B-CC High School Athletics: Soccer Results-Girls

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Bethesda-Chevy Chase senior forward Hannah Richardson is fast; she was part of the Class 3A champion 4x800-meter relay squad at last year's state indoor track championships and finished second in the 800 dash. Fortunately for the Barons' girls soccer squad, she's almost as fast with the ball at her feet.

Richardson exploded up the right side of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County field in the 27th minute of Thursday's Class 3A state championship game against Harford County's Fallston. Once she reached full velocity, the previously undefeated Cougars had little chance of catching her as she lofted an angled ball into the upper left corner of the net to send the Barons on their way to a 2-0 victory.

B-CC's 14th shutout of 2008 clinched its third state title — the last coming in 2004 — and sealed the Barons' first perfect season at 17-0. Thursday's loss was the only blemish on Fallston's record; the Cougars finished 17-1.

"Scoring first [Thursday] was extremely important; it alleviates the butterflies," B-CC coach Rob Kurtz said. "I knew once we scored one, we'd get another."

Richardson, who came off the bench to tally 6 goals and 4 assists this fall, isn't even the team's most well-known Hannah; That would be four-year leading scorer Hannah Cooper, who finished the year with 26 goals and 11 assists.

"Hannah Richardson is only a sub because I know when I put her in, wherever I put her in whatever position, she will bring us a lot of energy," Kurtz said. "She's a starter in my mind; at the end of the game, she's on the field."

The beauty of Barons soccer is the plethora of supporting cast members capable of making an impact. Freshman Kara Klontz finished a pass from freshman defender Hannah Levin in the 29th minute to put B-CC up 2-0 for good. It was Klontz's fourth goal of the year and Levin's second assist.

Though the title-winning victory broke a mini-drought, B-CC has been arguably the best team in the state the last four years. They have legitimate superstars in Cooper and U-15 U.S. National team midfielder Alex Doll (11 goals, 19 assists). But they were far from alone; the Barons scored a county-high 87 goals in '08.

Seventeen players netted at least one and six scored at least five goals: Cooper, Doll, Richardson, sophomore Victoria Gersh (11, 9) and junior Owyn Manson (8,6).

Four-year starting midfielders Zita DePetris and Hillary Goldman controlled the middle for B-CC, each tallying six assists.

Fallston had occasional opportunities in the second half Thursday, though the Barons dropped back and played a more counterattacking style in the game's latter stages. But as dominant as B-CC's offense is, its defense has been just as impressive.

It plays with just three in the back, but led by Levin, senior Charlotte Detchon, junior Mallory MacRostie and senior goalie Hannah Hoffman, they gave up just five goals all year. And they completely shut down Fallston's dangerous attack, which outscored opponents 73-11 this season.

"Our defense has been superior this season," Kurtz said. "They've allowed an extremely low amount of goals and shut out most of our opponents. And to play with only three in the back is extremely uncommon at this level."

B-CC will lose eight seniors this year, but they went out with a well-deserved bang.

"From the beginning of the year, I'd hoped we'd be able to go all the way," Cooper said. "I thought we would get here last year; it was really disappointing to lose in the regional final. We had the skill and chemistry this year and we really stepped it up in playoffs."

CATONSVILLE, Md., Nov. 13 -- Two goals in 1 minute 57 seconds of a soccer game will do loads for the confidence level of any team. When those tallies come in the state championship and provide a two-goal cushion, the smiles on the faces of the fortunate team's players become wider with each passing minute.

Such was the case for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls in Thursday night's 3A championship against Fallston at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. The No. 3 Barons barely missed an early scoring opportunity when an 11th-minute header hit the post, but they connected on goals in the 26th and 28th minutes for a 2-0 victory and a 17-0 season.

"Scoring first alleviates the butterflies in the belly of the players and coach," B-CC Coach Rob Kurtz said. "I felt if we got one and got the weight off our shoulders, we were going to get more. And getting that second one really solidified it."

Fallston came into the game 17-0 and ranked No. 2 in the Baltimore region by the Baltimore Sun. The Cougars had lost only once in the past two years (the 2007 region final) and were averaging 4.4 goals per game.

But B-CC had the upper hand offensively throughout, and kept Fallston goalie Marissa Hyde busy with 10 shots on net, including plenty of activity inside the 18-yard box.

"They were a good team. Bottom line is we knew we had to play our A-game and we came out a little scared," Fallston Coach Alyson Cammann said. "They possessed the ball better, and we got thrown off our game tonight."

Sophomore Alex Doll nearly put B-CC ahead in the 11th minute with a nice header from 5 yards out that Hyde could not reach. But it glanced off the left post. A few minutes later, the Barons missed another opportunity when Hyde deflected Hannah Cooper's nice cross to the center of the box.

But with 13:58 left in the first half, B-CC senior Hannah Richardson became a playmaker. She stole a ball in the box as Fallston attempted to clear, turned, and booted the ball to the top left corner of the net.

The Barons made it 2-0 just under two minutes later when freshman Hannah Levin played a nice ball to the top of the box. Freshman Kara Klontz caught up to it, dribbled in, and scored just inside the right post.

"We really prepared, and came in trying not to underestimate them," Cooper said. "From the beginning of the season we thought we could go all the way, with our skill and our chemistry."

B-CC 2, Fallston 0
Potent Offense: B-CC outscored its opponents, 88-5, in 17 games and posted 14 shutouts. Against playoff competition, the Barons were equally as dominant, outscoring their five opponents, 17-1.
Big Scorer: Senior forward Hannah Cooper was a critical factor in B-CC completing an undefeated season, scoring 26 goals, assisting on 11 others and taking a team-high 74 shots.

Nov. 14, Gazette.net: B-CC: State champions

Barons girls soccer program finishes off perfect season with third title

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team was up 2-0 in the first half of Thursday's Class 3A state final against Harford County's Fallston. But Barons coach Rob Kurtz was still nervously pacing the University of Maryland-Baltimore County sidelines.

"When you're up 2-0, that's the dangerous one; that's the score you don't want," Kurtz said. "Because then it's like 2-1, here we come. I was really pushing for that third goal in the first half."

Despite a plethora of chances, the Barons didn't get that third goal. But they did shut down the previously undefeated Cougars for the 2-0 win. B-CC's 14th shutout of 2008 clinched its third state title, the last coming in 2004, and sealed the Barons' first-ever perfect season at 17-0.

"From the beginning of the year I'd hoped we'd be able to go all the way," said four-year leading scorer Hannah Cooper, who ended the year with 26 goals and 11 assists. "I thought we would get here last year; it was really disappointing to lose in the regional final. We had the skill and chemistry this year and we really stepped it up in playoffs."

Two minutes was all it took for B-CC to knock Fallston (17-1) out of Thursday's final. The Barons controlled the pace the majority of the time and took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute when senior Hannah Richardson perfectly lofted an angled ball into the upper left corner of the net.

One minute, 57 seconds later, freshman defender Hannah Levin rolled a pass to classmate Kara Klontz, who flicked a left-footed shot just inside the right post to give the Barons a 2-0 lead.

The Cougars, trailing for the first time all year, couldn't recover.

"We had a tough time [Thursday] night," Fallston senior forward Monica Fischer, who finished the year with 16 goals and 19 assists, said. "B-CC is probably the strongest team we faced all year. They possessed the ball well and we couldn't contain them. We kept chasing and we couldn't get our formation together. They played really quick and they knew where they were putting every ball."

Fallston had a few opportunities in the second half; the Barons dropped back and played a more counterattacking style late Thursday. But as dominant as B-CC's offense is — having scored 87 goals — its defense has been just as impressive.

The Barons play with only three in the back, but led by Levin, senior Charlotte Detchon, Mallory MacRostie and goalie Hannah Hoffman, they've given up only 5 goals. And they completely shut down Fallston's dangerous attack, which outscored opponents 73-11 this fall.

"Our defense has been superior this season," Kurtz said. "They've allowed an extremely low amount of goals [and] shut out most of our opponents. And to play with only three in the back is extremely uncommon at this level …

"Scoring first [Thursday] was extremely important. It alleviates the butterflies. I knew once we scored one, we'd get another."

Nov. 14, Baltimore Sun: Fallston's season ends imperfectly

Cougars can't complete unbeaten year

It happened in a flash for the Fallston girls soccer team, and it came at the wrong time and place.

The No.2 Cougars were just getting settled, 15 minutes into last night's Class 3A state title game against Bethesda-Chevy Chase at UMBC Stadium, when Bethesda senior forward Hannah Richardson took the ball away from a Cougars defender inside the penalty area and promptly finished from 8 yards.

Less than two minutes later, Barons freshman midfielder Kara Klontz added a goal. The Cougars, who took an undefeated record into the title game, would never recover, losing, 2-0, to a Bethesda-Chevy Chase team that was a little faster, a little more skilled and a little more confident.

