Atholton Raiders
1997 record: 2-12 overall, 2-7 league
Coach: Roch DeFrancis
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Danny Dworkin, senior, M; Ross Laidig, senior, M; Pat Thomas, senior, M; Justin Pak, junior, F; Nick Zaron, sophomore, D; Chris Fox, junior, GK; Jamie Hollander, sophomore, M; Jeff Ebaugh, senior, D; Zach Silverman, freshman, F; Dan Sebring, senior, D; Joe Curley, senior, D.
Outlook: The Raiders return five starters and will be faster, more experienced and more skilled. After a couple of years of low turnouts, Atholton will carry 20 players on varsity and 25 on JV -- healthy numbers again. Silverman, a 6-footer, has been impressive. Ebaugh sat out the last two seasons with a knee injury after playing as a freshman. His quickness and skills also have impressed DeFrancis, a Howard County police officer and second-year Raiders coach who previously coached at Cardinal
Gibbons and Catonsville Community College. Fox was the back-up GK last season. Atholton has toughened its schedule considerably by adding Mount St. Joe and Spalding. "I asked for Calvert Hall and Archbishop Curley," DeFrancis said. "You don't get better unless you play the best competition." DeFrancis has experience in the midfield with Laidig, Thomas and Dworkin and expects his defense to be good. "Zaron gives us speed in the back," he said. Atholton's 1997 highlight was a victory over Oakland Mills.
Centennial Eagles
1997 record: 11-3-1 overall, 7-1-1 league
Coach: Ron Martin
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Mike Dramby, senior, GK; Mike Martin, senior, F; Charles Lin, senior, M; Todd Sajauskas, junior, sweeper; Randy Van Allen, junior, M/F; Nate Zachman, sophomore, D/M; Greg Wallace, sophomore, M.
Outlook: The perennial powerhouse Eagles are undergoing a youth movement, facing the possibility of starting three sophomores and three freshmen. They have lightened their schedule, replacing Mount St. Joseph and Class 4A state champion Whitman with Urbana and Glenelg Country School. Martin, a third-year coach who replaced the legendary Bill Stara, was The Sun's Howard County Coach of the Year last season when the Eagles surprised everyone with their strong second-place Howard County finish. He is trying to find the right combination on defense. Dramby was second-team All-County.
"Dramby is an excellent goalkeeper. But Dramby is not going to be able to do it all," Martin said. The Eagles also graduated three of their top players from midfield. Offensively, the team is led by ,, Martin's son, Mike (eight goals, four assists). Martin is pleased with the talent of a strong freshman class, but the Eagles may have to weather a rare mediocre season while waiting for the young players.
Chapelgate Christian Flames
League: MIAA C Conference
1997 record: 12-6-2 overall, 8-2-2 league (league champs)
Coach: Rob Van Ness
Top players: Chris Davidson, junior, M; Ben Byrd, senior, F; Chris Blanchard, senior, F; Mike Kennedy, senior, M; Steve Lippert, senior, GK; Matt Trail, junior, D; David Cahill, junior, D; Matt Tigert, senior, D; Joe Routh, senior, D; Sean Wybenga, sophomore, F
Outlook: After winning the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C Conference title in their inaugural season, the Flames return seven starters. "We'll be in contention again," Van Ness said. The Flames are a veteran team with 12 seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores. And they will have more depth thanks to the transfer of Tigert, Wybenga and four others from Montrose Christian. The team is carrying 22 players. Trail (sweeper) and Cahill (stopper) will hold down the key defensive positions. Davidson is a crucial offensive performer.
Glenelg Gladiators
1997 record: 12-6 overall, 4-5 league (state 1A champs)
Coach: Peter Klisas
Classification: Class 1A
Top players: Uri Itkin, senior, M; Jason Weszka, junior, D; Ryan Bender, junior, D; Taylor Faris, junior, D; Evan Lawrence, junior, M; Thomas Mazerski, senior, F; Eric Kuba, sophomore, M; Greg Moore, sophomore, F; Corey Shea, freshman, GK; Connor Nixon, freshman, M/F; Christopher von Rautenkrantz, freshman, M; Philip Rub, sophomore, M; David Dorsey, sophomore, M
Outlook: After upsetting Hammond in the regional final and then winning the state Class 1A championship, the Gladiators are undergoing a youth movement. They graduated their two best players, goalkeeper Justin Benoliel and top scorer David Harris. Four starters return, including Itkin, Weszka, Bender and Faris. Glenelg will keep three freshmen and six sophomores. Klisas expects all three freshmen to start, including Shea, who played for the Baltimore Bays under-15 regional championship team and is technically outstanding in goal. Nixon offers strength, size and speed and can use either foot. Overall, the Gladiators are small, but technically sounder. Instead of taking a kick-and-run route to goal, the Gladiators will pass more. "We're very young, so fifth or sixth place in the league would be very good for us," Klisas said. Glenelg finished sixth last season.
