oakland Mills, defending state champ Howard, and Centennial, all by one goal apiece. The Raiders were led by All-Met goalie Kori Hunter, who held each of the three juggernauts to one goal per side.

The Raiders routed Baltimore area power Curley, 5-0, early in the season, that gave an indication of how good they would be. In the state championship game, Hunter posted a blank sheet, and the Raiders blanked Fallston, 3-0. Offensively, the Raiders were led by All-County junior forward Tony Dedmond (15g, 11a), who finished second in the county in points, with 41. Junior midfielder David Kelley was also named to the All-County 1st team. The Raiders gave Howard County four teams among the top five in the final rankings, along with the Scorpions, Lions, and Eagles, who finished #1, #2, and #3.

‘02 Oakland Mills (13-4-0) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Scorpions won their fifth straight regional title, and their 12th overall state championship, producing a pair of shutouts in the regional championship and state semifinals. This was the 8th state title under Coach Don Shea, in his 17th season on Kilimanjaro. The Scorps finished third in the county standings, but did beat then #1 and fellow state champion River Hill, 2-0. The Scorpions were one of four Howard County teams to finish among the Sun’s top 10 teams, and one of five county teams to finish among the Sun’s top 15 in their final rankings.

The Scorps blanked Poolesville, 2-0, for the regional title, then Rising Sun, 2-0, in the state semifinals. In the state championship 2-1 win over Smithsburg, junior Saah Johnson (5g, 7a), a Mt St Joe transfer, scored both of the Scorpions tallies. Johnson was named to the All-Met 1st team. Goalie Dan Rogers was named to the All-County 1st team, after allowing just one goal in the playoffs, and just eight all season, as was Stanley Kaweesi, who alternated between midfield and striker for the Scorps.

‘06 Hammond (13-3-2) Coach Jeff Reinohl >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - The Bears won their first (and only) state championship on the pitch, a year after reaching their first state title game, and winning a school record 11 games. After missing ‘05 All-Met 1st teamer Mostafa Ebrahimnejad for ten games because of a broken collarbone, the Bears rebounded, in due large part because of their star’s return.

Ebrahimnejad scored and assisted on the Bears first two goals in their 3-1 victory over Loch Raven in the state final, while Francisco Borelli followed a Ebrahimnejad free kick for the game-winner over Century in the state semifinal. Borelli did the same to beat #8 Atholton in the regional final. Mostafa’s brother, Abbas, a junior midfielder, was named to the All-County 1st team, as was keeper David Griffith.

‘11 Marriotts Ridge (14-4-1) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - The Mustangs won their fourth straight regional championship, before winning their third straight state title, despite starting just two seniors. The Mustangs became the fourth county school to notch a ‘3-peat’, joining Oakland Mills (‘79-81, ‘98-00), Wilde Lake (‘81-84), and River Hill (‘97-99, ‘02-05). The ‘Stangs finished second in the county standings, behind fellow defending state champion, Reservoir.

The Mustangs topped Fallston, 1-0, in the state title game, on junior Nick Applegate’s goal. Applegate and fellow junior Phil Martinelli (10g, 10a) were named to the All-County 1st team, as was senior defenseman, Sean Corcoran. This was the 8th state title Coach Kevin Flynn was a part of, winning three in a row as a player for Wilde Lake in the early 80s, winning a pair co-coaching Centennial girls team with Dave Greenberg in the 90s, and third straight with the ‘Stangs.

‘04 Mt Hebron (12-2-1) Coach Mike Linsenmeyer >>> Regional Finalists, #5 in The Sun - The Vikings shared the county title with the eventual state champion River Hill Hawks, handing the 6-time champs their only loss of the season in their regular season matchup. It was the third time in six years the Vikes had won or shared the county title, the first three in the program’s history.

Aside from the eventual state champion Hawks, the Vikings also beat another Howard County state champ that season in Atholton. The Vikings had to meet River Hill a second time in the regional final, where they fell short, 2-1. Senior midfielder Eric Shadoff (10g, 8a) was selected to the All-Met 1st team, and fellow senior midfielder Rob Carper was named to the All-Met second team.

‘01 River Hill (12-1-1) Coach Bill Stara >>> County Champion, #1 in The Sun - The Hawks dominated regular season play, including going undefeated and untied in county play, and outscoring their 12 regular season opponents, 38-4. The only slight blemish on their regular season record was a tie to the Washington Posts’s #1 team, DeMatha, 1-1. Coach Bill Stara’s Hawks were looking for their fourth state title in five years, after winning three straight from ‘97-99, but being denied in 2000.

The Hawks faced unranked 9-5-1 Severna Park in their post-season opener, and were handed their first defeat of the season, in a stunning 2-1 loss to the Falcons. Despite their three state titles and four regional championships, this was the first time the Hawks has finished the regular season unbeaten.

‘02 Glenelg (14-3-0) Coach Peter Klisas >>> County Champion, #5 in The Sun - Glenelg won its first county championship in its program’s history, and set a program record in wins, with 14, before getting stunned by 8-9 Atholton in the regional semifinals, 1-0. The Gladiators has scored 47 goals to the Raiders 8, coming in. ‘Big Red’ had dominated the Raiders in their regular season matchup, 5-1.

The Gladiators finished ahead of two eventual state champions - River Hill and Oakland Mills, in the county race. The Glads handed River Hill a shocking 4-0 loss, with senior forward Josh Burford registering a ‘hat trick’. Burford (15g, 6a), a four year starter, was named the Howard County Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Met 1st team. Senior defenseman Brad Constantino, also a four year starter, was named to the All-Met second team.

‘00 Oakland Mills (13-4-2) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #3 in The Sun - The ‘00 Scorpions earned their second ‘3-peat’ in its program’s history, and its first under Coach Don Shea. This was the Scorpions 11th state title in 22 seasons, and seventh under Shea. The Scorpions also extended their playoff shutout streak to 10 games, dating back to their ‘99 playoff opener.

The Scorpions blanked Williamsport, 2-0, in the state final, as Brandon Hawkes, who was inserted as the starting goalie in the seventh game, recorded his 8th shutout in 13 starts. Coach Don Shea was selected as the Sun’s Coach of the Year. His son, Trevor, was named as an All-Met for a second time, after scoring 12 goals and dishing out 14 assists. Senior forward Kyle Farmer was also selected to the All-Met team for a second time, after he scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists.

‘04 Atholton (15-4-1) Coach Roch DeFrances >>> State Champions, #9 in The Sun - After starting the season 3-4-1, the Raiders went unbeaten in their last 13 games to win their second state championship (1990) in their program’s history. The Raiders losses came to fellow state champ River Hill, county co-champion Mt Hebron, Harford County power Fallston, and Montgomery County 4A power, Magruder. The Raiders and goalie Austin McAfee registered 11 shutouts in their last 13 games.

In the state final, the Raiders held Eastern Tech to a blank sheet, despite ‘Tech’ having scored 107 goals coming into the state championship. The Raiders outscored their six playoff opponents, 11-1. This was the 13th season that Howard County had two state champions, and the Raiders win gave the county 40 championships overall, tops in the state. Winston Jackson led the Raiders in goals scored, with 13. Senior midfielder, Scott DeFrances (6g, 5a), Coach Roch DeFrance’s son, was named to the All-Met 1st team.

‘77 Wilde Lake (12-2-0) Coach George Cronin >>> State Semifinalist - NR in The Sun Top 10 - The Wildecats took the first official county title, thanks to a win over Oakland Mills on penalty kicks. The Cats had to survive on a penalty kick shootout versus Edgewood, 5-3, to win the district title, after a scoreless 100 minutes of regulation and overtime play.

The Cats were blanked in the state semifinal by Sherwood, 4-0, after outlasting the Warriors on penalty kicks in the 1976 state final. The Cats only other loss in ‘77 was to #1 Calvert Hall. Sophomore Steve Brunett led the Cats with 17 goals, and was joined on the All-Met team by midfielder Glenn Cadenhead.

‘13 Marriotts Ridge (14-2-0) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> County Co-champions, #13 in The Sun - The Mustangs were in pursuit of an unprecedented fifth straight state championship, after finishing as county co-champions, with River Hill. The Mustangs had saw their 30 game win streak come to an end with their 3-2 overtime loss to River Hill in their regular season meeting.

In the regional semifinals versus Oakland Mills, Amir Najib’s header with less than a minute to go in regulation appeared to be the decider, before the Scorps struck back less than 30 seconds later to force overtime, then end the ‘Stangs hopes with a game-winner four minutes into the extra session. Najib was named Howard County Player of the Year, leading the county in points, with 52, and co-leading the county in goals scored, along with his teammate, Jeff Kammerer, with 21. Najib’s point total was the highest for any midfielder in the county since 1989, when Howard’s Todd Haskins tallied 62.

———-

These were the three state champions that fell short of either list - the top 50, or next 20. Tough crowd.

‘76 Wilde Lake (11-4-0) Coach Pepe Sandoval >>> State Champions, #9 in The Sun - The ‘76 Wildecats were the first of county’s 51 state champions on the pitch, as they needed a shootout win over Sherwood after 100 scoreless minutes of play. The Wildecats dominated the penalty round, 3-0, to give the Cats the state title, after a 8-4 regular season. Dan Beyers, freshman Steve Brunett, and Steve Byers, converted their penalty kicks for the Cats in the shootout round. Goalie Kirby Wharton had two saves in the round, and the Warriors missed three others.

In the state semifinal, the Wildecats topped Parkside, 2-1, as Dan Beyers scored both goals. The Cats beat Brooklyn Park for the District V title, with Dan Byers providing the game-winner. Dane Byers scored the team’s last six goals of the season, and finished with 19 scoring strikes. Byers was named to the Sun’s All-Met Honorable Mention team. The Byers brothers, Chris Sylvester, Bruce Trimble, and the freshman Brunett were all key Cats performers.

‘97 Glenelg (12-6-0) Coach Peter Klisas >>> State Champions, NR in The Sun - The Gladiators were one of three Howard County state champions in ‘97, after finishing the regular season at 8-6. This was the second time in MPSSAA history that a county won a trio of crowns in the same season, with Dundalk, Loch Raven, and Sparrows Point accomplishing the feat in 1974. Two years after Howard County boasted three champions, they did it again, in ‘99.

The Gladiators topped Hammond in the regional final, then Hereford in the state semifinal, before pulling out a 1-0 victory over St Michael’s in the state title game. Senior midfielder Brian Musgrave scored the game’s lone goal in the 14th minute when he followed up on a shot that hit the upper left post, then the right post, before putting in the decider. David Harris was the Gladiators star that season, scoring 11 goals in 13 games, missing five games due to injury. Senior keeper Justin Benoliel was key for the Gladiators in their playoff play, for a team that posted a 4-5 record in Howard County’s stiff league play.

‘12 Reservoir (13-6-0) Coach Reg Hahne >>> State Champions, NR in The Sun - The Gators won their second state championship in three years, topping previously unbeaten Urbana, 3-2, in overtime, in the state title game. After capturing the state title in 2010, notching a program’s best 15 wins, and winning their first county title in 2011, the Gators struggled through a 8-6 regular season before winning their second state championship. Coach Reg Hahne won his second state title (ATH ‘90) in his first season guiding the Gators.

The Gators pummeled Huntingtown, 5-1, in the state semifinal, before Emilio Rodas’ header off a corner kick in overtime gave the Gators the 3A crown. Senior midfielder Javier Wardcantori (5g, 3a) was named to the All-Met 1st team.
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#3 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 11 October 2020 - 08:16 PM

Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time - (#46-50)

50) 🟦🟧 ‘10 Reservoir (15-3-1) Coach Paul Linkins >>> State Champions, #3 in The Sun - In 2010, Howard County’s two state champions were the only two county schools less than a decade old - Marriotts Ridge, who won their second of their four straight state titles, and Reservoir, who won their first state championship in program history. The Gators finished fourth in the county standings, before Coach Paul Linkins side shocked the Sun’s then #1 and undefeated county champion Wilde Lake, 1-0, in the regional semifinal. Following that upset, the Gators then upended #3 River Hill, 2-1, on penalty kicks (3-2), in the regional final.

The Gators jumped out to a 7-0 record to start the season, before facing the meat of the county schedule, then going 4-3-1 down the stretch. The Gators edged the #1 Cats in the regionals, 1-0, with Resi’s Jake Coccio scoring the games lone goal. Then, the Gators knocked off the 8-time state champion Hawks, on penalty kicks. Howard County boys soccer was dominant that season, with fellow state champion Marriotts Ridge, who finished 18-1 and #2 in The Sun, and the Cats and Hawks, who entered the playoffs with 13-0-2, and 13-1-1 records, respectively. This quartet registered a combined 53-0-2 record, outside of themselves that season.

The Gators needed overtime to win the state title game over Northern of Calvert County, after s scoreless tie during regulation time. The game-winner came when Ryan Konstanzer’s throw-in found 6’4 Colin Bonner, who headed it to Coccio, whose carom found the corner of the net. Kostanzer, a four year starter, was named to the All-Met 1st team, as was the junior, Bonner, who finished with 12 goals and 7 assists, alternating between midfield and up top. The senior, Coccio, was the Gators leading scorer, in both goals and points, finishing with 13 goals and 10 assists. Senior forward Conner Hassett joined Coccio on the All-County 2nd team.

49) 🟩🟨 ‘97 Wilde Lake (13-2-2) Coach Dave Nesbitt >>> State Champions, #6 in The Sun - The Cats were one of three Howard County state champions in ‘97, joining River Hill and Glenelg. The Cats were playing in their third straight state title game, before winning their first state title since 1991. The Cats finished third in the county standings in the regular season, behind the eventual state champion Hawks, who they lost to in penalty time in their seasonal matchup, and a half game back of Centennial, who they had tied with in October. The Cats also had suffered a 2-0 loss to Hammond, pushing them behind the Eagles. The Cats did beat fellow state champ, Glenelg, in their lone meeting.