Fallston closed out a fine season with a 17-1 mark, while the Barons completed a perfect 17-0 season with their third state championship. It was the second straight year Fallston had taken a perfect record into the playoffs; Wilde Lake upset the Cougars in last year's regional final game.

"The last two years we were like 33-2, and that's an accomplishment in itself. Each year, we just had bad luck at the end of the season, but we still accomplished so much," said Vicki Gustitis, a senior defender for Fallston.

Fallston rarely trailed all season, which made trying to come from behind that much harder. The Barons, who outshot the Cougars 10-3, maintained the same push throughout the second half to keep the safe distance.

"It was hard. I told everyone to keep their heads up and that we had 40 minutes left, but we couldn't get through with anything," said Fallston senior forward Monica Fischer, who finished a fine career with 16 goals and 19 assists but was frustrated by double teams all night.

Nov. 14, DigitalSports.net: Girls Soccer 3A State Finals: B-CC 2, Fallston 0

The talent-laden Barons keep cool and score two quick goals in the first half to win the 3A title

[Photos and videos on line]

It seems that Bethesda-Chevy Chase Coach Rob Kurtz may have been more nervous than his players Thursday night before they won the 3A girls soccer state championship, 2-0, over Fallston.

Kurtz kept busy during the day, but once he went through his pregame ritual of buying a diet Coke and PowerBar the nerves hit him. They hit him again when he saw the UMBC stadium lights.

His players, meanwhile, sat in the locker room throwing things at each other before the game and struck individual poses during the player introductions.

“We’re a goofy group,” senior Bethesda-Chevy Chase midfielder Hillary Goldman said.

“I never had any doubts during the game; we just came out and just did what needed to be done,” senior midfielder Zita DePetris added. “We really achieved every goal we had for the season.”

That ability to be loose and confident may have been the difference in Thursday night’s game. The Barons jumped on a seemingly tense Fallston team early, creating a pair of golden scoring chances before putting in two goals in a matter of one minute, 57 seconds.

They were the only goals Bethesda-Chevy Chase would need to cap the Barons’ first-ever undefeated season. It is the program’s third state championship and first since 2004.

“We’re seniors, we’ve experienced almost everything,” defender Charlotte Detchon said, her arms draped over two fellow seniors. “We knew what to do and we just did it.”

Bethesda-Chevy Chase (17-0) entered the season with high expectations after a devastating loss in the 3A West region finals last season. Despite graduating 11 seniors, seven of which who went on to play college soccer, the Barons knew they had the talent to match or surpass last year’s team. Consequently, the Barons had only played three close games all season before Thursday night.

Fallston has been just as dominant the past couple of seasons. Fallston (17-1) had only lost once during the past two years and had outscored its opponents this season a combined 73-12.

But when it came time to crown a champion, B-CC clearly was the better team and certainly seemed more relaxed, yet focused.

“I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves before this game even started,” Fallston Coach Alyson Cammann said. “They played a smart game. They played how we normally play.”

B-CC didn’t waste any time taking control of the game. Barons sophomore Alex Doll put a header off the crossbar just more than 10 minutes into the game and B-CC kept applying the pressure.

Then, with 13:58 remaining in the first half, senior Hannah Richardson tore down the right sideline and hit a tough-angled shot inside the right near post for the Barons’ first goal. Richardson entered the game with five goals and five assists for 15 points, ranking her 6th on the team in scoring.

“All of a sudden we had this great breakthrough and I felt the speed,” Richardson said. “It’s one of those things where you see an opening and you just go for it.”

Only one minute, 57 seconds later, freshman Hannah Levin won a ball in the midfield and played through to freshman Kara Klontz, who poked the ball just inside the right far post to give the Barons a two-goal lead. Klontz entered the game with three goals and two assists, ranking her ninth on the team in points.

“We were able to score so many goals from different positions,” said senior forward Hannah Cooper, who led the Barons in scoring this season with 26 goals and 11 assists. “So many different players stepped up.”

The Barons still had several more quality scoring chances before the end of the half, including one as the horn signaling the end of the first half sounded. B-CC brought more defenders back during the second half and snuffed out any real threat.

“When you train for these events you hope everything comes together at one time and it came together for us tonight,” Kurtz said. “I think we actually played an A-game tonight.”

Nov. 13, Baltimore Sun: Today's state soccer finals

GIRLS CLASS 3A

No. 2 Fallston (17-0) vs. Bethesda-Chevy Chase (17-0)

When, where: 7:30 p.m., UMBC

Outlook: Both teams are enjoying undefeated seasons. The Cougars, winners of two state titles in the mid-1990s, dominated the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference and have outscored their four playoff opponents 17-1 in reaching the title game. Balance up front has played a big role in the team's succes with seniors Monica Fischer (16 goals, 19 assists), Jill Dozier (13, 12) and Erin Lynn (13, 9) all capable of putting the ball in the net, with sophomore M Penelope Fantis (nine, eight) a creative playmaker in the middle. The Barons, who have won two state crowns, also bring plenty of firepower, led by senior Hannah Cooper's 26 goals and 11 assists. Possessing the ball and goalkeeper play - the Cougars rely on senior Marissa Hyde, with Hannah Hoffman in goal for the Barons - will play key roles in which team wins its third state crown.

THE BALTIMORE SUN'S PICK: Fallston

After tight win over Hereford, Barons face Fallston for girls soccer championship

Thirty-four minutes had passed in Saturday's Class 3A girls soccer state semifinal, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase still hadn't scored on Baltimore County's Hereford. The game, at North Point High in Waldorf, was just the third time all season the Barons didn't score in the first 10 minutes.

But U-15 U.S. National Team midfielder Alex Doll finally eased B-CC's nerves in the 35th minute. The sophomore finished a cross from senior forward Hannah Richardson to give the Barons a 1-0 lead that would last the rest of the night.

The goal was Doll's 12th of the year; she has also tallied 19 assists. Saturday's win clinched B-CC's fifth state final appearance and second in three years. The Barons (16-0) have won two state titles, most recently in 2004.

Saturday marked Hereford's fifth state tournament appearance, and first since the Bulls' only state championship in 2000. Hereford finished the year 11-4-1.

B-CC will battle Harford County's Fallston, which eliminated Calvert County's Northern on penalty kicks in Saturday's other semifinal, in the state championship game. They will play Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County in Catonsville.

"It's been an awesome journey," Doll said. "I'm so happy for the seniors; they can end their career on a happy note. Last year was such a sad ending [in the regional final] …

"I think in the beginning we were a little bit nervous; states is a big deal. We had a lot of chances but we didn't capitalize. But we were able to get that one. That's something we'll have to work on."

With players the caliber of Doll, senior forward Hannah Cooper (26 goals, 11 assists) and sophomore Vic Gersh (11, 19) up top, among others, B-CC has scored 86 goals this year. So, understandably, much of the attention has been on its well-crafted offense.

But its back line, helmed by senior goalie Hannah Hoffman, senior Charlotte Detchon and freshman Hannah Levin, has been just as strong. The Barons only play with three at the back, but their speed and tenacity makes it seem like there are five or six defenders back there.

The Barons' defense has only allowed five goals and shut out 13 opponents this fall. And it's come up huge in the postseason. B-CC has been just as reliant on its ability to shut down opposing offenses as on its own to score.

"To do what we do, the three have to be real solid," B-CC coach Rob Kurtz said. "And that's a true test to them. Hannah Hoffman, Charlotte, Hannah Levin, the defense, they've all had MVP-caliber seasons. The defense is the foundation. It all starts from the defense."

B-CC uncharacteristically struggled to finish some chances Saturday. The Barons weren't getting the strong final touches in the box they're used to, but as they've done all year, netted one when they needed it.

The Barons have been so dominant this fall, but the opponents get better as you advance in the state tournament. Fallston (17-0), anchored by senior forwards Monica Fischer (16, 19), Jill Dozier (13, 12) and Erin Lynn (13, 9), has outscored its opponents, 72-11.

It'll be important for the Barons to play with the poise and intellect that's carried them this far.

"B-CC brings so much experience to the field," Hereford coach Nancy Ferguson said. "Players like that raise the level of everyone on the field. They have a solid team from the first girl to the last girl. They're knowledgeable and patient; they're just an extremely composed team."

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls' soccer team moved one game away from a perfect season at North Point High in Waldorf with a convincing 1-0 victory over Hereford in the Maryland 3A semifinals. The Barons will meet Fallston next weekend for the state title.

"We've done some great things in our years, and I'm sure an undefeated season would be one of the greatest things we've done," said B-CC Coach Rob Kurtz, in his eighth year. "But it's never come up. We talk about playing good soccer every day, and every day getting better."

