Falcon Girls Repeat As County Champions In Soccer

In Saturday’s Anne Arundel County Public Schools girls soccer tournament championship game, Severna Park faced a Chesapeake squad that was as up for the challenge of taking down the Falcons as any team in recent memory.

In the end, though, the challenge ended like so many have over the last three years: the Falcons still standing and claiming victory.

Second-half goals from Maria Bragg and Ava Scott brought the game to life, and Severna Park held firm from there to beat Chesapeake 2-0 and repeat as county champions.

“They came in with a great game plan and really made it hard for us to do what we wanted to do, and we really weren’t able to create very much in the first half,” said Severna Park coach Rick Stimpson. “At halftime, we had to make some adjustments and try to break them down higher up the pitch, and fortunately we had some success doing that.”

A couple of moments of magic helped the Falcons finally unlock the Cougars’ defense and settle the result. Bragg’s goal forced Chesapeake to come out of a defensive shell and take chances in search of an equalizer.

Moments later, Severna Park landed the knockout punch when Bragg got the ball and cut it back for Scott, who lashed in a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area to complete the scoring.

“They were really good about enclosing us to one side of the field in the first half, and in the second half, we did a good job of trying to switch the fields,” Bragg said. “When I got the ball in the corner, I was able to get it to Ava, and then she took her shot.”

The Falcons, who haven’t lost to a county opponent since the 2022 4A regionals against Broadneck, now turn their attention to the 3A East Region I playoffs, which begin this week. They’ll have a semifinal matchup with Stephen Decatur on Saturday, October 26.

With regionals begins, the challenge laid down by the coaching staff and seniors from the undefeated 2023 state championship squad: earn the next day. Though that team now lives only in the history books, the holdovers hope to take the lessons learned to establish their own legacy.

“That’s been our motto this season, ‘Earn it,’” Scott said. “We know what it feels like to win, but at the same time, we’re not chasing that experience. We want to create a new experience where we still win. Last year was fantastic and amazing, and I’m so grateful for that. Now I’m looking toward this season with these girls and hopefully being able to do the same thing.”