For many high school freshmen and sophomores, there's a transition period as individuals grow and begin their development into becoming young adults. During that same time, junior varsity athletes are developing the necessary skills and techniques to be able to one day hopefully compete and learn on the varsity level.
While the spotlight may be focused on the varsity teams, junior varsity athletes are also on the courts and fields throughout the county competing against one another, fine-tuning their skills and athletic talents along the way.
We contacted each school, through its athletic administration, and asked for information on the JV teams. Here's what we heard back:
Boys Soccer
Atholton may have finished with a 3-2-6 county record, but the Raiders had plenty of standout players and memorable moments.
Goalie Nicholas Lara was the team's backbone on defense, registering five shutouts and finishing with a 0.73 goals against average. He was promoted to the varsity team for the playoffs, as was his star sweeper/stopper in front of him Arjun Nair.
Offensively, Joey Kim (four goals) and Jake Morales (two goals) were the team's leaders.
Among the season highlights were impressive comebacks against Reservoir and Marriotts Ridge. In the game against Reservoir to close out the regular season, the team erased a 2-0 deficit to earn a tie.
"The team showed great resiliency to not give up and worked extremely hard to get the two goals back," coach Jeff Bloom said. "It was a great way to end the season on a positive note."
Against Marriotts Ridge, the team trailed 1-0 before battling back to earn a 2-1 victory.
It was another strong season for Glenelg, which finished 8-2-1 in county play.
Leading a strong defensive group that allowed just seven goals all season were sophomores Guy Mobeka, Ryan Kato, Kevin Mitchell and goalie Sayuru Ramamukhaarachchi.
The offense was a balanced attack that saw nine different players find the net at least once. Michael Lyons led the way with four goals, followed by Justin Wolfe (3 goals), Alex Kvech (2) and Jordan Anderson (2). Freshmen Campbell Shephard, Johnny Chaisson, Jordan Nalls and Connor Hughes played important roles in a number of different positions throughout the year.
Among the highlights were overtime victories over River Hill and Reservoir, which were the only two teams that the team didn't beat the previous year.
"The players worked hard to improve throughout the year, and it showed in their play against the top JV teams in the county," coach Joseph Osborne said.
With a squad of 10 sophomores and 13 freshmen, Howard put together a strong 6-3-2 county record this season.
Coach Jamie Alzin said he was very pleased with how the team progressed after starting 0-2-2.
"The team struggled a bit in the beginning of the season, losing or tying the first four. We had a lead in three of the games but couldn't find the back of the net again or keep our opponent our of it," Alzin said. "That slow start turned into a very good finish as the boys were able to take all of their hard work in practice and make it payoff in the final eight games."
Zach Coyle, Kevin Whipple and Kam Shryock led the defense in front of goalies Brendan Hartlove and Kenny Accardi. Caine McKinney, Ryan Simmons, Matt Blum and Shane Fisher anchored the midfield.
Two players — McKinney and Jacob Griggs — were pulled up to the varsity team midway through the season.
Offensively, Mark Bruner, Monseff Marrakchi and Blum finished as the team's leading scorers.
Marriotts Ridge suffered a number of key injuries and some tough losses, yet still managed to win four games and have a successful season.
"The setbacks allowed younger players and less-experienced players to rise up and make a difference to the program," coach Paul Courtney said.
Freshmen Zac Thamer and Edward Bartley were two of the team's top players in the attacking third of the field. Ben Anderson, Charlie Menton, Billy Wolf and Zac Lim helped guide the defense. The midfield, meanwhile, was led by sophomores Russell Brooking and Kevin Padgett.
In terms of scoring, Chris Hyung and John Kim each produced four goals to lead the way. They had support from Thomas Groman and Noah Loiselle.
Kobi Mansaray, Luke Blessing, Alan Wright, Cory Ullman, Simon Kim and Chris Bennett were there to lead the play on the wings. Sophomore Matt Rumrill played every game in goal, with Max Mahon coming off the bench in support when needed. Other contributors were Colin Kratochwill and Patrick Keefe.
This year's Mt. Hebron team enjoyed one of its most successful campaigns in the last decade, finishing 9-1-1 in county play. Through the first nine county games, the team outscored its opponents 26-0.
