Catonsville High falls sports have featured quality athletic programs through the years, but winning state championships have been scarce since students moved into the location on Bloomsbury Avenue in 1954.
Since then, the Comets have won 11 state championships.
Three came in boys cross country in 1959, 1960 and 1964, and seven were from volleyball’s juggernaut program, from 1979 through 1983 and back-to-back titles in 1986 and 1987.
The 1993 girls cross country team was the last Comets’ sports team to capture a state title during the autumn season.
Despite not reaching the highest pinnacle of team success in the past decade, Catonsville has produced several outstanding teams and had a myriad of talented athletes.
The boys soccer teams led the way in Baltimore County championships with three (2011, 2015 and 2016).
In an effort to look back and spotlight some of these elite athletes we searched our archives and spoke with coaches to choose some of the top players.
All players who graduated or are scheduled to graduate between 2010 and 2022 were eligible for the lists, although accomplishments before 2010 (2007-2009) were not factored in. Therefore, the merit of the graduating class of 2010 being included was based solely on the performance of those players during their senior year.
Here is a look at the top teams and players from the past decade at Catonsville High.
FOOTBALL
Team of the Decade: 2011
During the past decade, the Comets made four trips to the playoffs, including three seasons in a row from 2010-2012 under coach Rich Hambor.
Hambor’s 2011 squad went the furthest of any team in Comet history — reaching the state semifinals.
Current Catonsville coach Jaren Maybin guided the 2019 Comets to the regional playoffs.
A day after the Comets lost their only game of the season in the state semifinals in 2011 the team was honored as special guests at the 18th annual Catonsville Tree Lighting Ceremony on Frederick Road.
The Comets won 12 straight before falling 49-20 to Old Mill in the state semis and the dozen victories were the most in school history.
Deniko Carter, who caught nine touchdown passes and is the all-time Comet leader in receiving yards, was amazed at the reception his team received.
“I can’t say how proud I am of my team and my coaches and the support of the community,” Carter said. “We made history — first county champions, first regional champions.”
In the regional finals, a 30-28 win over Paint Branch, the Comets rallied from a 9-0 first-quarter deficit and 21-17 third quarter deficit.
“It was the most exciting game I’ve ever been involved in,” Hambor said.
Offensive Player of the Decade: DeAndre’ Lane (2012)
As a junior running back in 2011, Lane rushed for 187 yards on 43 carries and scored three touchdowns in the regional title win over Paint Branch.
That season, he rushed for 1,728 yards and 31 touchdowns and was selected to the All-State second team and All-County first team.
In his senior year, Lane, who went on to play at the University of Maryland, missed two-and-a-half games with a hamstring injury.
He still rushed for 1,046 yards on 161 carries and produced 11 touchdowns, while catching six passes for 100 yards for the 7-4 Comets, who lost in the first round of the playoffs.
He left the school as Catonsville’s all-time leading scorer with 230 points.
“He’s intense, focused and he likes to have fun like everyone else, but he knows when to turn it on,” Hambor said.
Offensive All Decade Team
QB Aaron Jones (2011)
QB Jake Getzendanner (2013)
QB Danny Terzi (2015)
RB DeAndre Lane (2012)
RB Joseth Hylton (2012)
RB Evan Rhodes (2014)
RB Brian Taylor (2015)
OL Will Moore (2010)
OL Mark Chambers (2010)
OL Robert Hopp (2010)
OL Antoine Wright (2011)
OL Jon Reymann (2011)
OL Brandon Dixon (2012)
OL Mason Klompus (2012)
OL Cheldon Simon (2012)
OL Darius Williams (2012)
OL Julian Robinson (2013)
OL Alex Kellerman (2013)
OL Zach Delker (2014)
OL Jake Faircloth (2015)
OL Ryan Herilla (2015)
OL Naseef Kareem (2015)
OL Mikellen Dunn (2016)
OL Tim Pfeifer (2017)
OL Mateen Kareem (2019)
WR Deniko Carter (2011)
WR Jamal Johson (2015)
WR Nelson Williams (2017)
WR Donnell Jones (2018)
WR Parker Douala (2019)
WR Marciss Lawson (2019)
TE Julian Jones (2011)
TE Teddy Crayton (2013)
TE Danny Bruno (2014)
TE John Huchrowski (2015)
Special Teams
K Eric Medinger (2011)
K-P Garrett Wack (2014)
K Jack Krug (2019)
LS Nathan Hines (2013)
Defensive Player of the Decade: Tyler Weedon 2010
Weedon concluded his high school career with 499 tackles and three All-Metro and All-State selections.