After years of having the county powerhouses condensed into two classifications, and limiting the amount of county titles that may have been won, 1997 was the first year the county featured three state champions in one season. The only other time that has happened to date, was two years later in ‘99, when a pair of one loss teams, River Hill and Oakland Mills ,won state championships, as did Mt Hebron, who had suffered two heartbreaking losses to the Hawks in the regional finals in the previous two seasons, but made three a charm when all three separated into three classifications.

The Cats put away LaPlata, 2-0, in the state championship game, headlined by a pair of freshman and a sophomore - freshmen Ian Rodway and Michael Dello-Russo, and sophomore Bobby Ratcliffe. Rodway opened the scoring on an assist from Dello-Russo, before Dello-Russo teamed up with Ratcliffe for an insurance goal. This was Coach Dave Nesbitt’s second state title, after leading the Cats to the trophy in ‘91, and his fourth state title game appearance in six years. In a addition to the youth movement, the Cats were ultimately led by 1st team All-Met senior defenseman Lars Berg, and his fellow senior backmate, Matt Shapiro, who was named to the All-Met second team. The three youngsters - Rodway, Dello- Russo (6g, 7a) and Ratcliffe (8g 4a), combined for 27 goals, with the former leading the team in goals scored, with 13.

48) ⬛️🟧 ‘83 Oakland Mills (12-2-0) Coach Al Goldstein >>> Regional Finalist, County co-Champions, #3 in The Sun - Arguably, the ‘83 Scorpions were the best Scorpions team to not win the state title, with the ‘78 team the only other side in the argument. In the Scorpions way was eventual state champion Centennial, who handed the ‘Orange & Black’ both of their losses. The Scorpions finished as #3 in the Sun’s final rankings, losing to the state champion Eagles in a shootout in the regional final, 7-6, after playing to a scoreless tie through 80 minutes of regulation, and another 20 minutes of two ten minute periods of overtime.

In the regular season, the Scorpions were scorched by Centennial, 6-1, the program’s worst loss since 1976. Other than that, the Scorpions played magnificent that season, which included a 2-1 win over eventual state champion Wilde Lake, 2-1, who won their third straight state title. The Scorpions beat Baltimore area powers Curley and Calvert Hall, as well as St Johns DC, 5-1. Outside of the pair of meetings with the Eagles, the Scorpions went 12-0, and outscored their opponents, 64-9. With the Eagles loss to Wilde Lake, the Scorpions were county co-champions with Centennial.

The Scorpions heartbreaking regional final loss to the Eagles looked promising several times in the overtime and shootout periods, with a penalty kick chance with 38 seconds left in double overtime, before getting batted away, then holding an early two shot advantage in the shootout, before losing 7-6 in the 11th round of penalty kicks. The Scorpions were led by a trio of All-State seniors, including Kevin Sloan, who led the county, with 22 goals, after setting the county record in goals scored in a game, with 6 versus Glenelg. Joining Sloan on the All-State team was midfielder Chris Weilminster, and goalie Chris Attridge.

47) 🟩🟨 ‘91 Wilde Lake (13-2-1) Coach Dave Nesbitt >>> State Champions, #3 in The Sun - The Wildecats won their sixth state championship, and their first since winning four straight from ‘81 through ‘84. The Cats, who finished in second place to Centennial in county play, survived a double overtime thriller in the regional final, and a penalty kick shootout in the state semifinals, before crushing previously unbeaten Clear Spring, 4-1, in the state championship game.

The Cats first edged Brunswick in the regional final, 3-2, when Coach Nesbitt’s son Matt scored two minutes into the second extra session. In the state semifinal, the Cats were forced to a shootout by Fallston, before taking those rounds, 7-5. Cats keeper Todd Bradford notched three saves in the penalty round. The Cats had handed the Cougars a 2-0 loss in the regular season. In the state final, both Hamisi Amani-Dove and Nesbitt each scored two goals. The Wildecats tied unbeaten and fellow state champion Centennial, 1-1, in their regular season clash.

Amani-Dove, the senior forward and the county’s leading goal scorer, with 18, and Nesbitt, the senior midfielder, were both named to the All-Met 1st team. The pair finished number one and two in the county in points, as Amani-Dove (46 points) added 10 assists, and Nesbitt (15g, 15a, 45 points) became just the fourth county player to score 15 goals and add 15 assists in the same season, joining former Centennial Eagle, Reid Storch, former Scorpion Junior Armstrong, and Hammond’s Dan Stephens. The two Cats were named HoCo’s co-Players of the Year. Bradford earned Honorable Mention All-Met honors, and juniors Mike Abello and Corey Sautter were named to the All-County second team.

46) 🟦🟨 ‘02 River Hill (16-2-1) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - The Hawks won their fourth state championship in six years, and Coach Bill Stara earned his 11th career state title, when Mo Hamzeh the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Dulaney in the title game. Hamzeh’s strike came on a 25 yard direct kick with 7:19 remaining in regulation play. The Hawks won each of their last four games by one goal.

The Hawks finished second in county play to Glenelg, who won their first county title. The Hawks lost to Glenelg, 4-0, state champion Oakland Mills, 2-0, and tied Centennial, 0-0. The Hawks trounced Annapolis in the opening round of the playoffs, 6-0, before needing overtime to put away the Eagles, 4-3, in the regional semifinal. The Hawks then held off Mt Hebron, 1-0, beating the Vikings for the fourth time in six years in the regional championship round. In the state semifinal, the Hawks slipped by Liberty, 2-1, sending them to their 5th state title game in the first seven years in the program’s history.

Hamzeh was named to the All-Met 1st team, after leading the county in goals scored, with 18, and points, with 45. Senior midfielder Justin Holmes joined his teammate on the All-Met 1st team, as he led the county in assists, with 14, and scored 10 goals. The defense was led by Jonathan Csanady and Brian Walter, who both were selected to the All-County 1st team. Midfielders David Adams and Mike Stomberg were named to the All-County second team.

45) 🟩🟨 ‘81 Wilde Lake (13-2-1) Coach Jack Thomas >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - After standing in Oakland Mills shadow in both the county and region for three years, the Cats joined their arch rivals and two-time defending state champions in winning a state title in ‘81. Dropping to the Class C classification, the Cats avoided the Scorpions in the regionals, who won the Class B title, and had blanked the Cats, 3-0, in their annual showdown. This would be the first of a state-record four straight championships for the Wildecats.

The Cats survived a season-ending ankle injury to their leading scorer, sophomore Dan Villasenor (10 goals in 11 games), largely behind the play of junior Danny Carr, who moved up to the forward position and responded by scoring the lone goal in the state title game, when the Cats edged two-time defending champ Middletown, 1-0. Aside from their loss to the Scorpions, their only other loss was to MSA champion Calvert Hall. The Cats posted a win over #9 Centennial in their regular season tilt.

Coach Jack Thomas’ Cats were a young squad, but were led by their lone senior starter, defenseman John Brill, who was named to the All-Met 1st team. Carr would go on to win the Sun’s Player of the Year award a year later, while freshmen Todd Trimble and Jon Eisner both started for the state champions, and Trimble would be the Baltimore area’s Player of the Year in ‘84. Coach Thomas was named as the Coach of the Year by The Sun. Coach Thomas’ father once coached Towson High to 14 Baltimore County titles in lacrosse, and his uncle, Mike, coached Calvert Hall to three MSA ‘A’ titles in lacrosse, as well.

44) ⬛️🟨 ‘99 Mt Hebron (16-3-0) Coach Jeff Doolan >>> 2A State Champions, #4 in The Sun - After two years of falling short of eventual state champion River Hill in the regional title game, the Vikings won their first state championship in the program’s history, when the Hawks moved to 3A in ‘99. The Vikings were one of three Howard County state champions in ‘99, along with the Hawks and Oakland Mills. This was the second time in three years the county produced three state champions.

The Vikings played JM Bennett to a scoreless tie through the first 70 minutes of the title game, before the county’s leading scorer, David Lechtrecker, headed in a pass from Matt White that proved to be the game-winner in the 71st. Junior keeper Greg Peters registered his 13th shutout of the season. Two of the three Vikings losses were to state champions, River Hill and Oakland Mills.

Lechtrecker was named Howard County Player of the Year, scoring 26 goals and adding 9 assists, setting program records in goals scored and points (61). Lechtrecker’s goals mark were the fifth most in a season in county history, and currently ranks as the 6th best all-time. White (9g, 12a), a junior midfielder, was also named to the All-Met 1st team, as was senior defender, Christian Chacon. Peters was named to the All-County team. Coach Jeff Doolan, in his first season, had just led the Vikings boys lacrosse team to a state title in the spring.

43) ⬛️🟧 ‘78 Oakland Mills (13-2-1) Coach Al Goldstein >>> State Finalist, County Champions, #6 in The Sun - The ‘78 Scorpions, in their first season under Coach Al Goldstein, advanced to the state title game, before losing, 2-0, to Kennedy. The Scorpions featured Darryl Gee, who was arguably then, the best soccer player in the country in his class. The Scorpions ran through the county undefeated, which included a 2-0 win over crosstown rival Wilde Lake, who were defending regional champions.

The Scorpions thumped Brooklyn Park, 4-1, in the district title game, with Gee finding the net twice, and sophomore John McIntyre and Mark Braune each adding a goal. The Scorps then went on to top three-time state champion Sparrows Point, 3-1, in the state quarterfinals, with Gee adding a goal and an assist. In the state semifinal, the Scorpions pulled out a 2-1 win over Elkton and Coach Don Shea, who would later win 8 state championships with the Scorpions, and remains the current coach at Oakland Mills, in his second stint on Kilimanjaro.

Gee, a junior, was the first Howard County player to be named to the Baltimore Sun’s All-Met 1st team, and was the first of the nearly fifty Scorpions to be named to the All-State team. Gee led the Baltimore area in both goals scored and points, with 27 and 66, respectively. Sophomore fullback Tom Farron was named Honorable Mention All-Met team, while McIntyre, Braune, and junior keeper Ken Bernstein, joined Gee and Farron on the All-County 1st team.

42) 🟩🟨 ‘83 Wilde Lake (13-2-1) Coach Jack Thomas >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - The Wildecats won their third straight state championship, yet finished in third place in county play, a half game back of co-champions, Centennial and Oakland Mills. The Cats were the only team to beat the Sun’s #1 team, Centennial, who also won a state championship, 2-1, in overtime. The Cats lost to Oakland Mills, 2-1, and tied Hammond.

The Wildecats handled North Dorchester in the state title game, 4-0, while putting 27 shots on goal. In the upset win over Centennial, junior Todd Trimble scored five minutes into the first extra session, his second goal of the game. The Cats lost the high scoring Dan Villasenor (torn knee ligaments) for the second time in three years, but like ‘81, pulled together to win a state title.

Juniors Trimble (15g, 7a) and Jon Eisner, both three year starters, were named to All-Met 1st teams - Trimble in The Sun, and Eisner in The Evening Sun. Kevin Flynn was named to the All-County team. Seniors Kevin Flynn, Ian Hunter, and Villasenor played on all three of the state championship teams in ‘81, ‘82, and ‘83, as did their star juniors, Trimble and Eisner.

41) 🟦⬜️ ‘08 Marriotts Ridge (16-1-2) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> State Semifinalist, County Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Mustangs won their first regional championship in just the program’s third year, before falling to undefeated JM Bennett, 1-0, in the state semifinal. The Clippers outscored their opponents, 73-11, in ‘08. The Mustangs won all three meetings with 7-time state champion River Hill that season, including in the regular season, the county championship, and the regional championship.

The ‘Stangs not only beat the Hawks three times, but did so somewhat handily, winning 3-1, 4-1, and 4-0, the latter in the regional title game, with Phil Martinelli scoring two goals. The Mustangs only allowed 10 goals in 19 games.

Coach Kevin Flynn, who won three straight state titles as a player with Wilde Lake in the 80s, was named Howard County Coach of the Year, while Martinelli was named the county’s Player of the Year. Martinelli (15g, 11a) was also named to the All-Met 1st team. Sophomore Patrick Sullivan was named to the All-Met 2nd team. Junior defenseman Nick Koutrelakos and senior keeper Paul Killian joined the aforementioned pair on the All-County 1st team.
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#4 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 11 October 2020 - 08:18 PM

Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time - (#31-40)

40) 🟦🟨 ‘05 River Hill (15-1-2) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #6 in The Sun - The Hawks won their 7th state title in nine years under Coach Bill Stara, sharing the title with Towson, after tying the Generals in the title game, 1-1. This would be Stara’s final season, putting an exclamation mark on an unparalleled 25 year career, closing out with four straight state titles. In the end, Stara finished with a state-record 14 state championships, including seven in 15 years at Centennial, and seven in his ten years with the Hawks.

The Hawks came away with just a draw with the Generals in the title game, despite getting 21 shots off, to the Generals 7, and possessing the ball for 74 of the game’s 100 minutes.

Stara’s son, Matt, tied Matt Kern’s county mark set in ‘83 at Centennial, with 24 assists, and was named to the All-State 1st team. Senior midfielder Tyler Meade (11g, 5a), who was credited with seven game-winning goals, was named to the All-State second team, and All-Met 1st team.Goalkeeper Matt Moss was named to the All-Met second team.

