CENTURY
Coach: Terry Duryea, 4th year
2012 record: 13-3-2, 6-1 county
First game: Friday at Thomas Johnson
Key losses: Abby Rememapp, Kailey Wolfe
Key returners: Sami Bialozynski, senior forward; Marissa Donoghue, junior midfield; Shelby Mercer, junior midfield; Maddie Willis, senior defense.
Outlook: The 2A state semifinalists lost the county's top scorer in Wolfe (18 goals), and the Knights field three sophomores and a freshman to infuse some youth. "Even though we lost some important senior starters last year," Duryea said via email, "I am looking forward to see how some of these new seniors and juniors rise to the occasion."
FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
Coach: Dani Unflat, 7th year
2012 record: 7-7, 2-5 county
First game: Sept. 11 vs. Oakdale
Key losses: Alli Dudley, Tori Furbay, Steph Haas
Key returners: Morgan Blanchette, senior defense; Niki Grillon, senior forward; Abby Jenkins, senior midfield; Emily Kurtz, sophomore midfield.
Outlook: Haas (eight goals, eight assists) and Dudley (four, six) were the Eagles' top two scorers in 2012, and Furbay made 128 saves, so Key has the task of replacing talent across the field. Look for Jenkins to run the midfield and be a team leader, Unflat said via email. "We're not looking to be good anymore, we're looking to be great!" Unflat said.
LIBERTY
Coach: Brenda Strohmer, 3rd year
2012 record: 4-10, 0-7 county
First game: Saturday at Marriotts Ridge tourney
Key losses: Mel Bechtel, Anna Slusarczyk
Key returners: Kathryn Moret, junior midfield; Erin Simmons, senior forward.
Outlook: "With several returning starters we should be a stronger competitor this season," Strohmer said via email. "Preseason practice has been a good indicator of players' ability." Simmons returns as Liberty's leading scorer from 2012 with four goals, and she joins Moret and Alex Scheel as team captains.
MANCHESTER VALLEY
Coach: Jennifer Etzel, 4th year
2012 record: 12-3, 5-2 county
First game: Sept. 9 vs. Annapolis
Key losses: Sarah Bach, Mariah Durrant, Miranda Gaskins, Colby Unkle
Key returners: Rosalia Cappadora, sophomore midfield; Victoria Cappadora, senior forward; Madi Gary, junior midfield; Kyrsten Hahn, junior defense; Haile Houck, senior forward.
Outlook: The Mavericks have won four consecutive regional titles and seem to return enough talent to make another run. Unkle was MV's leading scorer in 2012 (14 goals) but Houck was right behind her (11 goals, eight assists). "We will strive to uphold the traditions that have been set for the program and continue to create new goals to improve our program," Etzel said via email.
NORTH CARROLL
Coach: Denean Koontz, 21st year
2012 record: 11-3-1, 4-2-1 county
First game: Sept. 11 vs. Middletown
Key loss: Jen Miller
Key returners: Megan Heindel, senior midfield; Kristin Nickoles, junior midfield; Molly Pickard, junior forward; Natalie Ritchey, senior defense.
Outlook: Miller, the reigning Times Player of the Year, led NC in scoring with 12 goals and 15 assists, but Pickard is back after tallying 17 goals. "Trying to adapt personnel into a system that works best for our team's strengths," Koontz said via email. "Working hard and making improvements each day."
SOUTH CARROLL
Coach: Brigid McTavish, 2nd year
2012 record: 4-9, 2-5 county
First game: Friday vs. Marriotts Ridge
Key losses: Kayla Holston, Darian Naill, Tori Mezebish
Key returners: Kelsea Cimabue, senior defense; Claire Joseph, senior defense; Lexi Rose, junior forward.
Outlook: The Cavaliers lost 10 seniors to graduation, and seven of them were starters, so McTavish searches for their replacements. "We are a young squad, looking to build on our young talent," she said via email. "We are focusing on improving our skills every day and holding each other accountable for what we know we can accomplish."
WESTMINSTER
Coach: Mary Rivera, 7th year
2012 record: 12-2, 6-1 county (champs)
First game: Saturday at Roland Park tourney
Key losses: Caroline Russell, Casie Walsh
Key returners: Ashley Martin, senior midfield; Sophie Michel, senior defense; Olivia Nave, senior midfield; Maddy Walsh, senior forward.
Outlook: The regional final overtime loss to Linganore from 2012 likely still stings for the returning Owls players, led by a Times first-team pick in Walsh (seven goals, 10 assists). "We are excited about the season," Rivera said via email. "We have six seniors that are incredible leaders and will help the younger players get ready for the varsity level."
WINTERS MILL
Coach: Laurie Moody Naill, 2nd year
2012 record: 8-6, 3-4 county
First game: Sept. 11 vs. Catoctin
Key losses: Kristen Kreimer, Shelby Trentzsch, Sydney Trentzsch
Key returners: Coeli Love, sophomore forward/midfield; Erin McGuire, junior forward/midfield; Emily Wilcox, senior forward.
Outlook: The Trentzsch twins were Times first-teamers in 2012 and Naill said via email their loss will be felt. Wilcox, one of two team captains, returns as the Falcons' second leading scorer (eight goals, two assists). "We are going to be working twice as hard at practice to prove to ourselves that we can be successful," Naill said.
- Compiled by Pat Stoetzer
