Girls Soccer Watch: Broadneck, Severna Park Aim To Contend

Girls soccer teams in the 4A East are looking for the opening to break Broadneck’s grip on the region and be the squad to get a shot at a state championship this fall.

Of course, the Bruins have no intention of relinquishing their state ticket.

The reigning 4A state champions and winners of two state crowns in the last three years were back on campus this fall working toward what they hope is another chapter in the current golden age of Broadneck girls soccer.

“That’s always and will always be our goal, to win states,” said senior Makenna Dean, whose two goals helped Broadneck to a 2-1 victory over Urbana in the Class 4A state championship game last fall. “From day one, the mindset is the ultimate end-goal: get to the state championship, pull it together and win the state championship.

“I really want it for everyone on the team.”

The Bruins, who went 17-2-1 in 2017, have significant returning firepower to get there with key players Dean, Anna Moyer, Mia Camm, Lela Clark, Lily Kluckhuhn, Sarah Lockard, Ellie Shurman, Emily Schweitzer, Torie Brown, Annika Marquez, Sam Hoffman, Maija Schwartz all returning and talented freshmen Reagan Baldwin, Eva Mowery, Mason Smargissi and Molly Yeomans now in the fold.

Yeoman scored her first high school goal in helping Broadneck tie Middletown 1-1 on August 31, and the Bruins played Urbana to a 0-0 stalemate in a rematch of last year’s title game, both at Urbana’s season-opening tournament.

But the Bruins also face a slew of unfortunate knee injuries to big-time players. Reigning player of the year Talia Gabarra will miss the season while recovering from an ACL tear, as will would-be starters Caleigh Fletcher and Tobin Chambers. Key player Mara Buto opted to play for her developmental academy team instead of playing for Broadneck this year.

“We have a strong team and another really, really good group of girls,” said head coach John Camm. “We have a couple kids hurt, and we feel really bad that they can’t participate and do what they love, but we expect kids to step into their role.”

Even though the compromised depth of Broadneck due to injuries will present challenges for the Bruins, over at Severna Park, third-year head coach Brian Morgan is only focusing on what his team is capable of.

“We should be able to play with anyone. It’s up to us. This is our year,” said Morgan.

Severna Park rebounded from a five-win season in 2016 to go 13-2-2 last year and reach the region final before succumbing to the Bruins 2-1 in their bid to reach the state tournament for the first time since 2011.

“Obviously Broadneck has been our obstacle the last two years,” said Morgan. “If we want to get that ultimate goal, then that’s the next step. Obviously South River and all the other teams in the county are going to be a challenge, but I’m confident in this group. Several of them have been in this system for all three years, they know what we’re trying to accomplish and what we’re looking to set up on the field. We have the potential to be a strong team.”

The Falcons will have to do without the graduated goal-scoring prowess of Sarah Gellert (17 goals, six assists in 2017) and Jenna Farrell (nine goals) but nonetheless have a talented group that has played together for a few years and restored Severna Park to its current level after a couple of subpar seasons. Goalkeeper Katie Byrd (eight clean sheets in 2017) will anchor the defense of Kiersten Crowley, Emily Knight, Rachel Spilker, Shelby Chasser and Lena McLaughlin, while the midfield/forward corps of Toni Fiocco-Mizer (four goals, four assists in 2017), Abby Parkison (five goals in 2017), Kailyn McCulloch, Sam Cremmins, Lauren Campbell, Madeline Altman, Leah Meyers, Chloe Nagel and Isabella Espinoza all return.

Severna Park started the season on August 31 with a 4-0 win over Northern on goals by Isabella Espinoza, Madeline Altman, Campbell and freshman Sofia Espinoza and followed with a 1-0 win over St. Mary’s Ryken on a goal by Fioco-Mizer on September 1, both at South River’s home tournament.

The Falcons travel down the street to face Severn for neighborhood bragging rights on September 7.

The team played seven-on-seven scrimmages throughout the summer and held senior-led workouts twice a week, and Cremmins believes they’re ready to climb up the county and region ladder.

“We feel pretty confident,” said Cremmins. “I feel like we still have a lot to work on, but at the pace we’re going, we’ll be really good by the start of the season.”