39) 🟥🟦 ‘85 Centennial (12-2-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> Regional Finalist, #2 in The Sun - The Eagles dominated everyone not named Oakland Mills in ‘85. Unfortunately, Oakland Mills awaited in their annual regional championship matchup, and Scorpions pulled out a sudden-death shootout victory, ending the Eagles hopes for a third straight state title. The Eagles had beaten the Scorpions in three straight regional championship games, including two straight in the shootout round, after battling to a draw through 100 minutes of play.

The ‘85 Eagles raced out to a 7-0 record, having outscored opponents, 34-1, before a 1-0 loss to the Scorpions in their first meeting, in league play. In their fourth regional title game matchup in four years, the three-time defending champion Eagles held a 5-2 edge in the penalty kick round, before the Scorps came back to tie, then win in the sudden-death 12th round of kicks.

Goalkeeper Larry Valentine, a two-time All-Met, was named the Baltimore Sun’s Player of the Year, after recording 10 shutouts in 14 games. Valentine was joined on the All-Met team by senior halfback Newman Yang, who had beaten the Scorpions the year before with his sudden-death penalty kick. Senior David Townsend led the Eagles in goals scored, with 12.

38) ⬛️🟧 ‘98 Oakland Mills (17-2-0) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #5 in The Sun - The Scorpions notched their state-record 9th state championship, overturning a 1-0 halftime deficit to Williamsport in the state title game into a 4-1 rout after scoring four unanswered goals following intermission. The Scorpions two losses came to fellow state champion River Hill, and to county champion Mt Hebron, a humiliating 6-0 defeat. The Vikings were the only team to beat River Hill in ‘98.

The Scorpions survived Poolesville in the regional final, winning a sudden-death shootout, 11-10. After blanking Crisfield, 3-0, in the state semifinal, with Jeremy Catlin and Steve Blakley each recording a goal and an assist. It was sophomore Trevor Shea, the coach’s son, who led the Scorps second half attack in the title game, scoring a pair of goals, both on assists from fellow sophomore Kyle Farmer.

Coach Don Shea was named as the Sun’s Coach of the Year, while Trevor (9h, 7a) was named to All-Met second team. Catlin (18g, 7a) led the county in scoring, with 43 points, and joined Shea on the All-County 1st team. Farmer and a quartet of juniors - midfielders Blakely and Brian Grund, defenseman Glenn Hayman, and goalkeeper Chris Eberling.

37) ⬛️🟨 ‘98 Mt Hebron (14-2-1) Coach Scott Conroy >>> Regional Finalist, County Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Vikings knocked off two state champions - River Hill and Oakland Mills, but lost to the Hawks in the regional final for the second year in a row, 3-1. The Vikings won their first county title in the program’s history.

The Vikings clinched the county crown with a 2-1 win over the Hawks, ending their 19 game win streak. The Vikings also posted the largest margin of victory in county history over a state champion, when they trounced the Scorpions, 6-0. Max Markotic scored two goals and added an assist in the rout.

Senior Paul Lindahl (8g, 7a) was named to the All-State 1st team, as was four year starting midfielder Matt Madura. Sophomore goalie Greg Peters was named to the All-State second team, after recording nine shutouts in his 12 games. The Vikings also boasted three other All-County players in Markotic, junior and three year starter David Lechtrecker, and sophomore Matt Smith (7g, 5a), both midfielders.

36) 🟥🟦 ‘93 Centennial (13-2-1) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Finalist, County Champions, #1 in The Sun - The Eagles went unbeaten to everyone not named Whitman in ‘93, losing twice to the Vikings, and going 13-0-1 versus everyone else. The Eagles went 7-0 in league play, and a 2-2 tie with CM Wright was the only other slight blemish, outside of the two losses against the Washington Post’s #2 team. Outside of the Vikes, the Eagles outscored their opponents, 49-6, including the 2-2 tie. The Eagles started three freshman and four sophomores.

Sophomore forward Brian West (15g, 7a) was named to the All-State team, and was named as the Howard County Player of the Year. Stepping in for Brock Yetso (suspended) for the second time in two years, senior goalie Dan Christie produced eight shutouts in his 13 starts, and was named to the All-State team. Christie allowed just five goals in 13 matches. Senior midfielder Morgan Kershner (11g, 16a), who scored two goals and added an assist in the state semifinal win over Thomas Stone, was named to the All-County team, as were freshman twins, Ben and Matt Stephenson (11g, 3a). Ben was a big reason why the Eagles allowed just 9 goals all season.

After winning their third straight county title, and sixth in 11 years, the Eagles knocked off JM Bennett, 2-0, in the regional final, then SMAC power Thomas Stone in the state semis, before their second showdown with the then three time champion (now 11, 2nd best in the MPSSAA to OM, all-time) Vikings. In the first meeting, the Eagles saw their 36 game unbeaten streak end with the 2-1 double overtime loss. The Eagles were hampered this year by losing three starters due to disciplinary action. The 1-0 loss to the Vikings in the state title game broke a 14 year run of Howard County having at least one team win a boys soccer state championship. Still, the Eagles finished #1 in the Baltimore Sun’s final rankings.

35) 🟦🟨 ‘18 River Hill (16-1-1) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Finalist, County Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Hawks bid for a 10th state championships fell short, losing to Oakdale in a shootout in the state final. The Hawks went into the state final undefeated, and were county champs with a 10-0-1 record in county play. The ‘18 Hawks outscored opponents, 62-9.

The Hawks edged Southen AA, 2-1, in the regional final, for their 14th regional title in the program’s 23 years. In the state semifinal, the Hawks blanked Hereford, 3-0, placing them in their 12th state title game. Senior midfielder Justin Harris’ cross found the net just three minutes into the second half to even the game at 1, where it stood through the second half and two overtime periods. The Bears stopper came up with two saves on the first five kick round, and a Bulls conversion in the fifth round was the game-winner.

Harris (14g, 10a) was selected as the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer Player of the Year, as well as the Howard County Player of the Year. Junior forward Alex Krause (15g, 9a) was named along with Harris to the Sun’s All-Met 1st team, while senior goalie Patrick Sherlock, who only allowed seven goals all season, and produced 12 blank sheets, was named to the All-State team for a second time. Krause was the county’s leading goal scorer. Senior defenseman Julian Elguera was named to the All-State second team.

34) 🟦🟨 ‘04 River Hill (15-1-1) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - The Hawks won their sixth state championship in eight years, after one goal wins in the state championship, state semifinal, and regional championship, giving Coach Bill Stara his 13th state title overall, including seven at Centennial. This was the seventh state final appearance for the Hawks in their nine year history, and sixth straight win in the game. The Hawks became the first team in MPSSAA history to win three straight 3A state titles.

The Hawks beat Mt Hebron, 2-1, in the regional final, for the fifth time in eight years. In the state semifinal, the Hawks edged 18-0 Fallston, 1-0, on Justin White’s corner kick goal with 8:30 to play in the first half. Keeper Matt Moss came up with seven saves. In the state final, the Hawks held on to a 2-1 win over Severna Park, despite losing Moss with 24 minutes remaining. Backup sophomore goalie Brandon Mumby was instrumental, stopping a penalty kick with just over three minutes remaining in regulation time. The Hawks thrashed fellow state champion Atholton, 4-0, in the regular season, and added another quality win over Hebron, and suffered its only loss of the season to Hammond.

Senior sweeper Antonio Almario was named the Howard County Player of the Year by the Washington Post, leading a defense that allowed just ten goals in 17 games, and Coach Stara’s son, Matt, joined Almario on the Sun’s All-Met 1st team, after leading the county in assists, with 20. Senior forwards Theo Byrd (5g, 10a), Eric Finney (7g), and Jeremy Smith (5g, 3a) we’re named to the All-County team.

33) ⬛️🟧 ‘94 Oakland Mills (15-2-0) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Scorpions won their 8th state championship in 16 years, after surviving previously undefeated Middletown (15-0-1) in sudden-death overtime in the state final. This Coach Don Shea’s fourth (fifth overall) State title in nine years with the Scorpions. The championship victory gave the Scorpions more state titles than any other program, separating from Bowie, who had seven.

The Scorps finished second in county play, behind unbeaten and fellow state champion Centennial, after losing 1-0 to the Eagles. The other Scorpions loss was to Loyola. After two consecutive post-season losses to Glenelg, the Scorps avenged those with a 1-0 victory over the Gladiators in the regional final. Simon Bwayla’s (8g, 4a) header came off a Zuri Barnes throw-in. In the state semifinal, the Scorps beat previously unbeaten and the Sun’s #4 team, North Harford, 1-0, on Jason Gotis’ flip throw-in from 35 yards to Mike Jenkins, who found the net.

In the state final, the Scorps outlasted undefeated defending champion, Middletown, 2-1, in double overtime, when Kevin Gardner scored his first goal of the season with 1:22 left in the second extra session, on an assist from the junior, Barnes (6g, 9a). Coach Shea was named the Baltimore Sun Coach of the Year. Senior goalie Kyle Stephens allowed just three goals in ten games.

32) 🟥🟦 ‘84 Centennial (14-2-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - The Eagles won their second state championship, their first two in the program’s history. The Eagles survived a double overtime thriller in the state title game, and a penalty kick shootout in the regional final, to capture their second crown. The Eagles finished second in the league standings, a game back of undefeated and fellow state champion, Wilde Lake, who they lost to in their annual meeting, 3-0.

The Eagles held off Oakland Mills in their regular season battle, 1-0, with Newman Yang’s header providing the game’s lone goal. The regional final with the Scorps went scoreless for 100 minutes, forcing a shootout. Eleven penalty kicks weren’t enough to decide it, but Newman Yang’s boot in the 12th was, keeping the Eagles ‘back-to back’ hopes alive. The state championship game with Woodward went scoreless for 91 minutes until David Townsend’s corner kick caromed off the goalie’s punch into the net for the game winner.

Senior midfielder Chris Cantore (6g, 7a) was selected to the Sun’s All-Met 1st team, while Yang and junior keeper Larry Valentine were selected to the second team. Kevin Thomas was a All-County selection. Coach Bill Stara was named the Baltimore Sun Coach of the Year.

31) 🟦🟨 ‘03 River Hill (16-1-1) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County co-Champions, #1 in The Sun - The Hawks had to settle for a share of the state title with Towson in ‘03, after an extra twenty minutes of overtime couldn’t break a 1-1 tie. The share was good enough to give the Hawks their fifth state title in seven years, and sixth title game appearance in eight years. The Hawks also had to share the county title with Oakland Mills, as both finished 9-1 in county play. The Hawks allowed just six goals against them all season.

The Hawks suffered their only loss of the season to Oakland Mills, with whom they shared the county title with. The Hawks got past Wilde Lake, 1-0, in the regional final, before exploding for five goals after intermission in the state semifinal 6-0 win over Westlake. In the state championship, the Hawks own goal gave the Generals a 1-0 lead, before Theo Byrd struck a set piece corner to tie it op in the 28th minute. The own goal was the only goal the Hawks gave up in the playoffs.

Stara was named the Baltimore Sun’s Coach of the Year, while boasting a team with ten Olympic Development players. Senior midfielders David Adams (16g, 13a) and Brian Chun (7g, 7a) were named to the All-Met 1st team, with Adams finishing second in the county in points, with 42. Junior forward Jeremy Smith (12g, 9a) was named to the All-Met second team. Joining the aforementioned trio on the All-County were Byrd (8g, 9a) and junior sweeper Antonio Almario.
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#5 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 11 October 2020 - 08:20 PM

Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time - (#21-30)

30) 🟦🟥 ‘90 Howard (11-1-1) Coach Rudy Storch >>> Regional Finalist, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - A year going unbeaten and winning the first state championship in their program history, the Lions thrived despite the loss of All-American Todd Haskins to graduation, as they headed into the post-season unbeaten, at 11-0-1. The Lions posted three top 5 wins, including a 3-2 win over then #1 Oakland Mills, before 2,500 in attendance at Howard High. In addition to the Scorpions win, the Lions beat MSA champ Calvert Hall, 2-1, and notched a 1-0 win over eventual state champion Atholton.

The Lions trailed 2-1 in the second half to the Scorpions in their sold out league meeting, before the Lions scored two unanswered goals, the second when Steve Sietsma drilled a 17 yarder off the deflection that found the net and proved to be the game-winner. The Lions ran their unbeaten streak to 28 games as they headed for a rare top 5 regional semifinal matchup. Arguably, these were the two best teams in the entire Baltimore region, playing in the first round of the playoffs. It lived up to its billing, but the Scorpions Malcolm Gillian shot in the sixth minute of sudden-death overtime ended the Lions hopes of defending their title.

Coach Rudy Storch’s squad placed three players on the All-Met 1st team - the All-Star senior midfielder Sietsma (3g, 8a), senior forward Josh Smith (9g, 3a), and senior sweeper Jon Armstrong. Chris Smith aided the back end, while Erin Reid led the Lions in goals scored, with 10.

29) 🟥🟦 ‘86 Centennial (13-1-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> Regional Finalist, County Champions, #3 in The Sun - This ‘86 Eagles had done what no other Howard County team has ever done, posting 12 blank sheets in 12 regular season games. The Eagles outscored their regular season opponents, 45-0. They looked to be on their way to their third state title in four years, but they knew Oakland Mills stood in their way, just as they had in four of the previous five post-seasons.

In their league battle with the Scorpions, the Eagles took a 2-1 overtime thriller to snap the Scorps 22 game unbeaten streak, thanks to a Mike Rotsel header in the 92nd minute. In addition to the Scorpions win, the Lions posted three other top 15 wins, over #7 Hammond (twice), #10 Wilde Lake, and #15 Mt St Joe. The Eagles got past Hammond, 2-1, in the regional semifinal, setting up the showdown with the Scorpions. After giving up their first goal in 13 games in the regional semi versus the Bears, the Scorps unleashed three goals on the Eagles before intermission, that led to a lopsided 4-1 victory.