Glenelg Country Dragons
League: MIAA C Conference
1997 record: 11-4-2 overall, 8-2-2 league
Coach: Craig Shale
Top players: Dan Liparini, senior, F; Kolin Leishman, junior, M; C. J. Bowles, junior, GK; Alex Kelly, senior, M; Kevin Eyre, senior, M.
Outlook: The Dragons, who return five starters, will be strong again offensively but need to develop a defense. Liparini (18 goals, five assists) and Leishman (eight goals, 23 assists) are two of the league's top players. Glenelg lost the championship game to Chapelgate last season and expects the Flames to be its chief competition once again. "We have a lot of talent at midfield and forward but need defenders, so we expect a lot of high scoring games," Shale said. Glenelg defeated Long Reach last season and has added Centennial to its schedule.
Hammond Golden Bears
1997 record: 10-5-1 overall, 5-4 league
Coach: Trevin London
Classification: Class 1A
Top players: Jules Gero, senior, F; Dave Acott, senior, D; Landry Honza, junior, F; Nick Menikheim, senior, D; Andrew Essey, junior, GK; T. J. Peterson, senior, M; Matt Kolesar, senior, M; Georgio Phillips, junior, M, David Chan, junior, M
Outlook: Although the Bears experienced their winningest season ever, they were disappointed about losing to Glenelg in the regional finals, and missing a chance to win the state Class 1A title. They will have a new coach, as London replaces veteran Rich Corkran. London, 40, a native of Guyana, teaches special education at Hammond and coached the Hammond junior varsity one season. He previously coached soccer at Surrattsville in Prince Georges County. Hammond returns four starters, including Gero, Acott, Menikheim and Essey. "We're real solid in goal," London said. He considers Chan, who didn't play last season, a major asset at defensive midfield. Gero and Landry offer lots of speed up top. Acott is slated to play sweeper. "We're stressing defense and fitness," London said. "We could be very good. The skill is there. It has to be brought together."
Howard Lions
1997 record: 3-10-1 overall, 2-6-1 league
Coach: Brian Boussy
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Chris Goodman, junior, M; Kevin Berwind, junior, D/F; Eric Curetin, senior, GK; Justin Budich, senior, M; Daniel Triman, junior, M; Ben Brasso, freshman, M/F
Outlook: The Lions return four starters and have more skill than they've had in several years. They also had their biggest turnout in recent years -- 65. Berwind, who scored nine goals and had four assists, may be moved to sweeper. Brasso has impressed (( so far. Curetin is sound in goal. "I'm optimistic," Boussy said. "Usually I have a feel for how we'll do, but this year I don't. We have the potential to win every game except for River Hill, or to lose every game. This is the first year I've had primarily soccer players and not players I've had to recruit from other sports."
Long Reach Lightning
1997 record: 1-11-2 overall, 0-8-1
Coach: Shawn Smith
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Marcos Rodriguez, senior, F; Brent Spranklin, junior, M; Terrell Gary, senior, defender; Andrew Price, junior, D; Eric Owens, junior, GK; C. J. Wright, senior, F; Michael Brewrink, freshman, M
Outlook: Long Reach may finally gain some respect and its first league win in this, its third season. "We've grown up now," said Smith. "Our players have 35 games of varsity experience under their belts, are mentally tough and out to prove a few things." In its first season, Long Reach was outscored 80-2. Last season, the Lightning closed the goal gap to 35-15. Rodriguez scored eight of those goals before breaking an ankle in the eighth game. Smith has juggled players, moving Spranklin to center midfield and Price to stopper. He's impressed with Brewrink. The Lightning will start three seniors, seven juniors and one freshman.
Mount Hebron Vikings
1997 record: 9-5-1 overall, 5-4 league
Coach: Scott Conroy
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Pete Lindahl, senior, M; Matt Midura, senior, D; Christian Chacon, junior, M; Brendan Glancey, junior, D; Kyle Chacon, senior, D; Bob Bergin, senior, M; Greg Peters, sophomore, GK; David Lechtrecker, junior, F; Matt White, sophomore, D; Chris Clickner, junior, D; Nathan Rauscher, senior, F
Outlook: The Vikings return 10 starters, including two first-team All-County players, and are hoping to contend for county and state titles. They lost the regional championship game to River Hill, 4-3, and a regular-season game to the same No. 1-ranked Hawks, 2-1, in overtime. Lindahl scored five goals and had nine assists, and was first-team All-County and second-team All-Metro. He and Christian Chacon give the Vikings a strong center midfield. Midura, the sweeper, scored four goals and had seven assists and was first-team All-County. Peters replaces All-County goalkeeper Tom Wunk. The Vikings outscored their opponents 38-15. "Peters is very good," Conroy said. "He's not as tall as Wunk but is quick and gets to a lot of balls. We won't give up many goals. If we have a weakness it will be scoring."