While the team encountered a setback in a loss to River Hill, it rebounded to close the season with a big 3-0 win over rival Centennial.
"All in all, this team grew together as a unit, learning that talent only takes you so far — team chemistry and selflessness truly help define a great team," coach Jared Ettinger said.
Throughout the season, the Vikings got great scoring production from a wide array of players in the midfield and on attack. Jared Simowitz led the team with five goals to go along with four assists, while Trevor Namie (3 goals, 4 assists) and Alex Simak (3 goals, 7 assists) were right behind him. Other standouts were Sam Rice (3 goals, 2 assists), Dino Broccolino (3 assists), Ian McGinnis (3 goals, 2 assists) and Daniele Leone (3 goals, assist).
Defensively, the team was led by goalie Sohraab Sidhu and defenders Henry Parmele, Michael Mason, Jack Coliano, Justin Kweon, Brandon Quann and Zach Weilminster.
Mt. Hebron finished tied for the county's best record with River Hill.
Reservoir ended the season with a 3-6-3 record, scoring 20 goals and allowing 17 along the way.
The team's leading scorer was William Schulden, who was rewarded with a call up to varsity during the regular season. Sean Foley, the team's starting goalie, broke his arm early in the season and was forced to play the rest of the way as a field player. In his absence, freshman Brandon Evans took over the goalie duties and played well.
Sophomores Brayden Heim, Justin Beres, Milton Amaya and Billy King provided leadership on and off the field, while Eugene Appiah and Alex Florers were strong and consistent performers on defense.
Center midfielders Patrick Swanson-Green and Sam Kim were responsible for distributing the ball to the guys on the outside like Jairo Dumas and Kyree Akin Kuowo. Other contributors included Tony Salmans, Will Gunn, Sagan Banderas, Anthony Payne, Jesus Giron and Izjeon Collis.
River Hill had a tremendous season under coach Derrick Jameson, going 10-1-1 overall and finishing tied with Mt. Hebron for the county's best league record (9-1-1).
The team ended the year on a seven-game winning streak, including a win over the Vikings, after suffering the team's only loss against Glenelg in overtime.
Sophomore Josh Ditman was the team's leading scorer with double-digit goals. On the other end of the field, sophomores Max Mzhen, John Fuller, Ben Graham and Will Ferrer made up a defensive back four that allowed just five goals. Sophomore goalie Nealyn Jahangir was also incredibly strong, securing eight shutouts.
Freshmen leaders on the team included Cameron Coates, Rohun Dalal and Andrew Donkor.
Girls Soccer
Led by an outstanding defense, Atholton outscored opponents 41-9 en route to a 9-3 record.
Bryce Bathras, Molly Goldstein, Catherine Newman and Clarissa Struble — four defenders — made each opponent work hard to score, even in a 5-0 defeat against Good Counsel.
Sam Clearfield scored the majority of the goals for the Raiders, while midfielder Holly Edsall was "the heart and spine of our successful season," coach Cliff Walcott said.
Ella Looney and Elana Hamet controlled the game on the edges, and freshman Tina Rogers was one of several freshmen to contribute.
With only three returning sophomores — Carrie Hesen, Emma Ellis and Kendall Anderson — Glenelg still managed a solid 4-4-3 county record (4-5-3 overall) this fall.
"We were competitive, and most of the games we did lose were just a (one-goal) differential," coach Rick Rollyson said. "I was proud of the way the team stepped up."
Rollyson said his three sophomores, who also served as captains, were "great role models." Other contributors were Mariel Frith on both ends of the field, forward Bethany Stuart and midfielder Anna Callahan.
Corrine Rasch kept the defense strong.
Rollyson added that the team met its annual goals of being competitive and showing growth as a unit from the beginning to the end of the season.
Howard finished as one of the best teams in the county with a record of 9-2-1. Sophomore captain Logan Filler led the team with four goals and six assists from her midfield and defensive positions.
Freshman Sarah Hauk allowed only three goals in county play, recording 55 saves along the way, and freshman defender Emily Hauk was the teams' leading scorer with six goals.
One of Emily Hauk's goals was a game-winner in the last five seconds of a scoreless game against Atholton.