As a sophomore, the linebacker had a season-high 148 tackles.
During his senior year he had 106 tackles, one fumble return for a touchdown and made 18 tackles in a regional semifinal game against North Harford.
As fullback, the 5-foot-10, 230-pounder who was a two-time Catonsville Times Athlete of the Year, rushed 103 times for 722 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“He’s served as a role model for all the kids coming up from the rec program that anything’s possible, no matter what size you are,” Hambor said.
Defensive All Decade Team
LB Tyler Weedon (2010)
LB Julian Singletary (2012)
LB Adam Dye (2013)
LB Daymon Jones (2015)
LB Trey Glover (2016)
LB Tony Smith (2016)
LB Jorge Urizar (2018)
LB Michael Bowers (2019)
DB Josh Hylton (2011)
DB Joe Tebo (2011)
DB Zaire Crosby (2015)
DB Rodney Henderson (2015)
DE Sean Lipscomb (2011)
DE Marvin Lambert (2012)
DE Antwan Pearson (2014)
DE Nate Merrill (2014)
DE Tavon Lofties (2014)
DE Don Johnson (2016)
DE Evan Rogers (2019)
DL Calloway Lee (2013)
DL Tommy Sadler (2014)
DL Ronnie Meghairouni (2017)
DL Jamie Taylor (2019)
FIELD HOCKEY
Team of the Decade: 2012
The Catonsville field hockey team had three coaches during the past decade and several highly-competitive teams and the first of those three, Lindsay Gullborg, guided the 2012 Comet team to the state tournament championship game for the first time since 1988.
They defeated Walter Johnson, 2-1, in the state semifinals before falling to South River in the finals.
Maddie Hunt’s drive set up Brooke Stevens for the first goal with 18:37 left in the second half of the semifinals and five minutes later Grace Campbell punched home the game winner after shots from Stevens and Catherine Sweeney.
“In the past five years of my coaching, I have never seen a more talented Catonsville field hockey team,” Gullborg said in 2012. “The real credit goes to those 21 players on the bench and on the field. They are the most incredible group of girls I’ve ever worked with.”
Player of the Decade: Brooke Stevens (2013)
As a junior in 2012, Brooke Stevens scored both goals in the Comets’ 2-1 region final victory over Dulaney and finished that season with 14 goals (4 in the postseason) and six assists.
In her senior year, she added 19 goals and eight assists.
She talked about what makes her a scoring threat.
“I think it definitely comes down to determination and perseverance, because you only get so many shots. It’s relatively hard to score in field hockey compared to other sports, so you have to keep pushing. Even if you make mistakes, you have to keep going and try to finish it.”
“She is a true team player,” coach Carrie McKenna-Wilson said in 2013. “She’s not selfish at all. She does everything with the rest of the team in mind.”
Field Hockey All Decade Team
A Grace Campbell (2012)
M Maddie Hunt (2012)
M Kendall Law (2012))
M Rachel Saks (2012)
D Maggie Whelley (2012)
A Brooke Stevens (2013)
D Kelly Reymann (2013)
M Julianna Keagle (2013)
A Emma Clark (2014)
M Catherine Sweeney (2014)
G Sophie Wilson (2015)
D Savannah Cheuvron (2015)
D Emma Walsh (2015)
A/M Brittany Stevens (2016)
A Allison Campbell (2016)
A Ashlyn Cunningham (2016)
M Ashley Bates (2016)
D Madi Jones (2016)
D Zoe Waddell (2017)
D Carly Gibbons (2018)
G Madison Manalansan (2018)
A Caitlyn Baeck (2019)
A Sydney Keagle (2019)
A Hayden Kesner (2019)
BOYS SOCCER
Team of the Decade: 2011 (tie)
In his seventh season as head coach, Vic Vega led the Comets to their first Baltimore County championship since 1988 when they defeated Franklin, 1-0, in a penalty-kick shootout.