After numerous first-half chances, Barons sophomore Alex Doll connected in the 35th minute for the game's only goal.

"I pretty much chested it down and saw the far post opened," Doll said. "I just volleyed it in."

"When we step on the field, it's not in our heads," Doll said. "Every game is a challenge."

WALDORF -- With her team generating many scoring chances, all of which were coming up empty, Bethesda-Chevy Chase sophomore Alex Doll figured it was time that she did her part to make things a little less dramatic in the Barons' 3A semifinal against the Hereford Bulls on Saturday night at North Point High.

"We had so many chances. I missed a breakaway earlier," Doll said. "That really pushed me. I wanted to get one and knew I had to get one after that. I couldn't let everyone down."

Doll finally converted one of the Barons' many opportunities with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Her goal stood up as Bethesda-Chevy Chase, which has only allowed five goals on the season, produced its 13th shutout of the year in the 1-0 win over Hereford. The Barons advance to the 3A championship game against Fallston.

"It was a great game tonight," said Bethesda-Chevy Chase coach Rob Kurtz. "Hereford really did a great job, I thought, played hard. A couple of those chances could have gone in early and made it a much different game."

With the win, Bethesda-Chevy Chase (16-0), which won state championships in 2001 and 2004, advances back to the state championship game for the first time since 2006.

"It's another couple days of practice with my seniors who are graduating and that's really all we want," Kurtz said.

After a few Hereford (11-4-1) opportunites in the early going, the Barons dominated play through the duration of the first half. But time and again, until Doll's tally late, the Barons came away with nothing.

"I don't think they ever get down," Kurtz said of his team and its stuggle to find the net early. "I think there was a little bit of frustration."

But when Doll converted off the cross from Hannah Richardson, that frustration lifted. Having allowed just five goals on the season, and those coming in three games, putting the first goal up on the scoreboard allowed the Barons to feel confident that the lead would hold up through the second half. But the semifinal marked the first time all season that the Barons have scored less than two goals.

"Usually after two or three, I wouldn't say one," Kurtz said of his level of confidence when his team scores. "But we committed four defenders to say one is enough, but we didn't want one. Two goals is a much different game."

Though Hereford's season came to an end, Coach Nancy Ferguson was pleased with the effort the team gave throughout the semifinal. The Bulls enjoyed a season which featured a pair of wins over perennially-strong Catonsville, including a win in the regional semifinals.

"I'm just so proud," Ferguson said. "They're 23 girls that have enormous heart and desire. Certainly our skill level is not at the level of B-CC, but you keep preaching to them that you play hard and you make things happen on the field and that's what they did."

The Barons move on with the chance to finish a perfect campaign in the coming week's championship game against Fallston, which itself is unbeaten after a penalty-kick win over Northern in Saturday night's other semifinal.

"I'm just happy to get a victory, get a shutout," Kurtz said, "and to get a chance to win a state title next week sometime."

The scoreboard clock at Monday's Class 3A West Region girls soccer final between defending state champion Urbana and host Bethesda-Chevy Chase had stopped, but the official time was kept on the field, and the final whistle hadn't blown.

Barons coach Rob Kurtz nervously paced the sidelines through 4 long minutes of stoppage time. But it was worth the wait.

B-CC held on to a 2-1 victory, avenging a loss to Urbana in last year's regional final. Owyn Manson tied the game after the Hawks went ahead, and senior Hilary Goldman scored the game winner with about 10 minutes left to play.

"I'm so excited, I don't even know how excited I am," Kurtz said. "Any time you play Urbana, you're worried. We have a lot of respect for them. This is something you prepare for the whole season. I think it shows the character of our team."

The top-seeded Barons' fifth regional title in eight years lifted the spirits at B-CC after the boys team, also seeded first and defending last year's state championship, fell 1-0 to No. 3 Tuscarora in the first game of Monday's doubleheader.

The girls, looking for their first state title since 2004 and third overall, will play the winner between Towson and Hereford at North Point High School Saturday at 5 p.m. for a spot in the state championship game.

Monday marked the fifth regional tournament meeting between B-CC (15-0-0) and Urbana (8-5-1) in six years; the Barons closed the gap to 3-2 head-to-head with the victory.

After a scoreless first half, Urbana took a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute when junior midfielder Julie Ruhe darted up the middle to score her seventh goal in four postseason contests. It was just the fifth goal B-CC had allowed this fall and first since its 5-2 win over Poolesville Sept. 19.

But the Barons pressured Hawks senior goalie Caroline Browning all night, outshooting Urbana, 9-4. They finally reaped the benefits when Manson knocked in a pass from sophomore midfielder Alex Doll to even the score in the 66th minute.

Goldman then got the title-winning goal in the 74th minute, finishing a corner kick from Lesley Baseman.

"Rob and I have a long, painful history," Urbana coach Chuck Nichols said. "One of us is always crushed when the game is over. B-CC, top-to-bottom, is maybe the best-skilled team we face. You can either change what you're doing or try and survive their onslaught."

Nov. 4, DigitalSports.com: Girls Soccer: Bethesda-Chevy Chase 2, Urbana 1

Barons rally from behind to beat a tough Urbana squad in the 3A West region final

There’s a lot of history between Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Urbana girls’ soccer teams. And a lot of it is painful for the Barons, including last year’s region finals loss in penalty kicks.

But Monday’s comeback 2-1 win over Urbana in the 3A West region final wasn’t spurred on by revenge, Barons Coach Rob Kurtz said. It was a testament simply to the character of this Bethesda-Chevy Chase team.

“I think what motivated us this year was to win this game, that the season wasn’t going to end this night,” Kurtz said. “To come back and get two goals in the final 15 minutes, it says a lot about this team and our senior leadership that they were not going to lose this game.”

The character of the Barons (15-0) was certainly tested in this, their fourth meeting with Urbana in the 3A West finals in the past five years.

Urbana played a very physical game and tirelessly pressured the ball, living and dying on winning 50/50 balls. Bethesda-Chevy Chase was able to neutralize or match that for the first half, but about eight minutes into the second half, Urbana scored the game’s first goal.

“At times I thought they were going to be really tired because they were playing with one forward, but like always they find a way to dig down deep and they don’t stop ever,” Kurtz said of Urbana. “They truly wear you down.”

The Barons responded with a solid 10-minute burst in which they barely missed on several chances, including one by leading scorer Hannah Cooper.

Finally, with the crowd at a fevered pitch, the Barons tied the game when Urbana’s goalie bobbled the ball and Owyn Manson, with a girl on her back, poked the ball with her toe into the upper right-hand corner of the goal with about 15 minutes left in regulation.

“You just saw the faces just turn and you saw our legs just go, ‘OK, here we go, second gear,’” Kurtz said. “And then it was on.”

The Barons further increased the pressure and with about eight minutes remaining, Hillary Goldman gave Bethesda-Chevy Chase the lead with a header off a corner kick that also skipped off an Urbana defender.

“It was like a scrum,” Kurtz said. “It was hard to tell what really happened.”

But only two minutes later the Barons were again tested. Senior defensive leader Charlotte Detchon took a hard knee and had to leave the game. Kurtz said he looked to the bench and saw six girls who wanted to be the one to go in.

After shuffling some positions around he had girls with limited defensive experience on the back line to hold off Urbana.

“The four minutes of extra stoppage time felt like 25 minutes,” Kurtz said. “We played out what I think was as close to a state final as you could be. It was a competitive, in-your-face game for all 84 minutes.”

Bulls rally with five second half goals for Class 3A North crown; Bethesda-Chevy Chase's next in state semifinals

Hereford High girls' soccer Nancy Ferguson was a little concerned going into Monday's Class 3A North Region title game against Towson. The Bulls had to play early in the afternoon and didn't have school Monday.

After a slow start, Hereford dominated the host Generals over the final 40 minutes for a 5-1 victory to advance to the state 3A Final Four. Sophomore Tori Stout scored two goals for the Bulls, and Lily Novak and Brittani Genco added a goal and an assist.

Hereford (11-3-1 overall) will play Bethesda-Chevy Chase in a state semifinal Saturday afternoon at 5 at North Point. Bethesda-Chevy Chase ended Urbana's title reign with a 2-1 victory Monday evening.

It will be the first trip to the state Final Four for the Bulls since sharing the 2A crown with Middletown. The Bulls overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit in a contest that tip-off at 1:30 p.m.

"We were concerned because the girls weren't in school today, coming off a weekend, having to play at 1:30, nothing's normal," said Hereford coach Nancy Ferguson. "They [Towson] totally outplayed us in the first half. We were playing not lose."

"We had an amazing fire at halftime," said Bulls junior defender Parisa Kaliush. "We've been in this position like that before and knew we could come back."