Coach Samantha White said that win over the Raiders was a turning point of the season for the Lions.
"The beginning of the season was challenging, with many players who were new to the team and early season injuries," White said. "It was after that game that the team realized their potential to play as a team."
Sophomore defender Emileigh Scott helped control the opposing teams' offense and showed outstanding instincts as the last line of defense.
Seven different players scored multiple goals in a game for Howard, including Caroline Lewis, who scored a hat trick against Reservoir.
Caitlin Murray, a composed playmaker, Bella Barrato, a quick outside midfielder with outstanding crosses, and Yesenia Negron, a forward with impressive speed, are some other players that could make some noise on varsity next season.
Marriotts Ridge, led by six shut outs from goalie Julian Jones, finished the season 7-5 overall.
Paxton Kiely led the team with five goals, while Ashley Wilhelm powered the defense and was excellent on set pieces. Wilhelm finished the season with a team-high seven assists.
Captains Erin Clarke and Bri Held provided timely goals, and coach Anthony Incontreta said the opening-day win over rival Glenelg was a highlight for the team this season.
"Victories over Reservoir (2-0) and Centennial (2-0) were also very memorable this season, as the girls were not only able to dominate play, but they also scored early goals to ensure the victory," Incontrera said.
Reservoir, on the heels of playmakers and leaders Cassidy Pham and Kelly Sullivan, finished with an 8-2-1 record.
Pham was the Gators' go-to player for corner kicks, while Sullivan was the team's leading scorer with an average of about a goal per game.
Bethany Golatt anchored the defense and switched defensive positions with ease.
Coach Melissa Bradbury said that their last game of the season, a victory over Atholton, was the most memorable moment for the Gators.
"The game against Atholton was very special to me because although they seem to be our 'rivals,' they have always been the one team we always play our hardest against, but never come out with a victory," she said. "Watching the girls play their hearts out and leaving nothing but 120 percent on the field was such a coachable moment for me, noticing that all the hard work had paid off."
Although Wilde Lake didn't experience the best results, the Wildecats bonded and grew as the season went on, and showed signs of improvement throughout. The team finished with an overall record of 2-6-5.
Sophomore captain Susan Greene was the team's best defender, and her positive attitude and knowledge of the game was an essential element of the team.
Sophomore midfielder Desmyn Stevenson was a main playmaker for the offense and scored the first goal of her career this season.
Sophomores Alex Patterson and Ashley Comeau both played goalie, while freshmen Nicole Blair, Julie Davis, Julia Nguyen, Olivia Grusso and Natalie Woolwine also contributed.
Coach Kristyn Neubauer said the game against Oakland Mills was the team's most cohesive game because it was the first time the preparations of practice translated to the field.
"It was easy to see the drastic improvement from the beginning of the season and the bond that had developed between the players," Neubauer said.
Field Hockey
Atholton, capitalizing on a five-game winning streak to end the season, finished 6-1-3.
Freshman forward wing Christianna Kelly scored 10 goals, while forward Lizi Jordan added eight goals.
Sophomore goalie Adira Colton had an 89 percent save average, a number coach Rachel Parkinson said will only get better when she's playing on varsity next season.
The biggest game of the season was the season finale against Reservoir. The Raiders pulled a 2-1 upset, handing the Gators their only loss of the season.
"They really wanted that win," Parkinson said. "We said we had to go out there and play like it was the JV state championship game, and they did. They worked incredibly hard that game and throughout the season as a whole, and I'm proud of what they were able to achieve this year."
Centennial, led by sophomore captain and defender Bridget Israel and freshman goalie Meg Thompson, ended the year with a 5-4-3 record.
Thompson, who was playing goalie for the first time this season, allowed only one goal against until her season ended with an injury.
Sophomore forwards Anna Crowe and Grace Calloway scored the majority of the goals for the Eagles.
Centennial went to overtime with three of the toughest teams in the county — Howard, Atholton and Glenelg — beating the Lions and tying the Raiders and Gladiators.
Coach Katie Grimm said the team showed tremendous growth.
"We had a few players join the program that had never played field hockey before," Grimm said. "It was awesome to see them do well in games and even score."
Glenelg had a very strong season under coach Joanne Reid, losing just once on the way to an 8-1-2 overall record (7-1-2 county).