Goalie Larry Valentine was named to the All-State team for a second year in a row, and was named the Baltimore Sun Player of the Year, after posting 12 shutouts, and allowing just 5 goals in 14 games. Halfback Newman Yang joined Valentine on the All-State team. Rotsel and Joe Talbot controlled the back end, while Dave Townsend led the Eagles in goals scored, with 12.

28) ⬛️🟧 ‘86 Oakland Mills (13-2-1) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - Coach Don Shea came over to Kilimanjaro after finding success in Elkton, but even he knew he was filling big boots when Coach Al Goldstein retired, but not before winning his fourth state championship in seven years. Goldstein went 105-10-5 in his eight seasons at Oakland Mills. Shea, who won a state championship with the Elks, did see his team lose to the Scorpions twice in the post-season, and embraced the tradition Goldstein built.

The Scorpions struggled early along with their new coach, losing to Wilde Lake, 2-1, and Centennial, 1-0, in overtime. The Scorpions had to overcome the loss of captain Lew Baker, and they did so in fine fashion. First, the Scorpions dominated Centennial in the regional final before 2,000 fans at Howard High, scoring three first half goals in a 4-1 win over the state’s #1 team, who had allowed just one goal in 13 games. The Scorpions scored three in the first 31 minutes of the game. The Scorps beat Bel Air, 3-1, in the state semifinal, their second win over the Bearcats that season. That set up a meeting with Woodward, who were playing in their seventh state title game. The two fought to a scoreless tie through 100 minutes, and the two powerhouses shared the title.

Junior Armstrong was named to the All-Met and All-State 1st teams, after scoring 17 goals and adding 15 assists, leading the county in scoring with 49 points. Midfielder Scott Southall joined Armstrong on the All-Met team and All-State teams. Junior striker Dante Washington and senior defender Monte Haynes joined Southall on the All-Met second team. Midfielder Mark Ranelmeir and sophomore goalie Brian Boussy also received post-season honors.

27) 🟩🟨 ‘79 Wilde Lake (11-1-0) Coach George Cronin >>> Regional Finalist, County Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Wildecats carried the area’s #1 ranking throughout the season, which included a shootout victory over their arch rival, Oakland Mills, who outscored the Scorps 4-3, in the five rounds of penalty kicks, after battling to a scoreless tie over 100 minutes. The two Columbia schools were fast becoming two of the top programs in the state, with the Cats winning a state championship in ‘76; and regional title a year later, while the Scorpions won a state title a year after that. The Cats had outscored their first 11 opponents, 51-8.

In addition to the Scorps win, the Cats beat MSA powers, Mt St Joe and Calvert Hall, both who finished among the top six teams in the Baltimore area. The win over the Cardinals was their first over the Baltimore power in its program’s history. This was the first time Howard County sent a pair of teams to the post-season, and the Cats and Scorpions would meet again, in the regional final. The Cats raced out to a 2-0 lead, on a pair of Tim Friend penalty kicks, before seeing their nemesis score three unanswered goals, which was enough to end the Cats season, handing the #1 ranking to the Scorpions. Senior sweeper Greg Marinich and senior Steve Brunett (17g) were named to the All-Met 1st team, while junior defender Bob Byers was named to the All-Met second team.

26) 🟦⬜️ ‘09 Marriotts Ridge (18-2-0) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - A year after winning their first county and regional championships, the Mustangs won the first of what would be four straight state titles, overcoming a 2-2 start to win its final 16 games, while successfully defending their county and regional titles. To do that, the ‘Stangs had to dismantle River Hill, who had won eight state titles in the program’s first twelve years. And that they did.

In ‘08, the Mustangs swept a three game series with the defending state champions - winning the regular season matchup, winning the newly formed county championship over the Hawks, before putting away them away, 4-0, in the regional championship game. In ‘09, the Mustangs continued their dominance of River Hill, beating the then #1 Hawks, 4-0, again in the regional title game. Josh Stover scores twice, and the Mustangs produced their sixth straight shutout. The ‘Stangs went on to top #5 Severna Park, 2-1, in the District V championship, and took out Century in the state semifinal, before pulling out a victory in overtime when Kwadwo Owusu-Boiatay’s header off of Kyle Mercer’s corner kick with 6:07 in the extra session clinched the program’s first state championship in its fourth year.

Junior midfielder Patrick Sullivan (8g, 7a) was named as the Howard County Player of the Year, as well as to All-Met 1st team. Senior forward Kareem Najib was named to the All-Met second team. Coach Kevin Flynn won three straight state titles as a player with Wilde Lake in the 80s, and back-to-back state titles at Centennial in girls soccer in ‘94 and ‘95, co-coaching with Dave Greenberg.

25) 🟥🟦 ‘96 Centennial (14-1-0) Coach Rob Martin >>> State Finalist, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - The Eagles were undefeated regional champions, one step away from their sixth straight state championship appearance, and two wins away from their fifth state title in six years. The Eagles came into their showdown with Thomas Stone ranked #3 in the nation, and left with their first loss since 1993, in a heartbreaking shootout loss.

Coach Rob Martin was in his first season on Centennial Lane, and the Eagles picked up where they left off when Coach Bill Stara moved over to River Hill. The Eagles won their sixth straight county championship, topping Mt Hebron, 3-2, in overtime to clinch the county title, then needed overtime again to put away the Vikings in the regional final, 2-1. In the state final, the Eagles were locked in a 1-1 tie through 100 minutes, before falling short in the penalty kick round, 7-5. A year before, the Cougars had lost to the Eagles in the same round, the state semifinals, by the same way, in a shootout, 8-5. The loss snapped the Eagles 45 game unbeaten streak. The Eagles boasted six top 10 wins in ‘96, and allowed just six goals all season.

Senior forward Matt Stephenson (19g, 10a) was named the Howard County Player of the Year, and was named to the All-County team for a fourth time, and to the All-State 1st team for a second time. Matt’s twin Ben, was named to the All-Met 1st team for a third time, and to the All-County team for a fourth time. The Stephenson’s went 59-3-3 as four year starters, falling just short of three straight state titles. Joining the Stephenson’s on the All-Met 1st team were US U17 National Team player senior midfielder, Matt Laycock (10g, 12a), fellow midfielder Brian Otten, and keeper Christian Lewis, who posted 11 blank sheets.

24) ⬛️🟧 ‘90 Oakland Mills (14-2-0) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #1 in The Sun - The Scorpions won their seventh state championship in 12 years, and their third in five year under Coach Don Shea. Though shaken from three starters being suspended early in the season, the Scorpions rebounded to win their final ten games, including one over their biggest nemesis, and another over defending state champion and then #1 Howard. Like virtually every other season, the Scorpions hard work was behind them once they reached the state semifinal round, and this year was no different, as the juggernaut in white, orange and black, outscored South River and Franklin, 10-0, in the state semifinal and final, respectively.

After losing to Howard, 3-2, in the regular season, the Scorpions responded in their second meeting with the Lions, in the regional semifinal, outlasting the defending state champions, 1-0, in overtime. Malcolm Gillian, who spurred on the season-finishing 10 game win streak when he was switched to the forward position from the midfielder position, hit the game-winner in the 6th minute of sudden-death overtime. The Scorpions then went on to play Centennial in the regional final for the eighth time in nine years, and it was Gillian who came through again, scoring the game’s lone goal, in the 11th minute, and the Scorps edged past the Eagles. The boys from Kilimanjaro stomped South River in the state semifinal, 4-0, with Gillian scoring all four goals. The Scorps then crushed Franklin in the state final, 6-0, scoring four goals in the final 18 minutes in the first half. Gillian registered a ‘hat trick’ and a pair of assists in the rout.

Gillian, who scored 18 goals in the final 10 games, including nine in four post-season games, after being moved to the forward position, was named as the Sun’s Baltimore area Player of the Year. Sean Peay (11g, 9a), Gillian’s All-America teammate, was named the Evening Sun’s Baltimore area Player of the Year. Senior fullback Sean Wray joined Gillian and Peay on the All-Met 1st team. Senior defender Ryan Burke and senior goalie Tony Richmond were named to the All-Met Honorable Mention team, as was junior forward Lapaka Trout.

23) ⬛️🟨 ‘00 Mt Hebron (17-1-1) Coach Jeff Doolan >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in The Sun - After losing their season opener, 2-1, to Decatur, where they controlled possession for 60 of the 80 minutes, the Vikings went unbeaten in their final 18 games. The Vikings won the county title for the second time in three years, going 8-0-1 in league play, with the tie coming to fellow state champ, Oakland Mills. The Vikings defended their first state championship in the program’s history won the year before, with a comeback 2-1 victory over Parkside in the state title game.

After going unbeaten in league play, and getting through the regionals, the Vikings shutout Catonsville, 3-0, in the state semifinal, with keeper Greg Peters recording his eighth shutout of the season, and his 30th of his high school career. In the state final, after the Vikes Matt White headed in an own goal, the All-Met midfielder set up the game-tying goal just 35 seconds later, when White’s shot caromed back to Mike Glancey, and he followed with the equalizer. Then, in the 55th minute, White’s shot ricocheted off of the Parkside goalie, before sophomore Billy Cooke put his head on what would turn out to be the game-winner.

White (19g, 10a), an Olympic Development Player, was named the Howard County Player of the Year, leading the county in both goals scored and points, with 19 and 48, respectively. White was joined on the All-Met 1st team by teammates Peters and senior sweeper Jeff Wunk (6g, 12a). Glancey (16g, 6a), sophomore midfielder Brian Sweich (11a), and senior defender Max Markotic, all joined the aforementioned trio on the All-County 1st team. These Vikings set a program record with 17 wins.

22) 🟥🟦 ‘91 Centennial (14-0-2) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in MD - The Eagles and Coach Bill Stara won their fourth state championship in eight years, toppling 14-0-1 Thomas Stone, 2-1, in the state championship game. The Eagles won the county title, going 5-0-2, with ties to fellow state champ Wilde Lake, and defending state champ Atholton. The Eagles survived a pair of scares in the regional playoffs, but prevailed in the end. The Eagles beat four teams in the Sun’s top 10 final rankings - #2 Calvert Hall, #3 Wilde Lake, #9 Atholton, and #10 Mt St Joe, and two in the Post’s top 5 - #4 Stone, and #5 Whitman.

In the regional semifinals, the Eagles withstood Oakland Mills, 4-3, before going to a shootout with the defending champ Raiders, after dueling to a 3-3 draw in 100 minutes of action. The Eagles edged the Raiders, 9-8, in the shootout. The Eagles dominated Franklin in the state semifinal, 4-0, before facing the Cougars in the final, a side that had outscored their opponents, 67-8, through 15 games. Down 1-0, the Eagles capitalized on a set piece, when Tod Downen headed in 35 yard free kick, then did again when Eric Tischer hit the game-winner on a corner kick with 27 minutes to play. Thomas Stone Head Coach Tom Parker had coached Stara on a U-19 team in Pittsburgh, years earlier.

Stara was named the Sun’s Co-Coach of the Year. Senior forward Josh Baer (18g, 8a), Downen (10g, 10a), and senior defender Cullen Meade, were all selected to the All-Met 1st team. Tischer, a midfielder, and freshman keeper, Brock Yetso, were named to the All-Met Honorable Mention team. In a 2-1 early season win over MSA power Calvert Hall, the freshman made 13 saves, 11 in the second half.

21) ⬛️🟨 ‘06 Mt Hebron (17-0-3) Coach Mike Linsenmeyer >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - The Vikings won their third state title in the program’s history, punctuated with a 2-1 win over North Carroll in the state championship game. After winning their third county championship in seven years, the Vikes beat both of the ‘05 2A co-champions, River Hill and Towson, in the post-season. The ‘06 Vikings are the only unbeaten team the program has ever had.

After getting past the 7-time champion Hawks, the Vikings outlasted Fallston, 2-1, in the regional final, in double overtime. Matt Schmauder hit the game-winner midway through the second overtime. After getting past Towson, the Vikes fell behind, 1-0, four minutes into the state title game. Zach Barnett nailed the equalizer, before Mike Napolitano kicked the game-winner in with 3:24 to play. Vikings goalie Brad Carper recorded 17 saves in the state title game. Napolitano scored six goals and added four assists in five playoff games.

Napolitano (25g, 11a) was named as the Howard County Player of the Year, as well as to the All-State 1st team. Napolitano became just the seventh player in county history to score 25 goals in a season, and just the seventh to register at least 60 points. Barnett, the senior defenseman, joined Napolitano on the All-Met 1st team, while Justin Martinelli joined both on the All-County 1st team.
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#6 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 17 October 2020 - 08:23 AM

Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time - (#11-20)

20) 🟥🟦 ‘92 Centennial (14-0-2) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in MD - The Eagles won their fifth state championship in 10 years, beating Montgomery County power Whitman, 1-0, in the state championship game, extending their unbeaten streak to 32 games. The Eagles also won their fifth county title in 10 years, with a 6-0-1 record. They notched their third unbeaten season in six years.

For the fourth time in seven years, the Eagles went unbeaten in league play, sharing a tie with Oakland Mills. The Eagles beat eventual state champion Glenelg, 4-1. In the regional final, the defending champions had their hands full with Atholton, going to a shootout after 100 minutes of scoreless play. The Eagles pulled out a shootout victory, 6-4 on penalty kicks, before going on to shutout Dundalk, 3-0, in the state semifinal. Freshman Brian West drilled a ball in the left corner 93 seconds into the game, and the Eagles never looked back. In the state final, Warren Grace’s score in the 29th would prove to be the only goal of the game, and Dan Christie posted his ninth shutout of the season.