Kaluish, Jenna Cimino, Sara Wannlund, Jess Rae shut down the Generals as Kelsey Wertz and Katie Miller each posted two saves in goal. After losing 4-0 during the regular season, Towson had the early advantage, thanks to a goal by Bronwyn Dunk.

The Bulls came to life in the second half. Rae had a goal and Kelsey Mattola provided an assist.

"It's not one or two individuals," said Ferguson, "just everyone digging down and doing what they supposed to do."

BETHESDA -- Urbana's reign as the Class 3A state champions in girls soccer came to a tearful end Monday night against a familiar opponent.

Top-seeded host Bethesda Chevy-Chase scored two goals in the final 15 minutes to beat the Hawks, 2-1, and win the 3A West regional championship.

It was the fifth regional playoff meeting between the teams in the last six years, including four regional finals. Urbana fell to 3-2 in the series.

Last year's regional final at BCC was decided in dramatic fashion, as the Hawks prevailed in penalty kicks on their way to the state title.

"They are so skilled and so well organized," Urbana coach Chuck Nichols said. "If I was a betting man, I'd bet on BCC."

The Hawks (8-5-1) jumped ahead with 36 minutes, 35 seconds left in the second half on junior Julie Ruhe's seventh playoff goal in four playoff games.

Sister Amie Ruhe crossed the ball to Julie, who beat BCC goalkeeper Hannah Hoffman with a low shot inside the post. It was the first goal the Barons have given up since a Sept. 19 win over Poolesville and just the fifth overall.

With 14:50 to play, the Barons snapped Urbana's five-game scoreless streak as Owyn Manson knocked in a rebound from a short distance.

The game-winner was scored with 5:55 remaining as Hillary Goldman converted a header off a corner kick by Lesley Baseman.

The Hawks never had a great opportunity to respond as the final minutes ticked away.

"We only made four or five mistakes in the whole game and they punished us on two of them," Nichols said.

After the game was over, the Urbana players, many with tear-stained faces, gathered around Nichols for some consolatory words.

On their run to the regional title game as the No. 11 seed in the 3A West, the Hawks beat No. 6 seed Wheaton, No. 3 seed Paint Branch and No. 2 seed Damascus without allowing a goal.

Nichols laughed when he heard Urbana might have been the most dangerous No. 11 seed in playoff history.

"I am really proud of my girls. We won seven straight games until tonight. Five shutouts," he said.

"You know, we were playing our best soccer at the end of the season. I don't know what more I can ask of my team."

In the 3A West Region, No. 3 Bethesda-Chevy Chase notched a 2-1 win over defending 3A champion Urbana, a team the Barons lost to in the region final last year on penalty kicks.

"Our seniors this year had a little extra energy tonight to not have Urbana end our season two years in a row," B-CC Coach Rob Kurtz said. ...

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team converted seven of its eight shots on goal in the first half of Friday's Class 3A West Region semifinal against visiting Seneca Valley to secure an 8-0 win.

The top-seeded Barons (14-0-0) will host defending state champion Urbana, a 3-0 winner over No. 2 Damascus Friday, in the regional final. The duel will be a rematch of last year's final, won by Urbana in penalty kicks.

B-CC has won the region four times since 2001 and is looking for its first state title since 2004, second overall.

"For us, Urbana is one of few teams that comes here and beats us," B-CC coach Rob Kurtz said. "The only way to regain that edge is to beat them. And this year, if there was going to be a year, this should be the year we're able to do that…

"I'd be happy to play anyone in the region final, but we're excited for the opportunity to be in the region final, to be at home and to have a good game against a good team."

The Barons, who have outscored their opponents 83-4 this season, have scored in the first 10 minutes of all but one game. Friday was no different. Senior midfielder Hillary Goldman, sidelined for all of '07 with an injury, knocked in a pass from Owyn Manson to give B-CC a 1-0 lead 1 minute into Friday's contest.

Sophomore midfielder Vic Gersh made it 2-0 in the fifth minute with her first of two goals and sophomore midfielder, U-15 U.S. National Team member Alex Doll, scored her first of two goals in the ninth minute to put B-CC ahead, 3-0.

Freshman Kara Klontz scored on a corner kick in the 19th minute to make it 4-0, senior forward Hannah Cooper scored her team-high 26th goal off an assist from Doll in the 33rd minute and Doll scored from Cooper in the 39th minute to give B-CC a 7-0 halftime lead.

"They're just too good," Seneca Valley coach Claude Sayag said. "This B-CC team is a team that could probably beat half the boys teams in Montgomery County. It's always a pleasure to see a team like that play; the talking, the passing. But no matter the outcome, I'm still very proud of my girls."

The Barons had the Screaming Eagles (6-8-0) on their heels from the get-go Friday and Seneca didn't handle it well in the first half. But the Eagles regained their composure in the second half and started to push forward more effectively.

Led by freshman Denise Gatcham and sophomores Mackenzie Bankins and Jasmine Sampson, Seneca had four good looks at a goal in the second half but was unable to capitalize.

Barons junior goalie Francie Jaffe, who tallied three saves in the second half, scored B-CC's final goal on a penalty kick in the 63rd minute.

There's a famous NFL Films instrumental called "The Autumn Wind," a song depicting the Oakland Raiders: an incomparable team of renegades who brave the elements and always manages victory.

On a Tuesday night featuring freezing temperature and treacherous wind, you could almost hear John Facenda's staccato voice mouthing the words:

"The autumn wind is a Baron, pillaging just for fun. She'll knock you around and upside down, until she has conquered and won."

It may or may not be a renegade, but the undefeated Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team (13-0) used the miserable conditions to its advantage, playing the wind tactically in a 4-0 victory over Tuscarora in their 3A West Region playoff debut.

The No. 1 seed entering the tournament, the Barons continued what has been one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory, at least in Montgomery County; they have now outscored opponents 75-4, and their shutout of the longtime Frederick County power was their 11th in 13 games.

"The wind tonight played such a huge factor; it must have been at least 20 miles per hour," said Barons coach Rob Kurtz. "It gave us a decision we went through a bunch of times: Do we go out and try to score a bunch or play defensive? We won the toss, we got that first goal right into the wind; all you had to do was get the ball up in the air and the ball was going to go to the nearest point. We felt we needed at least a couple goals for the wind to be an advantage, and it was."

In actuality, the wind may have aided the Barons on their first two goals. The first was an own goal 14 minutes into the first half, off a 20-yard kick that nosedived into the Titan box, scrambled between numerous Tuscarora and B-CC players, and somehow wound up in the back of the net.

The second goal was more direct, though just as wind-aided, as senior captain Hilary Goldman found herself alone 15 yards from goal. She side-volleyed a high, twisting shot into the air that the wind curved southbound, just underneath the crossbar. Almost miraculously, the ball hit the bar and went straight down, giving B-CC a 2-0 lead by the narrowest of margins.

After Goldman's first goal of the year 8 minutes into the second half, the Barons began dominating. They got their third goal when senior Hannah Cooper played a longball to freshman Kara Klontz, who outraced defenders and easily knocked home her second finish of the season.

Cooper, a dynamic striker and two-time All-Gazette first-teamer, put in her team-leading 25th goal late in the game for the coup de grace.

The Barons next face No. 4 seed Seneca Valley, which ousted Einstein Thursday night, in the region semifinals.

Top-seeded Bethesda-Chevy Chase (11-0) leads 3A West action with a first-round bye and will face the winner of Tuscarora-Kennedy to start the postseason. . . .

Walter Johnson handed Blair its first loss, 2-1, and moved up to No. 6, while Arundel enters at No. 7 and meets No. 10 South River today in the Anne Arundel championship. . . . Pallotti exits with a loss to John Carroll.

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team is as prepared as it has ever been for the Class 3A West Region tournament. But it's not for the obvious reason, being that the Barons are 10-0 and, as of the end of the weekend, on their way to a second-consecutive undefeated regular season.

The No. 1 seed in the 2007 draw, B-CC suffered a heart-wrenching 5-4 penalty-kick loss to eventual state champion Urbana in the regional final. It was the team's second regional final loss to the Hawks in five years.

If they're going to get back to the state semifinals, the '01 and '04 state champs will have to weather a strong field of contenders, including county foes Damascus (7-3-0), Paint Branch (5-5-1), Seneca Valley (5-5-0) and Watkins Mill (4-7-0) and Frederick County nemeses Tuscarora (3-6-1) and Urbana (4-4-1).

The Montgomery 3A/2A/1A East Division champion Barons have dominated, outscoring their opponents 60-4. They've tallied seven straight shutouts and haven't allowed a goal since their 5-2 win over 3A/2A/1A West champion Poolesville, Sept. 19.