After suffering a defeat at the hands of Reservoir early in the year, the Gladiators closed the season by going unbeaten in their final seven games.
"This was such a great group of girls. They played their hearts out this season, including three games that went to 7v7 overtime," Reid said. "With one loss on the books, we learned from it and worked even harder to make sure it didn't happen again. With a really young team, we were able to adjust and had several players step up to be leader out on the field."
As a team, Glenelg scored 46 goals and had 18 assists. There were 13 different players that scored at least once.
Caitlyn Oates was the team's leading scorer with nine goals and three assists, while Gabby Garofolo was right behind her with seven goals and two assists. Other standouts were Emily Bacon (5 goals, 2 assists), Becky Bowman (5 goals, one assist) and Jenna Sweeney (4 goals and 2 assists).
Kaylin Craine was a first-year goalie that stepped right in and made an immediate impact in anchoring the defense.
Although their record may not reflect it, Hammond battled every game and showed character and resiliency representing their school.
Only five out of 18 players had field hockey experience for the Golden Bears, but coach Donna Wilson was proud of how her team competed in every game.
"Our ladies worked as a cohesive team, supporting and encouraging each other. Because of that, we were always victorious," she said.
Karina LaCroix, Makayla Parris and Claudia Rodriguez-Jones were three returning sophomores that led the team. Freshmen Cameren Bruce and Olivia Irby were the other team members with prior playing experience.
A highlight of the season came against Atholton, when Hammond scored its first goal of the season.
"Atholton was celebrating right along side with us when they realized why we were so excited," Wilson said.
With 13 freshmen and only three sophomores, Howard finished 4-6 in the county and handed Atholton its only loss.
Freshman Emily Taylor led the offense with seven goals and five assists, while sophomore Jasmine Allen and freshman Sarah Regal anchored the defense in front of freshman goalie Casey Lawlor, who finished the season with 31 saves.
The Lions also got at least one goal from every forward and midfielder, and every player started at least one game.
"With such a young team and many players with little to no experience with field hockey, I imagine this group of girls will continue to grow," coach Samantha Earle said. "I honestly cannot wait to see what they will do in their senior season."
Other leading players were Tyler Reid (6 goals, one assist) and Kelsey Murray (4 goals, 4 assists).
Led by only three sophomores, Marriotts Ridge finished the season 9-2-1 overall.
Goalie Katie Garman allowed only nine goals all season, and even scored two goals playing in the field.
Sarah Bengermino led the offense with five goals and three assists, but 13 different girls scored for the Mustangs.
Although they lost to Glenelg, coach Allyson Sabia said that game was a turning point in the season because "they learned so much and they felt like they came together as a team for the first time," she said.
"Our passing was working and we were communicating with each other better than ever," said captain Jenny Chi. "We really played to our full potential."
The team ended the season with a memorable victory over Howard.
Reservoir was one of the most experienced teams in the county and was one of the most successful as a result, finishing with a 10-1-1 overall record.
"The sophomore class returned with more experience and drive this season, which also led to the team's ability to work together and support one another on the field," said coach Lindsey Frost.
Fourteen players entered the year with field hockey experience, and the defense and goalie Emily Fourney had six shutouts.
Frost said the teams' freshmen had more experience than any other team the school had seen, and that it will bode well for the JV and varsity teams in the coming seasons.
Nine different players on the team scored for the Gators, including 10 goals from sophomore captain Reilly Saunderson and eight from Jillian Weinman. Mary Kate Sisk and Elena Martino had seven goals each. Center midfielder Christina Barrett led the defense.
Frost said beating favored Glenelg, 2-0, was the team's biggest win of the season. She added she hopes it was not only a turning point for her JV squad, but for the future varsity teams also.
River Hill finished with a 6-4-1 record, allowing only 10 goals all season while scoring 28 goals.
The Hawks' front line was consistent, as four different players — Cristina Scolaro, Miriam Sheetz, Alyssa Chodnicki and Julia Lui — scored at least five goals.
Sara Miller, Megan Kinner, Emily Rozier and goalies Annalise Pham and Sanam Patel led the defense.