Catonsville junior Jose Moran scored a second-half goal and junior goalie Kevin Sheppard saved a penalty kick by Franklin’s Michael Cronauer to preserve the victory.
“This is the most determined team I have ever coached,” Vega said at the time. “These kids just work hard.”
Team of the Decade: 2015 (tie)
Goalie Eric Sheppard had 10 shutouts, including one over Perry Hall when the Comets defeated the Gators in the Baltimore County championship game, 1-0, for the title.
Four minutes into the contest, senior Jake Parrott scored after Drew Meyers’ free kick from 32 yards out for the game’s only goal.
The Comets finished 15-2-1, but that season under coach Chris Hastings ended with a 2-1 loss to eventual state-champion Perry Hall in the Class 4A Section I playoff finals.
Player of the Decade: Jose Moran (2012)
The senior had 16 goals and five assists in 2011 for the 11-3 Baltimore County champions The two-time All-Metro and All County selection scored 23 goals in two seasons, including seven in his senior year before he fractured his foot.
“His one-on-one skills are unlike any player I’ve seen in my 20 years of coaching,” Catonsville coach Vic Vega said.
Boys Soccer All Decade Team
G Kevin Shepherd (2012)
M Emmanuel Amihere (2013)
M Cody Scott (2013)
G A.J. Beck (2013)
M Dillon Hannah (2014)
M Daniel Kim (2014)
S/M Chris Lutz (2015)
G Eric Sheppard (2015)
S Jake Parrott (2015)
D Liam Llorin (2016)
D Jordan Llorin (2016)
D Matt Rehder (2016)
S Drew Meyers (2016)
S Ethan Alioto (2016)
S Luke Palmisano (2016)
S Adam Szarko (2016)
D/M McKenzie Ali (2017)
M Dale Boring (2017)
M Jaylen Clark (2017)
D David Owens (2017)
M Ethan Clark (2018)
G Eli Miller (2018)
D Van Hmung (2018)
S David Plumer (2018)
GIRLS SOCCER
Team of the Decade: 2013
The 2013 Catonsville High girls soccer team was the only team in school history to make it to the state finals.
Although they lost 2-0 to Walt Whitman in the finals, it didn’t diminish the accomplishments of a team that won 16 straight games under coach James Fitzpatrick, who was coaching his final season before becoming the school’s athletic director.
The final victory was a dominant 5-0 whitewash of Eleanor Roosevelt at Richard Montgomery High in the state semifinals.
The Comets (16-1) scored all five goals in the second half with junior Renee Gast getting the first one off an assist from classmate Jenn Nonn.
Ali Dingle scored the next two goals and Anna Higdon and Kayla Wood scored the next two.
“We knew from the beginning that we were a good team and we knew we were going to go far,” said Nonn, who had two assists in the state semifinals.
Player of the Decade: Jenn Nonn (2014)
Nonn scored 21 goals and had 13 assists for the 2013 state finalists and earned her second of three All-State selections that season.
She was also the 2014 Catonsville Times co-athlete of the year with junior classmate Lauren McDonald.
“Even when teams would focus on her, she would still score,” said Fitzpatrick, who watched her score 68 goals in his three seasons as head coach. “There was no doubt she knew what to do and when to do it.”
After graduating in 2015, Nonn went on to play lacrosse at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Girls Soccer All Decade Team
M Rachel Woods (2010)
D Lisa Meyd (2010)
D Danielle Southwell (2010)
D Olivia Nicolaus (2011)
S Deb Milani (2012)
D Anna Higdon (2013)
D Katie Viets (2013)
S Jenn Nonn (2014)
S/M Renee Gast (2014)
S Ali Dingle (2014)
M Lenna Meyer (2014)
M/G Lauren McDonald
D/M Lauren Vogelpohl (2015)
M Andrea McTaggart (2015)
S Kayla Wood (2016)
D Jen Gast (2016)
D Leah Marshall (2017)
G Vivian Montgomery-Walsh (2017)
M Aubrie Zepp (2017)
D Savannah Beaver (2018)
M/D Kolby Weedon M/D (2019)
M Hazel Montgomery-Walsh (2019)
VOLLEYBALL
Team of the Decade: 2016
With seven total state championships, including five in a row from 1979 through 1983, the Catonsville volleyball program built a strong reputation for winning in Baltimore County.