The Barons are led up top by a scoring machine, senior Hannah Cooper (20 goals, 8 assists), U-15 U.S. National Team midfielder Alex Doll (8, 13), and four-year varsity players Zita DePetris and Hillary Goldman.

Their versatility signifies the Barons' uniquely dangerous trait; anyone on the field can push forward and create offensively. They've relied heavily on Cooper and Doll, but six other players have at least two goals apiece, including Victoria Gersh, who has contributed six with nine assists.

Damascus is enjoying its best season in four years. Feisty and physical, it's led up top by Tina Ramirez de Arellano (6 goals, 6 assists) and Mary Hunkeler (1, 6). Lindsey Derby and Heidi Alfaro, who have three goals apiece, have also been effective in the final third of the field.

Powered by their team speed, the Hornets have pulled out several close victories, including a double-overtime win over Clarksburg and an overtime ouster of Rockville. ...

Outside the county, Urbana is led by players such as Tori Eskay, Amie Ruhe (team-leading 4 goals) and Rachel Scott. Meanwhile, Tuscarora is anchored by senior Danielle Roos and junior Michelle Rock.

First round (Oct. 23-24)
No. 11 Urbana at No. 8 Wheaton
No. 10 Watkins Mill at No. 7 Frederick
No. 9 Kennedy at No. 8 Tuscarora

Quarterfinals (Oct. 28)
Kennedy or Tuscarora at No. 1 Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Watkins Mill or Frederick at No. 2 Damascus
Urbana or Wheaton at No. 3 Paint Branch
No. 5 Einstein at No. 4 Seneca Valley

Barons remain perfect but at least get a welcomed test from a good Whitman team

It was halftime at Whitman and Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s girls soccer team was feeling pressure for the first time.

Shockingly enough, the Barons weren’t winning already. So Coach Rob Kurtz looked around and told his girls to settle down.

“I said guys, ‘This is a game. This is truly a real game.’” Kurtz said. “And that’s exactly what we needed.”

Bethesda-Chevy Chase still beat Whitman, 2-0, Wednesday night, running its undefeated record to 9-0 this season. The two-goal differential was the closest game that the Barons played thus far this season.

“Last year we didn’t have many games that were close until the finals,” said sophomore Victoria Gersh, who scored the Barons’ second goal. “So I think it was good to have a challenge. We really pulled through and I think we did a good job.”

Entering the game, Bethesda-Chevy Chase had defeated its opponents by a combined score of 54-4. The Barons’ closest game came against Poolesville on Sept. 19 when they won 5-2. Since then, the Barons haven’t allowed a goal in six games while averaging just fewer than six goals per game.

Sophomore Alex Doll, who scored Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s first goal nearly 14 minutes into the second half, said the team was calm during halftime despite the tied score.

“We knew we could pull it off,” Doll said.

The Barons are grateful for the challenge considering last year’s first-half collapse in the 3A regional final against Urbana. In that game, Urbana stormed out to a 2-0 halftime lead before Bethesda-Chevy Chase got its legs. The Barons forced overtime but lost.

The loss was mainly attributed to being shocked when faced with a higher level of competition than the Barons had seen all year.

In an effort to stay sharp throughout the season, the Barons run simulations -- even during games. They will pretend they are down one goal or up one goal and play accordingly for practice.

Wednesday it was for real as Kurtz switched up the team’s formation to better counter Whitman’s four-forward set. Bethesda-Chevy Chase shifted an extra defender to the back line of three and also added another midfielder, allowing the team to quickly swarm to one side of the field or the other.

After Doll put the Barons up for good with a volley that she created off a corner kick, Bethesda-Chevy Chase had to ride out a Churchill flurry. The Barons were able to hold on and Gersh supplied her goal off a Doll assist just about nine minutes after Doll’s.

“To get another one was a great relief to us,” Kurtz said. “Whitman was outstanding tonight. We knew it would be a good game. Every year it’s a good game. It was nice to have a playoff soccer game in October.”

Eighth-year Bethesda-Chevy Chase coach Rob Kurtz has yelled at his charges more in the past week than he has all year, possibly ever. It's not that they're playing poorly; B-CC is 8-0-0, three games away from its second-straight undefeated regular season, and has outscored its opponents, 54-4.

But the Barons, No. 13 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America Region IV high-school rankings, are still reeling from last year's penalty-kick loss to Urbana in the Class 3A West Region final. As this year's postseason approaches, Kurtz wants to make sure they're ready for every possible situation.

"This group is doing things at a phenomenal rate, but we know there are tougher teams out there," Kurtz said. "My job is to keep the girls focused. We're 8-0 but we can't think we're that good. I probably say things I shouldn't say; I nitpick. But that's how you make sure you're as prepared as you can be."

Most high school teams have one or two standouts. B-CC certainly has that: senior leading scorer Hannah Cooper (17 goals), U-15 U.S. National Team-member Alex Doll (7) and Victoria Gersh (5). But what really separates the Barons is their depth. Kurtz plays 17 girls with confidence. And there's not much drop-off. ...

Best offense: B-CC. The Barons have scored a county-high 54 goals, have nine players who have scored at least twice and six who have tallied four or more.

Best defense: B-CC has also shut out six of its eight opponents and has given up just four total goals, none since Sept. 19.

The always powerful lady barons ended last season with one thing on their mind, redemption. After a heartbreaking defeat last year in the regional final game after being undefeated during the regular season, the girls have been on a mission preparing for their quest to win the state tournament. With a strong team consisting of five senior captains, the girls hope to win the title that was brutally stripped from them last year. Hillary Goldman, one of the team’s captains, said “the girl’s soccer team hasn’t won a state title since 2005 and we really hope to win this year.”

The lady Barons certainly have plenty of talent with five starting captains, Hillary Goldman, Charlotte Detchon, Zita DePetris, Hannah Hoffman, and Hannah Cooper. Another strong addition to the team is sophomore Alex Doll playing attacking center mid for the lady barons and who also represents the United States on the girls’ U-15 national team. However, the girls’ soccer team isn’t all fun and games. Along with grueling practices comes stress and exhaustion that leaves players “always tired and struggling to finish school work” says Goldman. “Normally all this stress would break players but in our case it brings us closer together as a team” says Detchon, “we just have fun together and we help each other get by.”

Although being such a close-knit group can lead to some disagreements such as the always tense jersey distribution. Emotions run wild with joy and sadness as players get the number they want or are crushed when they discover they get unlucky number thirteen. “There was a big fuss over jerseys this year” says DePetris, “people had real trouble finding the number and size that they wanted and a lot of people ended up unhappy.” “Even though some players didn’t end up with the numbers they wanted, in the end the only thing that matters is the baron on the front” said Hoffman, “we all just want to win states after it was taken away from us last year.”

The soccer games are always exhilarating to watch with girls clawing away every second to find some way to score, and often times they do as they showed in their season opener against Wootton as they easily won 7-2. While asked his favorite part about going to the girl’s soccer games, senior and long time fan of the lady Barons, Marcelo Von Glenn said he liked to bring the girls their halftime snacks as often as he could. Marcelo’s generosity has not gone unnoticed because when asked her favorite part of the games, Goldman responded “Marcelo’s delicious halftime treats are by far the highlight of every game.” Marcelo and many other dedicated soccer fans are already turning up to the girls’ games and cheering them on as they pursue their hunt for the state title. GO BARONS!

Bethesda-Chevy Chase senior forward Hannah Cooper and sophomore midfielder Alex Doll are two of the smallest players on the soccer field in Montgomery County, standing 5-foot-2 and 5-4, respectively. But together, they've forged one of its most powerful scoring tandems the past two years.

Cooper, 17, and Doll, 15, combined for 19 goals in the Barons' 2007 Class 3A West Region runner-up season, in which they ultimately fell in penalty kicks to Frederick County nemesis Urbana. Last fall marked the first undefeated regular season in coach Rob Kurtz's eight-year tenure.

This year, they've been even better. Doll — a member of the U-15 U.S. National Team — and Cooper — the team's leading scorer in each of her three seasons — have accounted for 15 of B-CC's 31 goals in 2008. The Barons (5-0) outscored their first five opponents 31-4, with Cooper knocking in 11 and Doll tallying four with five assists.

The two now aim to lead B-CC to its first state title since 2004, and third overall.

"The element they add to this team, they're great," Kurtz said. "It's really rare to have two girls [like that]. I mean, this whole team is rare, but these two stand out, to have two girls of this caliber."

However, mere statistics aren't all that distinguish Doll and Cooper, who scored two goals in B-CC's 5-0 win over Paint Branch Sept. 24. They possess all the skills of great soccer players: speed, nifty ball control, fearlessness, strength, field vision and awareness. Most importantly, they have the smarts to know how to use their talents effectively.