Senior Rehan Gill was named Howard County Player of the Year, as well as to the All-Met 1st team. The freshman West and sophomore Doug Ulman co-led the defending champions in goals scored, with nine. Midfielder Chris Arcella, senior defender Warren Krueger, and sophomore striker Kris Dramby received post-season honors, as did the goalie Christie, who stepped up with the loss of All-America keeper Brock Yetso, who suffered a season-ending knee injury. Christie was the last stop on a defense that allowed just nine goals all season.

19) 🟦🟨 ‘97 River Hill (16-1-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in The Sun - After losing the state title game in the program’s first year, the Hawks won it all in their second, as they returned every player from their state finalist team. This would be Coach Bill Stara’s eighth overall state championship trophy, after winning seven at Centennial, in his 15 years there. Stara coached in his seventh straight state title game, winning in ‘91, ‘92, ‘94, ‘95, and here in ‘97 with the Hawks. This would be the first of seven state championships Stara would win with the Hawks.

In league play, the Hawks snapped Centennial’s 46 game league unbeaten streak, and beat fellow state champion Wilde Lake in a shootout, before the Cats would go on to win a state title, too. In the regional championship, the Hawks took a 4-3 victory over Mt Hebron, with sophomore Adom Crew registering a ‘hat trick’. In the state semifinal, the Hawks shutout Patapsco, 3-0, with Crew recording another ‘hat trick’. The Hawks cruised over Easton in the state championship game, 5-1, as Crew added a pair of goals.

Senior fullback Sam Salganik, the Howard County Player of the Year, was named to both the All-State and All-Met 1st teams, headlining a defense that produced 10 shutouts. Crew, the ‘super soph’, was also named to the All-Met 1st team, after scoring 16 goals and adding 5 assists. Billy Allen (7g, 15a) was also named to the All-State squad. Keeper Brad Breen was behind the 10 shutouts, and junior fullback Aaron McKinley and sophomore Ted Tedrow were named to the All-County 1st team.

18) ⬛️🟧 ‘99 Oakland Mills (17-1-1) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - Howard County produced three state champions in 1999, for the second time in three years, and the Scorpions won their state-best 10th state title, improving their state title game record to 10-1. This was the fifth state title (sixth overall, with one at Elkton) for Coach Don Shea since he came to Kilimanjaro, and the Scorps won back-to-back state titles for the fourth time in the program’s history.

The Scorpions, River Hill, and Mt Hebron, all won state championships in ‘99, while both the Scorpions and Hawks were defending their titles. The Vikings, for their part, were the defending county champions. Including ‘98, the Scorps, Hawks, and Vikes, produced five state championships, and a 94-2-2 record outside of themselves in a two year period. In ‘99, the Scorpions suffered a overtime loss to the Hawks, their only loss of the season, and knocked off the Vikings in the regular season. Shea’s troops shut out Bohemia Manor, 3-0, in the state semifinal, before knocking off Williamsport in the title game for the second year in a row, 2-0, registering their fifth blank sheet in five playoff games. Senior midfielder Jeremy Catlin scored one goal, and assisted on the other. The Scorps and keeper Chris Ebeling produced 11 shutouts, and the Scorpions outscored their opponents, 56-10.

Ebeling was one of seven Scorpions named to the All-Met teams, and one of two named to the first team, along with senior defenseman Glenn Hayman. Catlin was joined on the second team by junior forward Kyle Farmer (15g, 3a), junior midfielder Trevor Shea (4g, 15a), four year starting forward Steve Blakely (7g, 9a), and senior midfielder Brian Grund.

17) 🟦🟨 ‘98 River Hill (19-1-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, #1 in The Sun - Coach Bill Stara led his team to the state championship game for the eighth straight year, winning his sixth in that span, and ninth overall, as the Hawks won their second state title in the program’s third year. Stara, who won seven state championship at Centennial, had catapulted the Hawks program to one of the best in the state almost immediately, with a state final appearance in its first year, and a state crown in its second and third (then fourth).

The Hawks were defending county champions, as well as defending state champions, but though the upstart juggernaut defended their Maryland crown, they couldn’t defend their county crown, after a 2-1 loss to Mt Hebron saw them finish a half game back of the Vikings in the county race, and end their 19 game win streak. The Hawks had another showdown with Mt Hebron in the regional final, for the second year in a row, and responded as they did a year before, with a 3-1 win, as junior Adom Crew scored a pair of goals.

The win gave the Hawks their third regional title in their third year of existence, and gave Stara his eighth straight regional title, including winning one in each of his last five years at Centennial. The Hawks dominated in the state semifinal and final, dispatching Parkside, 6-1, in the semifinal, with five different players scoring, and staking a 5-0 halftime lead. In the final, the Hawks thrashed Patapsco, 4-1, and capped off a playoff run where the Hawks outscored their six opponents, 34-4. On the season, the Hawks outscored their 20 opponents, 70-10.

Crew (17g, 14a) was named the Howard County Player of the Year, as well as to the All-Met 1st team, and led the county in points, with 48. Junior defender Elliott Marquis and junior midfielder Brett Endler (10g, 12a) joined Crew on the All-Met 1st team, while junior midfielder Justin Gotis (8g, 7a), senior midfielder Randall Brown (6g, 6a), and senior backliner Aaron McKinley, joined their three teammates in the All-County team.

16) 🟩🟨 ‘82 Wilde Lake (14-0-2) Coach Jack Thomas >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD - After Oakland Mills has reigned supreme for four years in the county and playing in four straight state championship games (winning the last three), it was the Wildecats turn to take back the mantle, as they did in the first two years of the league’s formation, including winning a state title in ‘76, and a regional title in ‘77. The ‘82 Cats went unbeaten, and finished #1 in the state. While the Cats did come away with two ties, with Calvert Hall (1-1) and Oakland Mills (4-4), the defending champs dominated the post-season, outscoring their four opponents, 25-0.

The Wildecats beat Centennial, 3-2, to clinch the county title, with Jerry McCoy’s game-winner coming with 1:19 left in regulation. Then, the Cats went on a rampage in November, evidenced by their 13-0 trouncing of Harford Tech, with 10 different players scoring. In the state title game, the Cats blanked Walkersville, 4-0, as junior Dan Villasenor, who missed the back half of the ‘81 championship season due to injury, scored a pair of goals. The Wildecats also posted impressive non-league wins over Curley and Mt St Joe.

Senior Danny Carr, who was moved from halfback to the back line, was named the Howard County Player of the Year. Goalie Mike Donlon, who posted four straight shutouts in the playoffs, joined Carr on the All-Met 1st team. Villasenor, who led the county in goals scored, with 20, was selected to the All-Met second team. Tim Friend and Paul Innerarti were All-County selections.

15) 🟦⬜️ ‘10 Marriotts Ridge (18-1-0) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> State Champions, #2 in The Sun - Like Al Goldstein had done at Oakland Mills, and Bill Stara did at Centennial and River Hill, former Wilde Lake Wildecat and Mustangs coach Kevin Flynn had built Marriotts Ridge not only into a county and region power, but into a state power, shortly into its infancy. Goldstein won state titles in his second, third, and fourth years on Kilimanjaro, and Stara took the Eagles to state titles in his third, fifth, and seventh seasons on Centennial Lane, before leading the Hawks to state titles in his second, third and fourth (and sixth through ninth) years at River Hill. Similarly, Flynn led the ‘Stangs to an undefeated county championship and state runner-up finish in the program’s third year, and a state title in its fourth year. The Mustangs would do it again in its fifth season (and eventually its sixth and seventh), despite losing eight starters from the ‘09 title team.

The Mustangs only loss was to undefeated county champion Wilde Lake, 3-2, but otherwise finished with an unblemished record, with no other ties or losses. Howard County boasted four teams among the Sun’s top nine teams in its final 2010 rankings, including the #2 Mustangs, #3 and fellow state champions, Reservoir (15-3-1), #6 River Hill (14-2-1), and the county champion Wildecats (13-1-2), who came into the post-season at #1, but finished at #9. The Mustangs turned back both the Gators and Hawks in their county clashes. Together, the quartet went 53-0-2 against everyone outside of themselves. While the Gators, Hawks, and Cats battled in 3A, the Mustangs cruised through regional play, before routing Eastern Tech, 6-0, in the state semifinal. In the state final, Patrick Sullivan’s lone goal was enough to get past Liberty, 1-0, as the Mustangs became the sixth county school to win back-to-back state titles, joining Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake, Centennial, River Hill, and Mt Hebron. The shutout gave the Mustangs their 12th shutout of the season, for a unit that allowed just one goal in the post-season.

Michael Glazer, the Mustangs star striker, was named the Howard County Player of the Year, after scoring 25 goals and leading the county in goals scored and points. Glazer was named to the All-State 1st team, and joined on that team by four year starting midfielder Patrick Sullivan (9g, 6a), who was also named to the All-Met 1st team for a second time, and All-County 1st team for a third time. Senior defender Sang Lee was named to the All-County second team.

14) 🟦🟨 ‘14 River Hill (18-0-1) Coach Matt Shagogue >>> State Champions, County Champions, #2 in The Sun - Following in the huge boots of Bill Stara, Coach Matt Shagogue won a state title in his second year with the Hawks, giving the program a total of eight state titles in a 11 year period. In 2014, the 8-time champs had gone six seasons without a state crown, and after having won ten regional titles in the program’s first 12 years, the Hawks had advanced to the ‘Final Four’ just once since. In 2014, Shagogue’s side not only turned that around, but did what no other Hawks team had done before (or since), gone through a season unbeaten.

The Hawks won their ninth county title, going unbeaten in league play for a fourth time. The Hawks had to survive two shootouts in the regionals, topping Reservoir, 6-5, in the penalty kick round, after a scoreless 100 minutes, then Mt Hebron, 4-3, after a 2-2 tie through regulation time and two overtimes. The Hawks held off CM Wright, 1-0, in the state semifinal, scoring on a Matt Heitzmann free kick early in the second half. The Hawks went on to blank Huntingtown, 2-0, in the championship game, registering their 13th shutout of the season. Gabriel Quintaro scored on a Heitzmann cross to open the scoring, before Robert Dass added an insurance score in the 65th minute.

Heitzmann (12g, 5a) won the Howard County Player of the Year award, leading these Hawks where none of the eight other state champions had gone before, in the stratosphere of unbeaten. The Hawks became the first county team to have won at least 18 games, while going unbeaten. Senior defenseman Jay Bucci, and goalie Tomas Potts, who registered 11 saves in the regional final versus Hebron, were named to the All-County 1st team.

13) 🟥🟦 ‘83 Centennial (15-1-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County co-Champions, #1 in The Sun - Heading into the ‘83 season, Coach Bill Stara was determined to move his Eagles program from the ‘third wheel’ to the ‘driver’s seat’. Over the previous seven years, either Oakland Mills or Wilde Lake has won the county crown, and both had won three state titles in that span. Together, with his determination, and a very talented side, he and the Eagles did just that, winning both the county championship and their first state championship, becoming just the third county team (‘80 OM, ‘81 OM) to win at least 15 games. This state title would be the first of the fourteen Stara would win in his 25 years at Centennial and River Hill.

The Eagles handed Oakland Mills their worst loss in seven years, with a 6-1 drubbing of the Scorpions in their regular season matchup, but a 2-1 overtime loss to Wilde Lake created a tie with the Scorpions in the final county standings. However, the regional final matchup with the Scorps wasn’t as easy, as the Eagles withstood a thrilling 7-6 (0-0) shootout victory over the 3-time champions, before they moved on to the semifinals, for a second year in a row. The Eagles had no problem in the state semifinal, blanking Northeast, 4-0. In the state championship, the Eagles faced Fallston, who had eliminated the Eagles in the semis just a year before. Stara’s bunch would exact revenge, with a 3-1 victory over the Cougars, with Matt Kern seventh successful penalty kick of the season the decider, coming 15 seconds after the Cougs had evened it up, 10 minutes into the second half. The Eagles posted four wins over the Sun’s top 10 teams - #3 OM twice, #6 Fallston, and #8 Towson, and added a pair of wins over Washington Post top 10 teams - Whitman and Walter Johnson.

Stara’s team was stocked with national champion Columbia Kick players, headlined by seniors Reid Storch, Steve Dragasics, Matt Kern, Ed Conway, and Terry Nelson. Storch (17g, 18a), Dragasics (13g, 18a), and Kern (9g, 24a) all earned All-State and All-Met honors, and remain the only trio in Howard County history to each record at least 40 points in the same season. Kern’s 24 assists remains as the most assists in a season in county history, matched by River Hill’s Matt Stara in 2005.

12) 🟦⬜️ ‘12 Marriotts Ridge (17-0-0) Coach Kevin Flynn >>> State Champions, County Champions, #4 in The Sun - The Mustangs became the fourth team in MPSSAA history to win four straight state championships, joining Wilde Lake, River Hill, and Pocomoke, and just one of two to win the championship outright (no tie in final), along with the Cats. Mustangs Coach Kevin Flynn was a part of the Cats four straight in the early 80s as an All-County player. The Mustangs became the sixth county team to finish with a perfect season - no losses or ties, joining ‘80 Oakland Mills, ‘84 Wilde Lake, ‘85 Oakland Mills, ‘87 Centennial, and ‘95 Centennial.

The Mustangs won their third county title in five years, and their fifth regional title in as many years, after overcoming a 1-0 halftime deficit to Oakland Mills in the regional final. Amir Najib scored twice after intermission, on crosses from Brad Martinelli and Nick Applegate, respectively. The first Najib score came 11 minutes into the second half, then the other three minutes later, which would be the game-winner. After getting by South Carroll in the state semifinal for a second year in a row, the Mustangs pasted Queen Anne’s, 4-0, in the state title game. Tajib scored a pair of goals. On the season, the Mustangs outscored their opponents, 48-9.