Coach Marni Rosenbaum said a 1-1 tie against Glenelg and a 1-0 shutout over Centennial were highlights of the season.
"This was a special group of girls who grew as a team throughout the season," Rosenbaum said. "We had a strong group of leaders in the sophomore class who came out and worked hard every day. The freshman came in with strong skills to start and improved through out the season."
With only 11 players on the roster, Glenelg Country School played most of its games with eight girls on the field.
Sophomore captain Erynne Rasheed led the Dragons' offense with eight goals and two assists, while freshman Sydney Johnson added four goals and five assists.
Sophomore Ally Brown controlled the defense, with sophomore Young Lee and freshman Zohaa Awan splitting time at goalie.
Football
Ten different players scored touchdowns for Atholton, which finished the season 6-4.
Running back's Anthony Jenkins and Jelani Dula combined to rush for more than 1,000 yards, and each averaged 5.9 yards per carry.
Dominic Totaro threw for 618 passing yards, and Jacob Waterworth finished with 12 catches for 230 yards. Reed Bunyard, Randal Jennings, Tom Vuong, Edgar Batenga and Emmanuel Palmer anchored the offensive line.
The defense was led by inside linebacker Joe Lazzari, who ended with 55 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions, while Tristen Patla and Justin Edison also had three interceptions each.
Freshman Tom Vuong led the team with four sacks. Other notable freshmen on defense included James Farmer, Eugene Whiting (three sacks) and David D'Amico (42 tackles).
Glenelg finished the season with a 9-1 record, outscoring its opponents 264-68 this fall with a total of five shutouts.
Offensive standouts were Mike Autry, JT Williams, Garrett Mills and Connor Stanley. Linemen Dakota Davis and Tre Folkman helped open holes along the way.
On defense, Stanley, Brian Doughty, Chase Miller, Max Sotka, Autry and Mills were the leaders on a stout unit.
With Parkell Cheeves scoring five total touchdowns, Hammond ended the season with a 2-8 record.
Cheeves scored on two kick-returns, two rushes and a reception, and had a knack for coming up with the big play when needed, coach John Fisher said.
The Golden Bears shut out Mt. Hebron, 13-0, and Centennial, 41-0. Against the Eagles, every running back on the roster scored a touchdown.
"That was a great team building experience and a great win to carry momentum into our off-season lifting program," Fisher said.
With 23 new players, Howard lost its first JV game after winning 30 straight.
But first-year coach Tyler Wade said the Lions played some of their best football after the loss.
"That's what I am most excited about," Wade said. "I knew we would eventually lose a game, but the progress of the program was going to be determined by how we responded."
He added there is a strong class coming in next season, and the varsity team is getting a lot of talented players for next year.
Long Reach started the season strong, winning three of its first six games before finishing the year 3-7.
Although the Lightning lost their last four games, coach Dustin Zelik said the team played some of its best football late in the season.
The defense shut down Howard's offense, and held Glenelg's offense to only one touchdown through the first three quarters.
Emmanuel Ekop was the emotional leader of the team and led the offense with three touchdown receptions, all of which were for 30 yards or longer.
In a game against Hammond, a 70-yard touchdown on a fumble recovery gave the Golden Bears a 12-6 lead with less than two minutes left.
Lightning quarterback Tyler Raines led the team down the field and then threw a touchdown pass to Jason Massengill on fourth and goal to tie the game with 40 seconds remaining. Long Reach then converted the two-point conversion to win their first game of the year, 14-12.
With two-thirds of the team being freshmen, River Hill ended with a 6-4 record.
Freshman Brenden McKenna played five different positions during the season, and quarterback Luke Champion finished with his best game of the year in a season-finale 55-30 win over Reservoir.
Freshmen Danny Peletski, Brett Schwab and Austin Abraham, along with sophomores Daniel Kelly, Jerry Son, Bradley Smith, Mohammed Halawa, Cory Marciniak, Connor Rose, Winston Loew and Sam White, led the defense.
Sophomore linemen Bradley Smith, Joe Sandoval, Mohammed Halawa, Edward Frederick-Bittner and freshman Brett Schwab helped push for control of the line of scrimmage for the Hawks.
Wilde Lake was the county's best team, finishing the season 10-0 while outscoring opponents 278-62, including four shutouts.