They not only look to score themselves, but to set their teammates up, too.

"Hannah has grown from a freshman who could score and finish in the box to such a complete player," said Kurtz. "And Alex, last year, did amazing things. I was overwhelmed by what she could do. And this year, she's already exceeded my expectations."

The Barons like to knock the ball around. They use the width of the field efficiently; they swing the ball side-to-side and front-to-back. And Doll plays an integral role linking the team's defense to Cooper and the Barons' striker line up top.

"Alex is just amazing," Cooper said. "She's more of a comfort than anything. Sometimes the team looks to me and is like, ‘Oh, we'll be fine because Hannah is going to score.' But I look to her and am like, ‘Oh, we'll be fine because Alex is going to set me up.' …

"Some people are good because they do one thing really well. Alex is a combination of everything."

Doll was just as quick to compliment Cooper, who will play soccer in college next year, but is currently undecided as to where.

"Hannah is an incredible goal scorer; she's ridiculous," Doll said. "She's really fast too. Anything I throw up there, she'll get to. We connect pretty well."

Doll and Cooper aren't the biggest or strongest players on the field at any given time. But they have the speed and skills to counter that. And their impact on Barons soccer far outweighs their physical stature.

"Hannah has just turned a corner and realized the potential for what she can do," Kurtz said. "A lot of girls leave B-CC and go on to successful Division I college careers. If she doesn't leave here as B-CC's best-ever player, she's definitely one of the best. She's so multidimensional. These two are outstanding scholar-athletes. No questions asked."

It was a first this season: Two minutes of a Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer match had gone by, and the Barons had yet to score.

But a down day for B-CC is still a darn good day for most other teams, and coach Rob Kurtz's squad still posted a convincing, 5-0 home win over Montgomery 3A/2A/1A East Division foe Paint Branch Wednesday.

Last year the Barons went 13-0, their first undefeated regular season in Kurtz's eight-year tenure. Wednesday's victory pushed them to 5-0 in 2008.

"We didn't have much energy," Kurtz said. "Paint Branch played hard, they really came after us. But we just really didn't have it tonight. We played Friday, a lot of the girls played a club game on Saturday, some played Saturday and Sunday, and then we had a game on Monday. We were very slow, very sluggish. But I think it says a lot about our team and where our program is at that we have the ability to win games against good teams when we're not at our best."

B-CC has won five Class 3A West Region tournaments since 2001 but fell 5-4 in penalty kicks to Urbana in last year's final. And that's resonated with the Barons. They're on a mission to get one step further and every game is preparation for that.

Powered by an intimidating arsenal of scorers, including four-year starter and three-year leading scorer Hannah Cooper (9 goals), sophomore Alex Doll (8) a U-15 U.S. National Team player, and four-year starting midfielders Zita DePetris and Hillary Goldman, B-CC has already outscored its opponents 31-4 this fall.

"We're putting a lot of numbers up on the board," Kurtz said. "If we put pressure on teams early and make them come out of their defensive shell, we can score a lot of goals. We've really capitalized on our chances."

B-CC plays a crafty style of soccer. The Barons knock the ball around and use the width of the field efficiently. They took a 2-0 lead Wednesday with first-half goals from Cooper and Victoria Gersh. The two, along with Owyn Manson, added goals in the second half, as well.

"We have our eyes on the big prize, there's no question," Kurtz said. "We've worked very hard in the offseason, hit the weight room. We want to win the division and try and get to the state final. But we don't discuss. We just all know that's what we're looking for."

Hillary Goldman notched three assists in her first game back from an ankle injury that sidelined her for much of last season

The Barons got this season, a year in which they have aspirations of winning a 3A state title, started with a bang with a 7-2 win over Wootton Tuesday.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase got two goals from Owyn Manson and one each from Lesley Baseman, Victoria Gersh, Alex Doll, Kara Klontz and Hannah Levin.

Hillary Goldman notched three assists in her first game since suffering an ankle injury that sidelined her for almost all last season. Hannah Richardson, Hannah Cooper, Zita DePetris, Gersh and Doll also notched one each.

The Barons will next be in action on Sept. 15 at Watkins Mill.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase was perfect heading into its regional final and lost, giving this year's team motivation to stay sharp and go further

Following last year’s loss to Urbana in the 3A regional finals, the entire Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team took the next day off school and met for breakfast.

“Everyone was so depressed, just because we didn’t want it to end,” senior Hillary Goldman said.

The Barons’ loss was about as abrupt an ending as could have been expected. After giving up just three goals the entire season and entering the game with a perfect 14-0 record, Bethesda-Chevy Chase fell behind 2-0 in the first half. The Barons rallied to tie the game in the second half and dominated overtime but came out losers in penalty kicks, falling when a star senior missed the final shot.

As Goldman said, the entire team felt last year was their year to get over Urbana and the rest of the Frederick County teams that plague the Barons. With 11 seniors, seven of which went on to play college soccer, it was supposed to be Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s year to bring home the 3A state championship.

“It was really, really a hard loss, the worst way to lose,” Goldman said. “It was kind of a few weeks of getting back into normal students again.”

But with the help of pancakes, time and another crop of seemingly endless talent entering and rising through the Barons program, the girls and Coach Rob Kurtz have moved on from last year and enter this season hungry for redemption.

“I think that definitely gave everyone a lot of motivation to come out strong this year,” sophomore Alex Doll said.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase returns eight seniors and an incredible amount of depth on this year’s squad. Since the Barons don’t face much of a challenge during the regular season many of the bench players see 35 minutes per game or more, meaning many of the players return with a load of experience even if they weren’t starters.

However, the flip side of that is that the team’s starters aren’t tested until they reach the playoffs, which Coach Rob Kurtz attributed to last year’s 2-0 first-half deficit. Kurtz said the team often faces its toughest challenge of the season in practice during an intra-squad scrimmage.

“You’re preparing basically for one game against usually one of the Frederick County teams to get to your ultimate goal of getting to the state tournament,” Kurtz said. “It’s interesting to think how much time we put in starting in August, through the summer all the way until November basically to prep for a really tough game no matter who you’re playing.”

To combat losing that competitive edge, the team tries to simulate different scenarios during blowout games. But even that is hard. So this year the Barons are focusing more on strength and mental conditioning that will hopefully keep the team in prime shape for the playoffs. Kurtz also focuses on simply getting better every practice.

The Barons certainly have the pieces to make another run this season. Senior Hannah Cooper should lock down the front line after scoring 16 goals last season. She is approaching 50 goals for her career.

“She’s got probably five or six goals that should be on YouTube,” Kurtz said. “She’s just really creative in the box.”

Fellow senior and four-year starter Charlotte Detchon will be a steady force in the back yet again and the team also returns sophomore Alex Doll, a U-15 national pool player, at forward. Kurtz said Doll would be “the next great one from the state of Maryland.”

Bethesda-Chevy Chase also returns two center midfielders who were sidelined with ankle injuries most of last season. Zita DePetris returned just in time to face Urbana last year while Goldman was forced to sit out the entire season after injuring her right ankle in the fourth game of the season.

“It’s kind of sad that it’s our last year,” Goldman said. “It’s kind of surreal as well. We’ve been waiting for this year. There’s high expectations but there always are. We don’t want to make any mistakes. We want to have a flawless season.”

Fall signifies the start of the new school year; a chance for continued success in the classroom or to start anew.

It also marks the start of the Montgomery County girls soccer season, an opportunity for perennial powers to maintain their supremacy or for struggling teams to begin with a new slate.

Everyone starts with the same mission each year, whether a realistic goal or not: to win the season-ending state tournament or conference title.

Everything had gone so smoothly for B-CC last fall. The Barons completed their first-ever undefeated regular season and were seeded No. 1 in the 3A West Region playoffs. They cruised to the final, en route to what appeared to be climaxing in their sixth state tournament since 2001. But their season ended abruptly, in penalty kicks, in a second regional final loss to Urbana in five years.

Images of that heart-wrenching loss provide all the motivation the Barons need in 2008. B-CC graduated eight players but returns a solid core of talent, including senior forward and three-year leading scorer Hannah Cooper (13 goals).

Senior midfielders Zita DePetris and Hillary Goldman return after both were sidelined with injury for the majority of 2007. Sophomore forward Alex Doll scored six goals as a freshman and has spent the summer training with the U-15 U.S. National Team.

B-CC is an overall speedy bunch, feisty and fearless. It spreads the field nicely but can also storm the middle. Likely the deepest bunch in the county, the Barons thrive off wearing their opponents down, dissecting defenses and pouncing.

