The Baltimore Sun's Howard County co-Players of the Year earned the honor based on their leadership and scoring ability.
That they performed for teams that both won state championships was also an important factor.
Without Vicky Brunt of Centennial and Tyann Blissett of Oakland Mills, neither team would have had nearly as successful seasons.
Brunt, who scored 16 goals and had 11 assists, was Centennial's coach on the field during games. The striker constantly yelled advice to her teammates, who depended on her leadership.
lTC "I scored a little more last year, but felt more important this year because I was put into a leadership position as a senior," said Brunt, a co-captain.
Centennial won its second straight state title this season. "Repeating as state champs was much harder mentally,'"' Brunt said. "There was much more pressure, especially in the championship game, because it was the last game for the seniors and we would have hated to lose it.'"'
Brunt, who scored one goal in Centennial's 3-2 win over Dulaney in the state Class 4A-3A final, scored hat tricks against Howard and Wilde Lake in the regular season, and against Bowie in the regional final. The four-year varsity player thinks her best skill is passing. She filled in at midfield one game this season.
She is considering attending George Washington, Maryland, James Madison or Rutgers.
Blissett scored 13 goals and had 10 assists for Oakland Mills. She had the game-winning goal against Hammond in the regular season, and the game-winner against Liberty in the state semifinal. She was noted for speed, aggressiveness and a powerful shot.
"She had an aura about her. Other teams feared her when she walked onto a field," Scorpions coach Nancy Shea said. "She also had incredible dedication and loyalty."
Blissett and Mandy Kolste, co-captains, even attended two-a-day boys practices in August in hopes of learning something the girls could use in their practices.
Shea described one situation during a game in which Oakland Mills was struggling against Atholton. "Tyann was sick, wrapped up in a blanket and lying on the bench. She finally asked me to put her in and I told her she was too sick. She finally went in for about 30 seconds and made the game-winning assist," Shea said.