No. 7-ranked Oakland Mills might have trounced Atholton yesterday.

Instead, the Howard County League-leading Scorpions (4-0 overall, 2-0 league) used the game as a tune-up for Friday's match against No. 6-ranked Wilde Lake and won by a respectable 4-2.

It was only the second time since Oct. 11, 1996, that Oakland Mills had won by more than one goal, and the win gave the Scorpions a total of nine goals this season. They scored only 14 goals all of last fall.

Oakland Mills coach Don Shea gave playing time to his second string, five of whom started. All 22 squad members played.

"I told every kid after our Elkton game that he'd be in the game today," Shea said. "I didn't care if we lost. We needed to see what they could do. And I didn't want to run the starters' legs off, because we have three games in six days."

Rudy Nunez, Kyle Farmer, Trevor Shea and Jeremy Catlin scored for the victors.

Atholton scored in the 71st minute on a penalty kick by Danny Dworkin after Justin Pak was pulled down in the penalty area.

The Raiders' Jeff Ebaugh scored in the 73rd minute.

Pub Date: 9/24/98