Head coach: Rob Kurtz, 8th year
Last year’s record: 14-1
Last state title: 2004 (2nd)
Players to watch: Hannah Cooper (Sr., F), Zita DePetris (Sr., M), Alex Doll (Soph., F)

The B-CC’s girls’ soccer program is becoming a dynasty. The Barons won the 3A state title in 2004, lost in the state finals in 2006, and last year went 14-0 before they were knocked out in the Western regional final on a penalty kick shootout. Will this be the year they get back to the top?

Gone from the 10th-ranked 2007 team are 11 seniors, including five long-time starters –All-Met defender Terryn Marette, striker Ava Murphey, and midfielders Sonia Rada and Katie and Laney Siegner. But, Coach Rob Kurtz had one of the deepest teams in the state last year, and in his 8th year at the helm, he still has a powerhouse roster, led by “a very talented senior group.”

Senior midfielders Zita DePetris and Hillary Goldman, who spent most of last season on the sidelines with injuries, are back. Charlotte Detchon will anchor the back line. Striker Hannah Cooper, who scored a team-leading 14 goals last fall and earned an All-Met honorable mention, will be back as a top scorer in the state. The Barons will have plenty of speed and offensive firepower: Sophomore Alex Doll, a midfielder on the U-15 national team, and senior striker Hannah Richardson formed half of the 3A Indoor State Championship 4x800 meter team, and Alex was the 3A Indoor State Champion in the one mile. They scored 7 and 6 goals last year, respectively, and junior striker Owyn Manson added another 6. They will be joined by highly regarded freshman Hannah Levin.

Juniors Mallory MacRostie and Anna Genova return on defense, and Kurtz is looking to add senior speedster Gayron Berman (another track star) to the backline. Versatile sophomore Vic Gersh was a starter last year at both defense and midfield, where the Barons will also have senior Lesley Baseman, juniors Marilyn Hucek and Jackie Wilburn, and freshman Kara Klontz. Senior keeper Hannah Hoffman returns after allowing just four goals in 15 games last year. Competing for time in the nets will be junior Francie Jaffe, sophomore Alyssa Puritz, and an incoming freshman who plays with the Olympic development program.

Kurtz has the Barons booked into a high-level Labor Day tournament at Tuscarora to get the team ready for another run at the state title. “Last season ended kind of abruptly for us,” he says, referring to the shocking shootout loss in the 3A playoffs. “There’s a lot of motivation for us to get back where we belong.”

Game summaries:

Leo Durocher said, “Nice guys finish last.” But Leo Durocher never met the B-CC varsity girls soccer team. Thursday night the Barons – as nice a bunch as you would ever want to meet – finished their 2008 season undefeated, untied, hardly ever scored upon, and Maryland 3A state champions.

B-CC, champions of the 3A West region, and Fallston, 3A East champs, were both 17-0 on Thursday – but Fallston had that record before the game, and the Barons had it after.

Clearly the better team and controlling the action for most of the game, B-CC triumphed, 2-0, on the artificial turf field at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on a misty night in front of several hundred fans who had made the trek to Catonsville. The crowd included most of the parents of last year’s seniors, who were seeking minute-by-minute updates from their college campuses. They, too, had entered the playoffs undefeated and had dreams of a state title – but what was denied last year was fulfilled this night.

Both teams were ranked prominently in the region – Fallston No. 4 and B-CC No. 5 – but what promised to be a battle of titans was well in hand by halftime, as the Barons stunned their opponents with two goals in two minutes toward the end of the first half and were only lightly challenged the rest of the way.

B-CC was not completely dominant – for much of the first half, play was pretty even – but the Barons had the more dangerous early chances: Hillary Goldman’s through ball to Hannah Cooper was just a touch too far; Lesley Baseman’s lofted shot carried just over the net; and then, 10 minutes in, Alex Doll’s brilliant header off one of Lesley’s corner kicks caromed right off the upper left corner of the goal.

The Baron defenders ably handled Fallston’s counterattacks, especially wing backs Hannah Levin, who prevented one breakaway with a heady foul, and Mallory MacRostie, whose excellent 1-on-1 defending several times stripped the ball and launched attacks up the sideline.

Speed and skill were the Barons’ advantages, and with 14 minutes left in the half, 800-meter star Hannah Richardson outsprinted her defender and broke free, deep on the right side. In the ball came to Hannah Cooper in front of the net, but when Fallston tried to clear, the ball came back to Hannah R., and she slammed it home for a 1-0 lead. It was the first time Fallston had trailed all year.

Not two minutes later, Kara Klontz found herself looking at an open ball, sent forward on a diagonal cross by Hannah Levin, and wide-open space on the left. Running onto it, she touched it forward and managed a nifty left-footed shot that skittered along the ground and just inside the far post – 2-0, Barons – and there the score stood at halftime.

B-CC Coach Rob Kurtz kept the Barons in their usual formation at the start of the second half, but after goalie Hannah Hoffman had to make a nice high catch on this wet night, Kurtz brought Vic Gersh back to be a fourth defender and ensure that Fallston didn’t make a comeback. Hannah Cooper was the lone B-CC striker, but she kept Fallston honest – one time taking on four defenders and still getting off a shot, another time thwarted only by a terrific diving save.

When the clock ticked down to zero, the Barons clustered in mounds of joyful hugging, saluted their cheering fans, and accepted their championship trophies. They finished the year with a goal differential of 88 to 5, and only for 22 minutes of one game did they ever fall behind all season. Fourteen of their 17 games were shutouts.

Kurtz had a quiet moment with his eight seniors, all of whom contributed mightily to this achievement: Lesley Baseman, with her steady midfield play and uncanny corner kicks the past four years; Hannah Richardson, whose rapid improvement gave the Barons yet another dangerous attacker and whose goal in the semifinals got them to the championship; Gayron Berman, who’d lost her freshman year to a knee injury and wasn’t about to be denied again – playing defensive midfield the last few games despite a stress fracture in her leg.

And the five co-captains – keeper Hannah Hoffman, who gave up only three goals in the equivalent of 10 full games of play, posting five shutouts in which she played the whole game; and the four four-year girls – center back Charlotte Detchon, compensating for her small size with quickness, toughness, and intelligence; defensive mid Hillary Goldman, fearlessly rocketing into tackles and memorably rising into the air to head the ball for the winning goal against Urbana, the Barons’ longtime rival, and take the 3A West regional title; her backfield partner Zita DePetris, as much a catalyst for the offense as a stopper on defense, a vital cog in the Barons’ possession game; and the incandescent striker, Hannah Cooper, whose nimble dodges and mighty blasts will long be remembered at B-CC, capping her magnificent career with 26 goals and 11 assists in her final season.

The seniors were the heart of this team – and a loving and joyful heart at that – but they weren’t all of it. The Barons revolved around the remarkable Alex Doll at attacking mid, constantly on the ball, constantly finding the open player, constantly managing the game – and contributing a dozen goals and 19 assists along the way. Her sophomore classmate, Vic Gersh, added another 11 goals and 9 assists, pressing the attack on the midfield wing or coming back to bolster the defense and preserve a lead. Owyn Manson terrorized the opposition at striker – always a threat to break away for a score, delivering the tying goal against Urbana, and don’t get in her way! And the rest who are returning to carry on, bolstered by this journey together – Kinsey Hoffman at forward; the midfield corps of Julia Hardgrove, Marilyn Hucek, Kara Klontz, Elizabeth Ward, and Jackie Wilburn; defenders Hannah Levin, Mallory MacRostie, Anna Genova, Julia Hooks, and Leah Rosenstiel; and the keepers – Sasha Konownitzine, Francie Jaffe, Teckla Persons, and Alyssa Puritz.

The wonderful guy at the center of it all is Rob Kurtz, completing his eighth year as coach at B-CC – sometimes fierce, sometimes jovial, almost always loud. How lucky these girls are to have this dedicated, caring coach. He is a perceptive strategist and an able teacher, and this year he devoted one day of practice a week to keeping the team healthy with innovative conditioning drills – and lost no one to injury all season long. But the secret of his success is how he gets the girls to bond, from the scorching days of camp at Penn State in August, to the games they play in practice in October, to the gifts they prepare for their “secret psychs” before every match – building their spirit so that the team is more than the sum of its players, so that they love each other as they also love the game, and play that way, too. This is what the seniors will remember most of all – not so much the championship trophy or the unbeaten record as the feeling they had when they were together at B-CC in the glorious fall of 2008.

On a perfect fall afternoon in Charles County, the B-CC Lady Barons met the Hereford (Baltimore County) Bulls at the North Point High School stadium’s turf field in the first Maryland 3A state semifinal match.