The Comets have made 14 appearances in the state tournament’s final four since 1979, but have not been since 2006.
During the decade from 2010 through 2020, the Comets have had several competitive teams, but no one cracked the final four.
In her first 10 years as Catonsville High volleyball coach, Amanda Kaufman’s squad had never beaten Dulaney, but in her 11th and final season, they finally beat the Lions — and they did it twice.
“The way they played as a group of seniors, and the way they improved since they were freshmen, whether they were on JV or varsity, it’s nice to see how much they have grown and how well they play as a team,” said Kaufman, whose squad defeated the Lions 25-17, 25-18, 25-8 in the regional semifinals.
Mitra Harrison had a team-high 13 kills in the match and the Comets also got contributions from Kateri Wess (13 digs) and Mitra Harrison (6 kills, 5 digs). The Comets lost to Sherwood in the regional finals and finished 15-2.
Player of the Decade: Casey Giovanazzi (2010)
During her fourth and final season, setter Casey Giovanazzi averaged 7 kills and 5 aces for the Comets.
She made the All-County and All-Division team for the third time in her career and was All-Metro in her senior year.
In college, she played two years at North Florida University, one at Towson University and her senior year at Culver Stockton College in Missouri.
“She has the highest volleyball IQ of anyone I’ve ever worked with,” Kaufman said.
Volleyball All Decade team
S Casey Giovanazzi (2010)
H Danielle Francy (2011)
D Becca Pierce (2011)
D Natalie Bockmiller (2013)
H Maja Wichhart (2014)
D Mitra Harrison (2016)
D Amber Lally (2016)
S Catherine Ott (2016)
D Kateri Wess (2016)
H Kelly O’Keefe (2017)
H Sylvia Johnson (2019)
H Sophi Wrisk (2019)
CROSS COUNTRY
Team of the Decade Boys: 2012
The Catonsville boys 2012 and 2017 squads were the only teams in the past decade to finish second in the Baltimore County championship meet.
The 2012 team gets the nod because they followed it up with a runner-up placing at the regional meet and were 14th at the state meet at Hereford High.
Although the 2017 team was second in the county, they were ninth at regionals and did not compete at states.
The 2012 team finished with 68 points and trailed only front-running Hereford (20) at counties.
The top harrier for the Comets in 2012 was Luke Chetelat, who was seventh in the Baltimore County race.
Teammates Kirabel Asfaw (12th), Jason Miller (15th), Sam Besse (17th), Evan Kelly (21st) and Marcus Burke (25th) also finished in the top 25.
Chetelat went on to place second in regionals and 29th (17:32) at states.
Runner of the Decade: Graham Strzelecki (2016)
After placing fifth at the Baltimore County championship meet and seventh at regionals, senior Graham Strzelecki ran a time of 17:16.95 and finished 38th overall at the state meet at Hereford High.
It was the fastest time of the decade for any Comets runner at the state championships.
“I’ve had a lot of really great coaching experiences, but watching Graham’s race was definitely one of the top three of my coaching career,” Catonsville coach Sandra Gallagher-Mohler said. “He ran so hard, not just pushing himself, he kept the gas pedal on from the gun to the finish line. He ran completely fearlessly and that is not something you can coach. He finished about 15 to 20 seconds faster than predicted.”
Boys Cross Country All Decade Team
Luke Chetelat (2012)
Kirabel Asfaw (2013)
Jason Miller (2013)
Sam Besse (2013)
Evan Kelly (2013)
Anthony Huynh (2013)
Ben Mansfield (2013)
Gabe Noble (2014)
Graham Strzelecki (2016)
Elliott Wack (2019)
Jack Roseboom (2020)
Girls Cross Country All Decade Team
Caroline Cerand (2011)
Mikka McDonald (2011)
Stephanie Norris (2012)
Tara Macdonald (2013)
Hannah Llorin (2014)
Eva White (2016)
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