Coach Flynn was named the Baltimore Sun’s Coach of the Year, and Martinelli (9g, 13a), who was part of all four Mustangs championships, was named the Howard County Player of the Year. Martinelli finished his Mustangs career with 83 points, including 33 assists. Applegate (10g, 13a) was named to the All-Met second team, and to the All-County 1st team for a second year in a row. Senior defenseman Conner Delaney (8g, 5a) was named to the All-County 1st team.

11) 🟥🟦 ‘94 Centennial (15-0-2) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #10 USA - The ‘94 Eagles were poised to return to the top team in the state, after their quest for a third straight state championship was cut short in the state final by Whitman, 1-0, the year before, when the Eagles lost three starters due to just short of a season-long suspension. Not only did the Eagles return junior forward Brian West, but also three players that were selected to their respective national youth teams, including senior goalie Brock Yetso, and sophomores Ben Stephenson and Matt Laycock, among their talented cast. Coach Bill Stara’s program came into the season having won five state titles in a 11 year period.

The Eagles rolled through league play unbeaten and untied, highlighted by a 1-0 win over fellow state champion Oakland Mills, who finished at #4 in the Sun’s final rankings. The Eagles did post a pair of non-league draws, tying CM Wright in the season opener, and tying Mt St Joe in a scoreless affair. The Eagles needed a double overtime win over a stingy Broadneck team in the regional final, where the five-time champions outshot the #10 Bruins, 20-4, but didn’t find paydirt until Brian West drilled a throw-in from Kumi Walker from 10 yards out in the sixth minute of the second extra session to snap a scoreless tie. The Eagles would move on to face Whitman, who had snapped Churchill’s 41 game win streak earlier in the season.

The state semifinal presented the Eagles with an opportunity for redemption, facing the only team to beat them (twice) the season before, the nationally ranked Vikings, who took a 1-0 state final victory. The year before that, in ‘92, it was the Eagles who came out on top in the state championship game, blanking the Vikes, 2-0. In this state semifinal, between a pair of national top 25 teams, the Eagles struck first, but not until the 63rd minute, when Doug Ulman headed in a West throw-in. The Vikings then went to all-out offensive pressure, and finally evened things in the 88th minute, sending the game to overtime. Yetso did have four saves in the last 90 seconds, but the one he couldn’t get sent the match to sudden-death overtime. The Eagles finally notched the victory when Ulman capitalized on another West throwing toss, putting his left boot on a short yardage game-winner. The Eagles faced a rematch with CM Wright in the state final, and a Mustangs team that handed them a 1-1 tie in the season opener. The Eagles put together a solid all-around 2-0 win, with Matt Stephenson scoring from 15 yards out off of a West corner kick early in the second half, then Walker added insurance when he drilled a left boot 18 yarder that found the right corner of the goal. Yetso, for his part, registered ten saves.

Yetso, who never lost a game he played in his scholastic career, was named as the Baltimore Sun Player of the Year, while teammates West (7g, 13a), Ben Stephenson, and Ulman (8g, 3a) joined the All-State keeper on the All-Met 1st team. Like Yetso, Ulman and All-County midfielder Kris Dramby, who both missed the majority of the ‘93 season also, never lost a game (49-0-6) in their Eagles careers. Stara’s troops, which included the aforementioned half dozen plus, had the sophomore All-American Laycock coming off the bench, and also featured Stephenson’s twin brother, Matt, giving the Eagles a trio of the state’s best players in the ‘97 class (‘96 soccer class). The Eagles won their sixth state championship in the last twelve years under Stara, and finished #10 in the country.
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#7 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 19 October 2020 - 03:11 AM

Howard County’s Top 50 Boys Soccer Teams of All-Time (#6-10)

10) 🟦🟨 ‘99 River Hill (19-1-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in The Sun, #21 USA - The ‘99 Hawks accomplished what Coach Bill Stara’s former program never did at Centennial, win a third straight state championship, despite being presented the opportunity three times on Centennial Lane, when the Eagles won back-to-back in ‘83-84, ‘91-92, and ‘94-95. Stara had left the two-time defending champion Eagles after winning his seventh state title in ‘95. In ‘85, in the Eagles first pursuit of a ‘three-peat’, Stara’s troops lost in a penalty shot shootout to Oakland Mills in the regional final, and in ‘93, the Eagles fell one win short when they lost to Whitman in the state final, 1-0. But this Hawks team was originally built in 1996, with seven freshman on that team that reached a state final now seniors.

The Hawks had just one blemish in the regular season, suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to Centennial, but otherwise dominated their other 14 opponents, 52-4. The Hawks registered a pair of wins over fellow eventual Howard County state champions - Oakland Mills and Mt Hebron. The Hawks received their only other regular season scare from the Scorpions, before breaking a scoreless tie with an overtime victory. The Hawks handled the state champion Vikings, 5-1. The Hawks won their second county title in three years, after a six year run of the county by Centennial, the first five under Stara.

The Hawks continued their dominance in the post-season, outscoring their first two opponents by a total of 17 to 1, before putting away South River, 4-1, in the regional final. The Eagles then stomped Walter Johnson, 4-0, in the state semifinal. The Eagles faced Fallston in the state championship game, with the Cougars riding a 14 game win streak coming in. The Hawks didn’t blink, as the veteran group, seven having played on the varsity for each of their four years, humiliated the Cougars, 8-0, with their star Adom Crew scoring a pair of goals, and junior Josh Price adding two of his own. This would be keeper Mike Dibella’s 13th shutout of the season, wrapping up a post-season where they outscored their five opponents, 33-2.

The Hawks, who had rose as high as #9 in the country before their lone loss to Centennial, finished ranked #21 in America. On the season, the Hawks outscored their opponents, 86-8, the most goals scored in a season in county history. The Hawks +3.90 goal differential ranks as fifth best in county history, with their 4.30 goals scored per game ranking as 6th best in county history, and their .40 goals allowed per game ranking tied for 8th best. Crew (16g, 17a) was named as the Baltimore Sun’s Player of the Year, and Howard County Player of the Year for a second year in a row. Crew was joined by four of his six other classmates that were part of three state championship teams on the All-Met teams - including midfielder Brett Endler, defensemen Elliott Marquis and Todd Tedrow (9g, 4a), and Dibella. Aaron Pierce and Clif Jackson were also three-time champions and four-time state finalists. Senior midfielder Justin Gotis (5g, 4a) joined Crew on the All-Met 1st team, as did Marquis. Endler, Tedrow and Dibella were selected to the All-Met second team. Crew, who scored the lone goal in the 1-0 overtime win over fellow state champ Oakland Mills, closed out his career with 56 goals and 41 assists for the Hawks, while Endler finished with 33 goals and 40 assists.

Through 19 years as head coach, Stara had amassed 10 state titles, appeared in 12 state title games, and won 13 regional titles, while posting a 259-31-11 record. Stara would retire six years later, but not before winning four straight titles over his last four years to push his state crown total to a state-best 14, and finish with 16 title game appearances, 18 regional titles, 14 county titles, and an all-time record of 343-42-19 over 25 seasons.

9) ⬛️🟧 ‘79 Oakland Mills (14-1-0) Coach Al Goldstein >>> State Champions, #1 in MD, USA # unknown - After advancing to the state finals in his first year on Kilimanjaro, Coach Al Goldstein led his Scorpions to his first of four state titles over his next seven years there, and first of three straight from ‘79 through ‘81. The ‘79 Scorpions still hold the county record for goal differential per game, at +4.47, outscoring opponents 73-6 in 16 games. The Scorpions finished #1 in the state, but not before two epic games with its arch rival, Wilde Lake. Outside of the two clashes with the Wildecats, who finished #4 in the Baltimore Sun, and the state championship game, the Scorps outscored their 13 other opponents, 69-4. Though the Scorpions were loaded with talented sophomores and juniors, boding well for ‘80 and ‘81, this group was led by senior Darryl Gee, considered the best high school player in America, and who would become the youngest member ever selected to the US Olympic team.

In the regular season, the Scorpions topped Baltimore power, Calvert Hall, 2-1, and blanked up-and-coming Centennial, 4-0. The Scorpions arch rival, Wilde Lake, beat Calvert Hall, as well as Mt St Joe. That set up a regular season clash of the unbeaten Columbia juggernauts, the Scorps and the Cats, for the top spot in the state, before both headed into the playoffs, and before they would meet again. Both the Scorpions and Wildecats had served notice in the Baltimore area as legitimate powers on the pitch over the several previous years, with the Cats winning a state title in ‘76, and a regional title in ‘77, and the Scorpions making the state final in ‘78, before losing to Kennedy, 2-0. The annual league battle ended in a hard fought, scoreless 80 minutes, sending the match to a penalty kick shootout. The Cats pulled out a 4-3 edge in the shootout, but for the first time ever, two teams from the same region and class made the playoffs, and this looked to be the first of two meetings between the Scorps and Cats.

In the regional final, this time the Cats took it right to the defending state finalists, staking a 2-0 first half lead, coming on the heels of a pair of Tim Friend penalty kicks. After intermission, the Scorpions and its top two seniors, Gee and halfback Mark Braune, came out on a mission, a mission that would entail this not being the last game of their scholastic careers. Braune and Tong Park both scored to even things through sixty minutes, and Gee came through with what would be the game-winning goal in the 64th minute. Junior keeper Kenny Bernstein stopped a point-blank shot with 15 seconds to go to preserve the victory. The comeback victory sent the Scorpions to the state semifinals, while the Cats first loss of the season sent them home. The Scorpions dominated Coach Don Shea’s Elkton Golden Elks, 7-0, with Gee scoring his 24th and 25th goals of the season. The state final was another story, the Scorpions needed overtime to beat Montgomery County power Sherwood, 1-0, as Park scored on a rebound of a near miss by Gee.

The following month, five months before he’d graduate, Gee was selected as the #2 overall pick in the NASL draft, and traded to the world renown New York Cosmos, who had scouted him in earnest. Gee was selected as the Sun’s Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year, and selected to the All-State 1st team for a second year in a row, after scoring 25 goals and dishing out 13 assists. Gee finished his Scorpions career having scored 74 goals, and adding 45 assists, totaling 189 points, still far and away the county record. Tommy Farron joined Gee on the Baltimore Sun’s All-Met 1st team, and Braune was named to the second team. The ‘79 Scorpions average of 4.87 goals per game that season ranks as third best in county history, and their .40 goals allowed per game ranks tied for eighth best in Howard County. With Farron, the All-Met ‘first teamer’ coming back, as well as Bernstein, who had established himself as one of the best keepers in the state, along with talented sophomores John McIntyre and Kenny Heydt, the Scorpions would head into the 80s as the state’s #1 team.

8 ⬛️🟧 ‘88 Oakland Mills (15-0-1) Coach Don Shea >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #5 USA - Coach Don Shea entered his third season on Kilimanjaro having won the second of two back-to-back state championships in his first season, before feeling the wrath of perennial post-season rival, Centennial, in his second year with the ‘Orange & Black’. In ‘88, the Scorpions would exact revenge on the Eagles, and finish with their fourth unbeaten season (‘80, ‘81, ‘85) in its program history, and the first under Shea. The Scorpions defense proved to be impenetrable, allowing just five goals in 16 games. The Scorpions would go on to win their unprecedented sixth state title in ten seasons. The ‘88 Scorpions outscored their opponents, 52-5.

The Scorpions earned an early season quality win over Bowie, winning 2-0, handing the Bulldogs their first home loss since 1983. Entering the ‘88 season, the Scorpions, Bulldogs and Wilde Lake shared the designation of having won more state titles on the pitch at the time, with 5, than any other team in the MPSSAA. In their league matchup with Centennial, both came in undefeated, with the Scorpions ranked #1, and the Eagles, #2. The Scorpions came out with a 2-0 victory, snapping the Eagles 25 game win streak, and handing the defending state champions their first loss since the ‘86 regional final, when the Scorps won their most lopsided victory of the 18 game series in the 80s, 4-1. The one slight blemish the Scorpions had all season was a 1-1 tie to the emerging Howard Lions program, a program that would finish #3 in the country the following season. The Scorps added a pair of top 15 wins in league play, over Wilde Lake and Hammond. The Scorpions won (or shared) their fifth county title in nine years, and sixth in eleven years.

The Scorpions, despite the loss of two starting midfielders to injury, entered the post-season unbeaten, but knew the eighth post-season meeting in nine years with the defending champion Eagles awaited. This would be another grueling affair, and for the seventh time in the eight post-season meetings, the game would be decided by one goal, or in the shootout round. After a scoreless 70 minutes, it was a fluke throw-in goal from Marc Osterberger that was deflected into the goal in the 71st minute that proved to be the game’s lone goal. The two losses to Oakland Mills were the only losses the Eagles suffered in ‘88. After topping Damascus in the state semifinal, the Scorpions blanked previously unbeaten Middletown, 3-0, in the state final, to win the program’s sixth state championship in ten years.

Senior goalie Brian Boussy spearheaded a defensive unit that produced 12 shutouts, and allowed just five goals all season. Boussy was named as the Howard County Player of the Year, and finished his scholastic career having won three state championships, posting two unbeaten seasons, and producing 44 shutouts. Seniors Todd Pettigrew (10g), defender Tim Ryerson, and Chris Love (10g), joined Boussy on the All-Met and All-State lists, while Osterberger was named to the All-Met Honorable Mention team. The Scorpions finished the season ranked #5 in the country by the USA Today, despite losing starting midfielders David DiTomasso and Adrian Washington to season-ending injuries. The Scorpions .31 goals allowed per game that season ranks as the third lowest in county history.