The Wildecats, who lived by the motto, "every player, every play, start to finish," came together in a week 2 overtime win against Glenelg.
Wilde Lake's Jason MacMillian kicked a 14-yard field goal to start the extra period, and then the defense stopped the Gladiators on three plays before blocking the game-tying field goal to seal the 3-0 victory.
"After that game, (we) went on a roll with an explosive offense and a shutdown defense," coach Shawn Frederick said.
Tyrell Barnes led the defense and ended with 31 tackles, six sacks, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions — one of which was for a touchdown.
Offensively, Stanley Kirkland had a breakout season, rushing for 865 yards and 12 touchdowns, in addition to 105 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown. Nine of his rushing touchdowns were for 30 yards or longer. He also played a big role on defense with 35 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Other offensive stars were freshman Jermaine Winkler (537 yards rushing and seven total touchdowns), and Daquan Pridget (over 500 yards total offense and seven total touchdowns).
Linemen Vincent Marianelli, Lane Dickerson, DeAndre Dyson and Connor Hall were the backbone of the team both offensively and defensively.
"This season can be attributed to the players being all in, showing great character when faced with adversity, building each other up, and living with the principles of commitment, discipline and character on and off the field," Frederick said.
Volleyball
Atholton ended up finishing above .500 on the season in county play (7-6) to go along with a 10-6 overall record.
Sophomores Samantha Greenblatt (libero), Kira Thompson (OH) and Eshana Parekh (MH) were the team's leaders. Greenblatt was the "most consistent all-around player," according to coach Allison Seeley. She finished with team highs in terms of passing, digs per game and was up there in hitting percentage (0.217) as well.
"She always has a great attitude on the court and really takes control over the back row, picking up everything that came near her," Seeley said.
Thompson led the team in aces (38) and was a strong outside hitter and defensive player. Parekh, meanwhile, was the team's go-to middle. She had the second-highest number of aces (31) on the team for the year.
Among the season highlights was coming in second at the tournament at Northern High School. The Raiders had 35 aces as a team that day. "It was so exciting to see how well my team meshed this early in the season," Selley said. "Looking back since then, my team has only grown. Everyone on this team has improved so much."
Centennial was one of the county's top teams, finishing 8-4 in county play and 8-5 overall. Coach Erika Swan said that the team's success was aided by the fact that "each player contributed in their own unique way this year."
"There were several points throughout the season where our lineup had to change ... each player was able to adapt and step up to the new challenge when they were faced with it," Swan said.
As a team, the Eagles served at an average of 91 percent with a 15 percent serving efficiency. The team totaled over 140 kills, 170 aces and 250 digs.
One of the major highlights of the season was a final match victory over Atholton after two key players had been pulled up to varsity. Centennial had been on a three-game losing streak, but battled through a couple incredibly close sets to earn the victory. The Eagles came back to win the first set, 29-27, and then prevailed in the second set, 25-23.
Howard finished with a county record of 7-6 and an overall record of 7-7. Sophomore Sam Sagi led the team with 55 kills, while sophomores Rachel Motsco and Adrienne Halley led the team in aces with 26 and 25, respectively.
Sophomore Jazz Basilio was the Lions' leading setter and sophomore Meghan Stanley was a team leader defensively. The team went on a four-game winning streak at the end of the season.
"The girls worked hard and showed great leadership and sportsmanship, both on and off the court," said coach Allison Ose.
The successes for Long Reach this fall went beyond wins and losses. The Lightning finished 3-12 overall, but still had some standout players and moments.
"I truly enjoyed working with these girls," coach Melissa Boardman said. "We have improved so much since last year and I look forward to seeing my JV team move up to varsity."
Grace Kelly, the team's setter, led the team to some great games despite being only a freshman. Boardman says the team was able to go from running a 6-2, to a 5-1 offense because Kelly was such a strong player.
Devon Williams played every position and was a very strong server, while freshman outside hitter Irene Lee was an asset in terms of hits and serving despite never playing volleyball before this year.
Mt. Hebron enjoyed another extremely strong season, finishing 12-1 in county play and 13-1 overall. The team's only loss came against Marriotts Ridge in a three-set thriller.