Oakland Mills Scorpions
1997 record: 5-6-2 overall, 3-4-2 league
Coach: Don Shea
Classification: Class 1A
Top players: Kyle Farmer, sophomore, F; Steve Blakely, junior, M; Jeremy Catlin, junior, F/M; Chris Ebeling, junior, GK; Trevor Shea, sophomore, M; Brian Grund, junior, M; Glenn Hayman, junior, D; Ryan Murphy, senior, M; Miles Rivas, junior, D; Grahm Hawkes, senior, D; Chukwubuike Aghaji, senior, D
Outlook: By moving speedster Farmer from defense to forward, the Scorpions hope to score more than last season's skimpy 14 goals and win a lot more games. The defense was fine, allowing just 19 goals. Oakland Mills was the only team to defeat top-ranked River Hill. But the Scorpions lost five of 10 games decided by one goal, including 1-0 double-overtime losses to top-10 teams Wilde Lake and Centennial. The Scorpions were extremely young and small, and a year of maturity should make a big difference. They return eight starters, 14 lettermen, and are aiming to win a Class 1A state title. They've won eight state titles, more than any other school, but the last one was in 1994.
River Hill Hawks
1997 record: 16-1 overall, 8-1 league
Coach: Bill Stara
Classification: Class 2A
Top players: Adom Crew, junior, F; Clif Jackson, junior, F/M; Scott Buescher, junior, F; Aaron McKinley, senior, D; Tod Tedrow, junior, D; Aaron Pierce, junior, D; Justin Gotis, junior, M/D; Matt Charamella, junior, M/D; Elliott Marquis, junior, D; Brett Endler, junior, M; Randal Brown, senior, M; Kyle O'Brien, junior, M; DeForest McDuff, junior, M; Brent Tyson, junior, M; Bryce Yetso, junior, M; Mike Dibella, junior, GK; Graham Summers, Sr., F
Outlook: The third-year Hawks graduated four starters but return 17 players from a Class 2A state championship team that ended the season ranked No. 1 by The Sun, outscored opponents, 56-10, and recorded 10 shutouts. No second-year team had won state title until the Hawks did it. They are highly talented, have depth and versatility, and despite having just two seniors are experienced and battle-tested. The main question is how much they will miss the leadership of last year's top graduates, Billy Allen and Sam Salganik. The other question is whether the Hawks can stay healthy at goalkeeper. This will be Dibella's third shot at a starting goalkeeper position. He suffered early season-ending injuries each of the past two seasons. Among the outstanding returnees, Crew was first-team All-Metro, scored 16 goals and had five assists. McKinley was first-team All-County. Brown, Marquis, Pierce and Tedrow were second-team All-County. The Hawks' only loss was to Oakland Mills. They meet the Scorpions Oct. 6 at River Hill. The Hawks have replaced Laurel and Mount St. Joseph with Urbana and Liberty. They will also play a two-day tournament in Raleigh, N.C., Sept. 11-12.
Wilde Lake Wildecats
1997 record: 13-2-2 overall, 6-2-1 league
Coach: Dave Nesbitt
Classification: Class 3A
Top players: Ian Rodway, sophomore, F; Mike Dello-Russo, sophomore, M; Scott Terrill, senior, D; Andy Chung, senior, F; Robert Ratcliffe, junior, M; Forrest Watson, junior, M; Dominic Phillips, senior, D; Matt Thomas, junior, GK; Brandon Cohen, junior, GK
Outlook: Despite graduating three All-Metro players and its entire defense that recorded eight shutouts and held opponents to 11 goals, the Wildecats think they can duplicate last season's No. 6 ranking and Class 3A state title. Rodway's 13 goals led the team. BTC Dello-Russo (six goals, seven assists) is a magician with the ball. Ratcliffe (eight goals, four assists) has terrific speed. Terrill, who has moved from midfield to defense, and Chung should provide senior leadership. Phillips, the sweeper, is a transfer from Hammond. Cohen and Thomas are battling at keeper. "We have a lot of offense back and will give everyone a tough game," Nesbitt said. "We will get better as the season progresses."
Metro Top 15
Rank School
1. River Hill
2. McDonogh
3. Mount Hebron
4. Archbishop Curley
5. Severna Park
6. Calvert Hall
7. Wilde Lake
8. Mount St. Joseph
9. Oakland Mills
10. Franklin
11. Arundel
12. Patapsco
13. Chesapeake-AA
14. Bel Air
15. Old Mill
Pub Date: 9/03/98