7) 🟦🟥 ‘89 Howard (15-0-1) Coach Rudy Storch >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #3 USA - After a decade plus of Oakland Mills, Centennial, and Wilde Lake, dominating the county, region and state headlines, the Howard Lions has taken a back seat to that trio, and Hammond, as well. But, Rudy Storch came in 1985 and turned the program around, going 10-2-1 in ‘88, which included a tie with the #5 team in the country, Oakland Mills, and the Lions returned 13 players from that squad, including a pair of U17 National Team members - senior halfback Todd Haskins and junior halfback Steve Sietsma. The Lions used that momentum from ‘88 to propel the program into prominence, going unbeaten, winning its first state championship, and finishing ranked #3 in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Heading into the season, Howard County boasted a pair of teams ranked among the top 25 in the country in USA Today’s pre-season rankings, but neither named Howard. Oakland Mills opened up with the #4 ranking, and Centennial at #17. However, the Lions sat atop the Sun’s pre-season’s rankings, ahead of both the Scorpions and Eagles, and their prowl wasn’t going unnoticed. The Lions first held off Centennial, 1-0, in their league matchup, then walloped Oakland Mills, 7-1 , with Todd Haskins scoring three goals, and Jamie Macklin registering four assists. The matchup with the #2 undefeated Eagles, who came in at 7-0, featured two nationally ranked teams. Before 2,500 at Howard High, Haskins scored the only goal of the night, ten minutes in, and the Lions hung on, propelling them into the top 10 in the country. Earlier in the season, the Lions routed Montgomery County power Kennedy, 6-0, beat Calvert Hall, 8-3, with Haskins scoring five goals and adding two assists, and notched a victory versus Mt St Joe. The win over the Scorpions pushed the Lions to #3 in the country, heading into the playoffs. The undefeated Lions won their first county title in its program history. The Lions 5.08 goals scored per game in the regular season ranks as the second best (‘79 OM - 5.17) regular season mark in county history.

The undefeated Lions had a rematch with the Scorpions in the regional semifinal, after registering their first win over the six-time state champions in program history a week earlier. The Lions came out victorious again, nabbing a 3-1 win, setting up a second meeting with Centennial. In the rematch, Haskins put the Lions on the board with a header from a 35 yard pass from Ryan Hudson in the 22nd minute of the first half. Midway through the second half, Steve Sietsma banged in a penalty kick, to buy enough life insurance to send the Lions to the state semifinals for the first time. Having risen to #2 in the country, the high scoring Lions put away Bel Air, 5-2, and set up another rematch, their third in four games, as Kennedy loomed in the state final game. With a loss suffered by the then #1 nationally ranked team, Shenedehowa, out of New York, the Lions took the top spot in the land. After burying the Cavaliers, 6-0, in the first meeting, it looked as though it was academic in thinking the Lions would win, and win the mythical national championship. The Cavs had other plans. Through 62 minutes, the two teams were deadlocked at one goal apiece, when Todd Haskins put the Lions up with 7:42 to play, but that lead was short lived, as the Cavs responded with an equalizer 64 seconds later, and both would go scoreless the rest of the way, through overtime. The Lions would have to settle for a tie, a share of the state championship, and finished at #3 in the country.

Haskins was named as an All-American and the Sun’s Player of the Year, tying Wilde Lake’s Todd Trimble’s single-season record for goals scored, with 31, and added 10 assists. Haskins finished his Lions career with 54 goals and 33 assists, and his 141 points ranks as the fourth best in county history, while his 72 points in ‘89 rank second best to Hammond’s Dan Stephens mark of 75 set two years earlier. Junior midfielder Sietsma, senior stopper David Nelka, and senior sweeper James Wagner (5g) all joined Haskins on the All-Met 1st team, while Macklin (4g, 11a) was named to the second team. Senior midfielder Lou Bedolla, junior midfielder Josh Smith (8g), senior fullback Jon Armstrong, and keeper Joe Wilson, were all named to the All-County second team.

The Lions outscored opponents 73-13 with their 4.56 goals scored per game average ranking fourth-best in county history, and their +3.75 goal differential ranking as fifth best in county history. Coach Rudy Storch was named as Howard County’s Coach of the Year, and became the first coach in county history to lead a team not named Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake or Centennial, to a state title. Storch had coached two local club teams (‘82 U16 Columbia Kick, ‘85 U19 Columbia Jays) national titles, and now put a once forgot about Lions program on the national map.

6) ⬛️🟧 ‘81 Oakland Mills (15-0-1) Coach Al Goldstein >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #1* USA - By 1991, the Scorpions had the target on their back, having won back-to-back state championships, and finishing as the top ranked team in the state in ‘79 and ‘80. Though the Scorps lost two-time All-Met Tommy Farran and All-Met goalie Kenny Bernstein, the two-time defending champs returned a boatload of talent, including returning All-Mets John McIntyre and Kenny Heydt, midfielder John Szostak, and added the talented Ryerson brothers, Rob, a senior, and Rich, a junior. Three were national team members - the Ryerson brothers and McIntyre. This side was the most veteran laden squad Coach Al Goldstein had had on Kilimanjaro, with ten starting seniors, and with the big target, came huge expectations.

The Scorpions regular season slate featured Baltimore MSA powers Calvert Hall and Curley, as well as Washington Catholic League power St Johns. The Scorps knocked off Calvert Hall for a third year in a row, got past Curley, 2-1, in overtime, and handled the Cadets from St Johns. The Oakland Mills - Wilde Lake annual clash had developed into a heated rivalry, and ‘81 was no different, with the Cats carrying huge expectations of their own, led by All-Met center back John Brill. But the Scorpions, who had taken control of the series after dropping the first three, won their fourth consecutive game over the eventual state champion Cats, 3-0, as Rob Ryerson tallied a pair of goals. Senior Dave Burke struck first and early, banging in a Scott Southall corner kick 77 seconds into the game and the Scorpions never looked back. The Scorpions had to scrape out a 1-1 tie with quickly emerging Centennial, playing the majority of the game with just ten men. The Scorps finished the regular season with four top 10 wins, and three top 5 wins - including victories over #2 Wilde Lake, #4 Calvert Hall, and #5 Curley.

The Scorpions dominated the regional playoffs, routing Great Mills, 12-0, then Douglass PG, 8-0. The Scorpions continued their shutout run with a 4-0 victory over Fallston in the state semifinals, with Rich Ryerson scoring two goals, and McIntyre adding three assists. The title game against Woodward proved to be a challenge for the Scorps, just their third such scrape of the season. The Scorpions trailed twice, but found equalizers to even things at 1-1, then 2-2. Shortly after the Wildcats had evened things at three apiece, senior Rich Morrell found Rob Ryerson in the 54th minute in what proved to be the game-winner.

The Scorpions finished the season riding a 37 game unbeaten streak, and McIntyre, Heydt, and their fellow 3-year players finished with a 45-1-1 record over those three seasons. McIntyre (12g, 11a), who had played in four state championship games, was named as an All-Met for a second year in a row, as was back Kenny Heydt. Rob Ryerson (18g, 6a) joined his teammates on the All-Met 1st team, while Rich Ryerson (16g), Morrell, and Szostak were named to the All-Met second team. Senior midfielders Burke and Southall were instrumental, and keeper Mike Filipczak filled in admirably, following Bernstein’s reign. The ‘81 Scorpions scored a county record 82 goals, and remain the only team in county history to overage as many as 5 goals per game. The Scorpions +4.50 goal differential in ‘81 ranks tied with ‘84 Wilde Lake as the largest goal differential in county history.

Coach Goldstein had led the Scorpions to four state title games in his first four years on Kilimanjaro, winning the last three, while posting a record of 58-3-2. The ‘81 Scorpions, like the ‘80 team, consisted of four members on the Sun’s 20th Anniversary team, that consisted the best of the best in the area from 1966 through 1985. While Farron and Bernstein graduated earlier that spring, two others, that sat out the ‘80 season, Rob and Rich Ryerson, filled in the missing 20th Anniversary members, joining McIntyre and Heydt, who were big parts in all three state titles.

*USA Today did not begin a national ranking of the top 25 of boys soccer teams until 1984, but a lesser known soccer publication in California ranked the ‘81 Scorpions the #1 team in the country. The ‘80 Scorpions, who posted one of the two perfect seasons in the program’s history, would likely have took the top spot in the land if there were national rankings for that season. The ‘83 Centennial Eagles would likely have garnered a top 10 designation, considering Howard County boasted four top 5 teams in the country in the first 6 years of the national rankings - ‘84 Wilde Lake #2, ‘85 Oakland Mills #2, ‘88 Oakland Mills #5, and ‘89 Howard #3
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#8 BSLWillieSeanCoughlan

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Posted 20 October 2020 - 08:55 PM

The top five boys soccer teams in Howard County history.

5) 🟥🟦 ‘95 Centennial (17-0-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #4 USA - Coach Bill Stara’s Eagles returned eight starters from their unbeaten, state champion team from ‘94, a team that finished #10 in the country. The Eagles roster boasted two-time All-Met senior Brian West, and three of the best juniors in the state, including Ben and Matt Stephenson, and Matt Laycock. West was named as the Howard County Player of the Year in ‘93, as a sophomore, and the Stephenson’s were All-County players in both of their freshman and sophomore seasons, while Ben also added All-Met honors in ‘94. Laycock, for his part, was a national youth team member.

The Eagles were far superior to anyone in ‘95, with only one team coming within a goal of the Eagles, who were looking to win their seventh state title. The Eagles registered solid out-of-league wins over #8 Bel Air (twice) and #10 CM Wright, as well as Montgomery County power Whitman. The Eagles and now 11-time champion Whitman met eight times in five years from ‘91 through ‘95, going 6-2. The Eagles defeated the Vikings in a regular season matchup before winning a state title in ‘91. The Eagles edged the Vikings in the ‘92 state title game, 1-0, after beating the Vikes by the same score in the regular season. The Vikings swept the two-game set the following year, including a 1-0 victory in the state title game. In ‘94, the Eagles, then ranked #22 in the country, faced the nationally ranked #14 Vikings in the state semifinal, where the Eagles pulled out a 2-1 overtime win, after the Vikes had evened things with 90 seconds left in regulation time. This year, in ‘95, the Eagles took a 4-2 win over the Vikings, with Matt Stephenson tallying two goals. The Eagles also had four top 15 wins in league play, with victories over #4 Mt Hebron, #9 Hammond, #12 Wilde Lake, and #15 Oakland Mills. The Eagles notched their fifth straight county championship, and eighth overall.

After pasting Atholton, 5-0, in the regional final, the Eagles received their toughest test of the year in the state semifinals, when they took on Thomas Stone, a Cougars team whose record matched the Eagles, at 15-0. The game was played under weather conditions that included torrents of rain, and win gusts of as much as 60 miles per hour. After a scoreless 100 minutes in regulation time and two overtime’s, the Eagles won out, 8-5, in the shootout, for their 30th straight win. The Eagles had out-shot the Cougs, 20-3, in the second half and two overtimes, but couldn’t find the net. The Eagles put away Bel Air, 4-1, in the state title game, their second win over the Bobcats this season. West registered a ‘hat trick’ in his final scholastic game of his career, a career that recorded 49 goals and 42 assists. The Eagles outscored their opponents, 62-7, on the season, won all but one game by two games or more, and registered 13 shutouts in 17 games.

West (18g, 17a) was named the Baltimore Sun Player of the Year, and named to the All-Met team for a third time. In his four years with the Eagles, his side lost just twice, with both losses coming to Whitman in ‘93. The Stephenson brothers, Ben and Matt (11g, 8a), joined West on the All-Met 1st team, as did Laycock (13g, 7a). Ben Stephenson, a junior like his brother Matt and Laycock, was named to the All-County 1st team for a third year in a row. West, the Stephenson brothers, and Laycock, were all National Team pool members. Junior keeper Christian Lewis, who recorded 13 shutouts, was named to the All-Met second team, as was senior defender Kumi Walker, and senior midfielder Corey Piette (8g, 9a). Junior Brian Otten, who was part of the back line, along with Ben Stephenson and Walker, was named to the All-County team.

This was the Eagles fourth state championship in five years, and Coach Bill Stara’s seventh in his 15th and final year on Centennial Lane. Stara posted a remarkable 196-20-10 in his 15 years with the Eagles. The Eagles finished ranked #4 in the country.

4) ⬛️🟧 ‘85 Oakland Mills (16-0-0) Coach Al Goldstein >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #2 USA - After winning three state championships from ‘79 through ‘81, and playing in four straight title games, the ‘85 Scorpions had entered the season with the program having not advanced out of regional play for three straight seasons. Things would change in what would turn out to be Coach Al Goldstein’s eighth and final season on Kilimanjaro. The Hall of Fame coach had all the ingredients, but so did Centennial, the two-time defending state champions, who had dispatched the Scorps from the post-season three straight seasons, including the last two where the Scorps suffered heartbreaking losses in the shootout round of the regional final. If the Scorpions were to take back the county baton from either Centennial and Wilde Lake, who had finished undefeated and #1 in the state in ‘84, there was a very good chance that the Scorps would have to hold off the Eagles in the regional championship for the first time. And if recent history had its way, one that would be decided on penalty kicks.

If playing Centennial, Wilde Lake, St Johns DC, and Hammond weren’t enough, Coach Goldstein took the Scorpions show on the road, down to Raleigh, North Carolina, and to Delaware, to meet the best those two states could offer. The Scorps beat Raleigh’s best, Ravenscroft (1-0), and Concord (3-1), the ‘First State’s’ best. Calvert Hall, the Baltimore power that had gone 0-5-1 versus Goldstein’s troops in the previous six years, waved the white flag, and dropped the Scorpions from their schedule. In the regular season matchup with the two-time defending state champion Eagles, Leon Wilson broke open a scoreless game in the 55th minute on a rebound shot, one that would prove to be the game-winner, their first win over the Eagles since 1980, and first victory over their nemesis in the last eight meetings. But, that streak-snapping winthat flip-flopped the area’s #1 and #2 teams, would be nothing if they couldn’t overcome their post-season woes with the Eagles, in a surely awaiting regional final contest.