Among the season highlights was a comeback victory against River Hill, where the Vikings edged the Hawks 16-14 in the decisive third set.
"The (team) played with great enthusiasm were really fun both to watch and coach," said coach Susan Wiggs.
Power outside hitters Rylee Kinsella (captain) and Kaitlin Donovan excelled both offensively and defensively. Kinsella finished with 54 kills and 41 digs, while Donovan posted totals of 61 kills and 21 digs.
Freshman libero Nicole Tabenske (67 digs) and Katherine Stagg (12 digs) were defensive leaders. Captain Stephanie Lizzo (92 assists) and Elizabeth Cherry (70 assists) were setters that helped keep the offense on the attack. Megan Scarbath (29 kills), Maya Barnes (20), Brooke Shane (15) and Kara O'Donnell (15) were other team leaders in terms of kills.
Reservoir finished the season with a strong record of 9-4 and was aided by standout players Erika Sowers, Elizabeth Harvey, Madeline Winters and Enitan Omolewa.
Sowers led the team with 26 aces on the season, while Winters led the offense with 32 kills. Omolewa's 16 blocks and Harvey's 25 digs were consistent sparks for the defense.
"Overall, the team had a great season," said coach Emma Dawe. "With having players sick or hurt at the start of the season, it was nice to see players in new positions and succeed. When the team was full strength, they worked together and fought hard in each game."
Cross country
The Howard County cross country championships were held Oct. 22 at Centennial High School with the following results in the "B" races.
Boys team scores: 1. River Hill, 19 points; 2. Howard, 41; 3. Mt. Hebron, 81; 4. Atholton, 131; 5. Centennial, 155; 6. Oakland Mills, 194; 7. Glenelg, 201; 8. Marriotts Ridge, 238; 9. Wilde Lake, 269; 10. Reservoir, 274; 11. Long Reach, 321; 12. Hammond, 379.
Top boys individuals: 1. Kevin Reynolds, RH, 18:26; 2. Phillip Hilliard, RH, 18:30; 3. Tanzer Balimtas, RH, 18:33; 4. Brian Goulet, Ho, 18:37.07; 5. Dennis Danieli, Ho, 18:37.25; 6. Sam Trossman, RH, 18:41; 7. Andrew Meininger, RH, 18:42.36; 8. Ray Smith, Ho, 18:42.58; 9. Sean Malone, RH, 18:43; 10. Tyler Denicola, Ho, 18:44.
11. Owen Spain, A, 18:47; 12. Jake Drohat, MH, 18:48; 13. Michael Barber, MH, 18:50; 14. Joshua Olivier, Ho, 18:59; 15. Joey Lapointe, Ho, 19:06; 16. Abraham Samuel, MH, 19:08; 17. Erik Jenks, Ho, 19:10; 18. Mathew Eastman, Ho, 19:15; 19. Roamel Henry, OM, 19:22; 20. Jeffrey Barnhouse, Ho, 19:24.
Girls team scores: 1. River Hill, 28; 2. Howard, 53; 3. Marriotts Ridge, 96; 4. Mt. Hebron, 102; 5. Centennial, 116; 6. Reservoir, 127; 7. Wilde Lake, 211; 8. Glenelg, 220.
Top girls individuals: 1. Kirsten Kruus, RH, 22:24.69; 2. Tiffany Wang, RH, 22:38; 3. Maura Mead, Ho, 22:47; 4. Courtney Tse, C, 23:07; 5. Jillian Swaim, Ho, 23:10; 6. Courtney O'Neill, Ho, 23:13; 7. Jennifer Hornor, RH, 23:21; 8. Tess Hawes, RH, 23:32; 9. Cassandra Hale, MR, 23:34; 10. Rebecca Romano, RH, 23:43.
11. Stephanie Crispell, C, 23:45; 12. Danielle Gray, Re, 23:47; 13. Krista Schumm, MH, 23:48; 14. Alexa Matthews, RH, 23:53; 15. Alice Choe, RH, 23:54; 16. Krisana Goel, RH, 23:55; 17. Chloe Virden, MR, 23:59; 18. Rachel Filar, Ho, 24:03; 19. Callie Robertseon, MR, 24:05; 20. Hunter Little, Re, 24:08.