After some early nerves and several minutes to settle into the pace and feel of the fast turf surface, by the 10-minute mark B-CC was beginning to control possession and generate clear offensive chances. Zita De Petris’s quick turn and shot in the 5th minute was high. Moments later, Alex Doll’s run down the left side resulted in another shot that also went high. The fast turf surface was used to the Barons’ advantage, as Doll, Hannah Cooper and Hannah Richardson began to effectively counterattack. Hereford, who played an unusual very high defensive line, used their offside trap repeatedly to stymie several chances from through balls placed between defenders. Alex Doll, however, found a way to beat the trap. Her 30-yard solo run looked to be a sure goal, but the Hereford keeper came off her line and somehow touched Doll’s shot just wide.

After Doll’s chance, B-CC continued to mount the pressure on the Hereford goal. In the 18th minute Owyn Manson, taking a corner from Lesley Baseman, volleyed a one-timer off the left post. A few minutes later Hannah Richardson appeared to be taken down in the penalty box on a strong run, but no call was made. At the 30-minute mark, the Barons clearly were dominating possession, with Hereford now chasing the game.

The goal finally came in the 33rd minute on a counter by the flying Hannah Richardson, whose cross from the right side found Alex Doll in the box. She chested the ball down and got a shot off that glanced off a defender into the left side of the net. 1-0 Barons. The half ended with several other great opportunities, including a ball by Hillary Goldman to Hannah Richardson that split the defenders but whose shot went high, followed by a Vic Gersh header that went barely wide from a Baseman corner kick.

The second half began with the Barons again looking for through balls to counter the Hereford offside trap. The B-CC midfield seniors, DePetris and Goldman, were winning most possessions and generating good combination plays. Hereford, however, showed a lot of character. Though outplayed, their speed and ability to swarm defensively managed to keep them in the game. B-CC’s defensive backline of Charlotte Detchon, Hannah Levin and Mallory MacRostie effectively stopped the few Hereford offensive threats. Keeper Hannah Hoffman made a good save on a long-range high shot by Hereford in the 70th minute and showed good composure commanding her box the entire game.

As the second half wore on, it seemed that the Barons would get an insurance goal. The best chance came in the 77th, as Hillary Goldman’s header off a corner kick hit the crossbar. Credit though to Hereford, as they continued to absorb B-CC’s offensive pressure. Their direct style of play with three strikers up top never generated many good scoring opportunities. B-CC got excellent minutes from several players, including Gayron Berman, Kara Klontz, and Marilyn Hucek, who all contributed to a fine team win.

B-CC now moves on to the 3A state final, Thursday, November 13, at UMBC against undefeated Fallston from Harford County, who beat Hereford 2-1 in a regular season contest.

After winning their first 14 games by an average score of 6-0, the B-CC varsity girls soccer team knew that they would run into tougher competition in the playoffs, and Monday night in the regional finals that competition arrived, in the form of defending state champion Urbana, who last year knocked the Barons out of the playoffs on penalty kicks. After stumbling out of the gate this year, the Hawks came in with a seven-game winning streak that started when striker Julie Ruhe returned from an offseason injury; Ruhe had scored six goals already in the playoffs.

Urbana brought a higher tempo to the game and packed the defensive zone. Passes that B-CC had routinely connected were intercepted; through balls were blocked; every loose ball was contested. It was a battle of the midfields, and the Barons’ vital center of Alex Doll, Hillary Goldman, and Zita DePetris were constantly in action, challenging their counterparts, competing for headers, and probing for some way through the Hawks’ defensive lines. The competitive tone was set early, when Ruhe picked up an errant Baron pass and looked to be headed for goal until Hillary arrived with a slide tackle that knocked the ball away. B-CC sent ball after ball forward, trying to spring an attack, only to have it sent back the other way; Urbana had fewer forays, but they were dangerous, high-speed chases; and the first half ended in a scoreless tie.

Three minutes into the second half, Urbana stunned the Barons, sending a cross into the box, where an attempted clear deflected the ball to an unmarked Hawk, who knocked it home for a 1-0 lead – the first time all year B-CC had trailed in a game. The Barons responded by playing with fury for the equalizer, but to no avail. Alex’s header, on a beautiful cross from Vic Gersh, went just wide, and then for a while the Barons went flat. No longer trapped deep in their end, Urbana pressed forward again and again, earning a couple of dangerous free kicks and threatening to extend their lead. Was the Barons’ dream going to die at the Hawks’ hands again?

Then with 15 minutes left Alex carried the ball to the edge of the box and fired a low rocket to goal. The Hawks’ keeper, who had juggled a couple of shots earlier, stopped this one, but the rebound caromed to Owyn Manson, and she slammed it home for the tie. Center back Charlotte Detchon was kicked in the knee challenging Ruhe on the sidelines, causing three minutes of stoppage, and Vic had to replace her on the back line. The clock ticked down, until with six minutes left Hannah Cooper, challenging the keeper for a loose ball, forced a corner kick for B-CC. Lesley Baseman sent one of her patented floaters toward the box, and Hillary rose into the air and headed it over the keeper and into the nets. Tense moments remained – the six minutes on the clock and three minutes of stoppage time – but the Barons ably turned Urbana away, and the victory was theirs, a joyful moment of redemption and relief.

Hannah Hoffman was a forceful contributor in goal, playing her position as much like a field player as a keeper, roaming far and wide to send the ball forward and break up attacks. Wing backs Mallory MacRostie and Hannah Levin were integral to the offense, launching attacks up the sidelines with nifty passes to Vic and Lesley and Hannah Richardson and Kara Klontz. Gayron Berman ably spelled Hillary and Zita as a defensive mid.

Now the Barons are 3A West regional champions, one of only four teams left in the playoffs. Saturday afternoon at 5 pm they will play the 3A North champion, either Towson or Hereford, in the Maryland 3A state semifinals at North Point High School in Waldorf.

For the 3A West regional semifinals, B-CC’s varsity girls soccer team had the unusual assignment of playing on Halloween – but the only thing otherworldly about the night was the balmy temperature at game time. The Barons had thrashed Seneca Valley, 8-0, less than two weeks before, and the suspense went out of this Fright Night drama in the first minute of the game when Owyn Manson slotted a ball through to Hillary Goldman, and Hillary found the open side of the net for a 1-0 lead before the fans got settled in their seats. After that it was strictly a horror movie for the Screaming Eagles as B-CC scored seven goals in the first half and coasted to another 8-0 victory.

The Barons’ win sets up “Nightmare on East-West Highway – the Sequel,” a rematch from last year’s devastating loss to eventual state champs Urbana in the regional final, decided on penalty kicks after B-CC staged a courageous comeback from a 2-0 halftime deficit. Urbana, unseeded in the playoffs this year, knocked off #2 seed Damascus, 3-0, Friday night to advance to the finals.

Seneca Valley clearly had no heart for the Halloween contest. Five minutes in, Vic Gersh took a pass from Mallory MacRostie on the left side and dribbled, dribbled, dribbled under light pressure until she found herself practically face to face with the goalie and simply tucked the ball inside the post. Four minutes later Alex Doll had a nearly identical goal, and before another minute went by Vic did it again. Ten minutes into the game, the Barons were up 4-0.

The B-CC midfield controlled play throughout the half. Kara Klontz extended the Barons’ lead with a corner kick that the Seneca keeper couldn’t handle, and then late in the half Alex and Hannah Cooper showed why they may be the most potent scoring combination in the state. First Alex crossed to Hannah for a neat first-touch volley, then Hannah fed Alex for a left-footed blast that the keeper had no chance to stop.

Coach Rob Kurtz began the second half with only center back Charlotte Detchon returning from the starting lineup. Kinsey Hoffman was at striker along with attacking midfielders Marilyn Hucek, Kara Klontz, and Julia Hardgrove, defensive mids Gayron Berman and Elizabeth Ward, defenders Anna Genova, Julia Hooks, and Leah Rosenstiel, and goalie Alyssa Puritz. Alyssa was one of four Baron keepers used in the game, with Sasha Konownitzine playing in relief of Hannah Hoffman, and Francie Jaffe having a highly eventful second half of the second half, covering up a couple of near-miss shots and at one point defending three corner kicks in a row. When Hannah Levin was taken down in the box by a Seneca defender, Francie got the honor of blasting in the penalty kick for the final 8-0 margin.

In perhaps their best-played match of the year so far, the B-CC varsity girls soccer team overcame high winds, cold weather, and the feisty Titans of Tuscarora Tuesday night, winning the 3A West regional quarterfinals, 4-0. The Titans, state champions in 2004 and 2005, play a very challenging schedule, and their 4-8-1 record was no indicator of their ability. In their last two games they had lost to Archbishop Spalding, the second-ranked team in the region, 3-0, and routed Kennedy in the first round of the playoffs, 7-0.

B-CC started off with a strong, gusty wind at its back, and Tuscarora settled back into a defense-first strategy, packing its players deep in its own end an

Varsity Girls Soccer Results