After beating Atholton a second time, and Centennial ending Wilde Lake’s four year title run after moving up a classification, the Scorpions and Eagles were poised to meet in the regional final for the third straight year, following two regional championship games decided by penalty kicks. Before a raucous crowd of 2,500 fans at Howard High, the two battled to a 1-1 draw through 100 minutes, forcing a third straight regional title game between the two that would be decided by ‘PKs’. Through eight rounds (of 11), the Eagles seemed destined to win their third straight regional title, and in turn, their third straight state title. The Eagles led 5-3 in the shootout, before the Scorpions banged in their last three attempts, and jayvee call-up Junior Mason limited the Eagles to just one conversion in their last three chances, launching the instant classic into sudden-death. Senior Darryl Simpkins, who made the Scorps final kick in the 11th round to force the game to sudden-death, hit the 12th attempt, while the Eagles fell short on their 12th, and the Scorpions escaped with their first regional title since 1981, and preserved their national top 5 ranking. The Scorps thrashed North Harford, 6-1, in the state semifinals, with ‘super soph’ Junior Armstrong scoring a goal and adding two assists. In the state final, the Scorpions faced their ‘81 state title foe, Woodward, and after overcoming three nullified goals (off side, hand ball, high kick), the Scorpions settled for a 1-0 win when Martin Payne capitalized off a carom of a Doug Southall shot, which followed a Junior Armstrong on goal attempt. Brian Boussy, the Scorpions freshman goalie, recorded nine saves on the Wildcats, three in the last 15 minutes of the game.

The ‘85 Scorpions notched the program’s fourth state title in seven years, after outscoring their opponents by an astounding 71-6 margin. As many as six Scorpions were named to the Baltimore Sun and Evening Sun All-Met teams, including Simpkins (14g, 8a), who as a sophomore missed a golden opportunity with :38 seconds to play in the second overtime of the ‘83 regional final, when his penalty kick was batted away by Mark Hendricks. Joining Simpkins on the Sun’s All-Met 1st team was senior fullback Roger Morrell, junior midfielder Scott Gilreath, and the sophomore, Armstrong (12g, 15a). Wilson was named to the Evening Sun’s All-Met 1st team, and Payne (7g, 4a) was donned with All-Met honors, as well. Freshman keeper Boussy would win the first of his three state titles.

Coach Goldstein would hang up his boots following the perfect season, taking a sales position in Orlando, with a goal of retiring by the age of 50. Coach Goldstein went 105-10-5 in his eight years on Kilimanjaro, winning four state titles, and leading the Scorpions to five state title games. The ‘85 Scorps registered four wins over the state’s top 10 - including a pair over the Eagles, who finished #2 in the Sun, the Wildecats, who finished #4, and Woodward, who finished among the top 5 in the Washington Post, not to mention over Ralegh’s best, and Delaware’s best.

(3) 🟥🟦 ‘87 Centennial (16-0-0) Coach Bill Stara >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, USA # unknown - Entering the 1987 season, it had been three years since the Eagles won their second of back-to-back state titles, yet were still trying to get where Wilde Lake and Oakland Mills were, among the top three in the state with state titles won, as the Cats had won five, and were two seasons removed from winning four state championship in a row, and the Scorpions having won four in the last eight seasons. It was the Scorpions who ruined their then unbeaten season a year earlier, after the Eagles not allowing a goal in twelve regular season games, and coming into the regional final having outscored their opponents, including the post-season, 47-1. The Scorpions ran away with a 4-1 victory, giving the epic series its first season split in the rivalry’s history. The Eagles had a taste in their mouth.

The Eagles started a veteran group, with eight starting seniors, including fullbacks Mike Rotsel and Chris Mills, and keeper Glen Meininger. To add, another Majewski, Chris, a junior, brother of ‘86 Howard County Player of the Year, Doug. A year after not allowing a single goal in the regular season, the Eagles allowed just two in their first twelve games, entering the post-season, one to Wilde Lake, and one to Cardinal Gibbons, and both in garbage time, and against the reserve keeper. What was different in ‘87, was that Howard County was lacking a second team that ranked among the top 5 in the state, as it had for nine straight years. A year after winning the back end of back-to-back state titles, the Scorpions had fallen to #8 in the rankings, and lost three games (two to the Eagles) for the first time since 1976. The Scorpions, at #8 in the Baltimore area, were the highest ranked team the Eagles had faced going into the state title game. The Eagles took a pair of 2-0 wins from the Scorpions, while the Cats, one of two teams to score on the Eagles, had fallen to #18 in the rankings, after an 8-5 season.

The Eagles meeting with the Scorpions in the regional final was the fifth of its kind in as many seasons, with a 2-2 split in the first four. The Eagles struck early in this, the fifth regional title clash, when Dave Rosenstein took a pass from Ryan Thomas and lofted a high arching shot to the right corner that found the net five minutes into the match. The two state powers battled one another for a scoreless 70 minutes before Mills provided the Eagles some much needed insurance in the 77th minute, when his low header off of a set piece put the game away. Meininger registered his 11th shutout in 13 games. The Eagles easily handled #20 Bel Air, 4-0, in the state semifinal. The Eagles continued their season-long masterful performance in the state championship game, routing previously unbeaten Middletown, 4-0, in a game that saw below zero wind chill factor. The Eagles held a 1-0 edge early in the second half before Shaun Adams and Ryan Thomas scored 13 seconds apart, to clinch their third state championship in five seasons.

The Eagles completed their season outscoring opponents, 49-2, with the two goals allowed the lowest amount in a season in county history. Meininger finished the season with 13 blank sheets in 15 games, the best shutout percentage in county history, and matched Oakland Mills Kenny Bernstein’s mark of 13 shutouts (in 16 games). Meininger was named as the Sun’s Player of the Year, the second time in three years the Eagles keeper won the award (Larry Valentine ‘85). Rotsel, a key part of the defense that allowed just two goals, was named as the Evening Sun’s Player of the Year, and named as an All-Met for a second time. Joining Meininger and Rotsel on the All-Met 1st team was the junior midfielder Majewski, and Mills, who played alongside Rotsel on the back side. Midfielder Brian Stott and fullback Chris Binkley were named to the All-Met second team. Coach Bill Stara was named as the Sun’s Coach of the Year for a second time (‘84).

2) 🟩🟨 ‘84 Wilde Lake (16-0-0) Coach Jack Thomas >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, #2 USA - Coach Jack Thomas and his Cats has won three straight state titles heading into the ‘84 season, and this Cats group looked to be the finest the program had ever produced, a program that had stockpiled four state championships overall, another regional championship team, and another county title team that finished 11-1, all in an eight year period. Thomas’ side featured the program’s first All-American, Todd Trimble, and his classmate Jon Eisner, both four year starters who had won three state titles in their first three years. The Wildecats lived up to all expectations, and then some, winning its unprecedented fourth straight state title, finishing with its first perfect season, and earning a #2 national ranking.

The Wildecats rolled through the regular season (then the post-season) in dominant fashion, save for one double-overtime scare with arch rival Oakland Mills, before Trimble hit the game-winner in the second extra session, the game’s only goal. The Cats beat MSA champion Loyola (3-1), Class B State champion Centennial (3-0), and traditional Baltimore powers Calvert Hall (5-1) and Mt St Joe (4-1), by a cumulative total of 15-3. Calvert Hall, who had won six of the last seven MSA ‘A’ titles, were 3-0-1 versus the Cats in their last four meetings. The Cats also posted wins over John Carroll and Hammond, both who finished among the Baltimore Sun’s Top 10, in their final rankings. The Cats, Eagles, and Scorps, finished #1, #2, and #3 in the Sun’s final rankings, respectively.

The Wildecats carried that momentum into the playoffs, winning their sixth regional title in nine years with a 3-1 win over Middletown. In their record setting 14-0 blowout of Havre de Grace, the Cats scored 10 goals on 15 shots in the second half. In the state final, the Cats blanked St Michaels, 4-0, recording their 10th shutout of the season. The Cats outshot the Saints, 25-3. The Wildecats became the first team in MPSSAA history to win four straight state championships, posting four shutouts in the four title games, and registering their third straight 4-0 win the championship game. The Wildecats outscored opponents 78-6, and their 4.88 goals per game that season ranks second all-time in County history, second only to ‘81 Oakland Mills mark of 5.13. The Cats +4.50 goal differential is tied with those very Scorpions for the best in county history in a season.

Trimble was named as the Baltimore Sun’s Player of the Year, as well as to the Parade All-American team, and set a county record scoring 31 goals, adding 10 assists. Howard’s Todd Haskins later tied Trimble’s mark in 1989. Trimble scored one every game of the year, and finished his career having scored 61 goals, still the second most in county history to Oakland Mills Darryl Gee’s mark of 74 goals, between ‘76-79. Trimble’s 147 career points ranked second in county history, trailing only Gee (189), and now currently ranks third, with River Hill’s Adom Crew registering 154 points from ‘96-99 with the Hawks. Trimble was joined on the All-Met 1st team by midfielder Jon Eisner (7g, 4a), who Thomas’ called his co-Player of the Year. Lofty credentials considering the talent of Trimble. Eisner was the cornerstone of a defense that allowed just .38 goals per game. Cats keeper Ed Mortimer registered 10 shutouts, supported by All-County defenders David Anshen and Mike Rotsel, and buttressed by midfielders Chris Lee and Steve McCarthy.

The Cats became the third team (Sparrows Point ‘73-75, Oakland Mills ‘79-81) to win three state titles when they accomplished the feat in 1983, and became the first to win four straight when they finished with their first perfect season in the program’s history, and second unbeaten season (‘82). Coach Jack Thomas, who won four state titles in his first four years with the team, had coached the girls program before coming over to the boys side, starting a 62 game unbeaten streak with the Lady Cats, before it was ended by Oakland Mills in 1982.

1) ⬛️🟧 ‘80 Oakland Mills (16-0-0) Coach Al Goldstein >>> State Champions, County Champions, #1 in MD, USA #** - For most programs, losing the top player in the country would mean a setback, but not the ‘80 Oakland Mills Scorpions, not after Darryl Gee graduated to the NASL, as this year’s edition looked to be the best of all its editions, including the defending champion team of ‘79, and the state finalist team Gee led as a junior in ‘78. These Scorpions returned more than a handful of players from their ‘78 and ‘79 teams, including returning All-Mets Tommy Farron and keeper Kenny Bernstein. Also returning were juniors John McIntyre and Kenny Heydt, both who were key pieces for the ‘79 Scorpions.

The Scorpions outdueled #2 Calvert Hall, 1-0, in an early season matchup, to solidify their #1 ranking, as McIntyre provided the score, and Heydt shut down the eventual Baltimore Player of the Year, Tim Wittman. The Scorpions topped Washington Catholic League programs St Johns and Good Counsel, as well as some of the Cardinals MSA rivals, Cardinal Gibbons and Poly. The Scorpions got past up and coming Centennial, 1-0, then blanked defending county and regional champion Wilde Lake, 2-0, as Farron and McIntyre supplied the scoring. The Scorpions topped Mt Hebron, a regional finalist, 8-0. The Scorpions completed the regular season having allowed only two goals all season, posting ten shutouts in 12 games. Only once were they tied after an initial score, to St Johns.

After an opening with a regional semifinal win, the Scorpions faced Centennial again, after the Eagles had tussled as well as anyone had all season with the Scorpions in their first meeting. The 1980 regional final would be the first post-season meeting of what would be ten playoff matchups in a twelve year period, including times in the regional final. McIntyre gave the Scorpions 1-0 lead by intermission, before the Eagles tied it up ten minutes into the second half. McIntyre scored on a lob from Doug Southall, who assisted on both goals, for the game-winner. The state semifinals and state championship turned into cakewalks, as the Scorpions routed North Carroll, 4-0, in the semifinal, before blanking JM Bennett, 3-0, in the final, with Farron scoring a pair, and sophomore Matt Smith adding another, all within a 12 minute window. The Scorpions became the first county school to win back-to-back state championships.

Coach Goldstein was named as the Sun’s Coach of the Year, after his side outscored their opponents, 46-3, and finished as the top ranked team in the state. Ten of the Scorpions 16 victories were quality wins, with eight wins over the regions top 25 teams, including four versus the next six ranked teams in the Baltimore area - #2 Calvert Hall, #5 Centennial (twice), and #7 Poly. Two others not included among the eight were over regional champion North Carroll, and state finalist JM Bennett. The .19 goals allowed per game that season ranks as the second lowest (‘87 CEN - .13) in county history. Farron (15g, 6a) was named to the All-Met 1st team for a second time, and to the All-County for a third time. Juniors McIntyre (8g, 8a) and Heydt joined Farron on the All-Met 1st team, while Bernstein, who posted 13 shutouts in 16 games, was named to the All-Met second team. Bernstein’s 13 blank sheets are tied with Centennial’s Glen Meininger (‘87) for the most in a season in county history. Four Scorpions from the ‘80 championship team were named to the Sun’s 20th Anniversary All-Met team, honoring the best of the best in the Baltimore region from 1966 through 1985 - Farron, McIntyre, Heydt, and Bernstein. Farron joined fellow Scorpions, Gee and Rob Ryerson, on the eleven man first team.

** - pre-dated national rankings
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