Centennial won its first state championship, broke Mount Hebron's 30-game league winning streak, and posted a near-perfect 15-1 record last season.
It couldn't have been much sweeter for Centennial coach Mike Siegert, who is entering his 22nd season.
Siegert's Eagles likely must take a back seat this season to Mount Hebron and River Hill, Glenelg, and maybe even a couple of other teams, however.
Siegert is smiling, anyway. Part of that is just the way Siegert is -- seemingly always happy and upbeat.
Part is the reason is the addition of a new assistant coach, Warren Michael, the former coach at Mount Hebron whose teams won seven county titles and two state titles in nine years while posting a 124-30 record.
Michael, out of coaching 2 1/2 years while he endured two back surgeries, creates a coaching triumvirate that has to rank right up there with the best high school coaching staffs in the country.
One coach, Rick Kincaid, of Glenelg, even suggested it would make one of the best college coaching staffs in the country.
The chemistry is perfect.
In Siegert and volunteer assistant coach Jack Thomas, you have two knowledgeable nice guys who were All-Americans at Hopkins in 1974. Thomas, in fact, was a three-time All-American attackman.
Michael is a more emotional coach who tries to motivate by being the not-so-nice guy. The mixture of styles is an effective blend.
"After I stir things up, Jack calms things down, and Mike smoothes things over," Michael said. "Mike is the consummate head coach. He told me to take the offense, I changed the whole thing, and he never questioned what I was doing. We're doing some neat things to cover our weaknesses."
Siegert is coaching defense. Thomas, a volunteer coach, works with the goalies and helps Michael with the offense.
"It's a tremendous situation for me," Siegert said. "I can just sit back and do the paperwork, if I want to."
New Bears coaches
Hammond is the only team with a new coach, as Dave Griffin takes over for Larry Luthe, who left to take the head football coaching job at Mount Hebron.
Griffin graduated in 1988 from Hammond, where he was starting goalkeeper for three years. Then he played two years at Catonsville Community College before graduating from Towson University with a degree in biology.
After two years in medical sales, he switched to teaching and is Hammond's gifted and talented biology teacher.
He was a volunteer coach at Hammond from 1991 to 1995 before becoming Luthe's assistant.
"This is a dream come true for me," Griffin said. Former Hammond coach Bill Smith has returned as Griffin's assistant coach.
Toughest schedule?
Mount Hebron, which lost six games on a tough schedule last season, tackles another tough schedule that includes Broadneck on April 3, McDonogh on April 10, Carthage, N.Y. on April 17 at UMBC and St. Mary's on May 1 at Johns Hopkins.
"We play a tough schedule to give our kids exposure and convince them to stay at Mount Hebron," said coach Jeff Doolan, who annually loses at least a handful of high-level players to private schools.
Centennial, defending Class 1A-2A state champ, also has toughened its schedule to include Broadneck (March 20), Park (March 24), South Carroll (March 26) and Carthage (April 15).
Oakland Mills plays McDonogh at home March 23 for anyone who wants a preview of what the No. 1 team in the nation looks like.
Norman Flecker tourney
Atholton has renamed its spring lacrosse tournament to honor an alumnus killed during an Army helicopter crash in Korea last August.
The six-team event, which includes Oakland Mills, Glenelg, Wilde Lake, Long Reach, Hammond and Atholton, is now called the Norman Flecker Memorial Tournament.
Flecker, an excellent student who started at midfield for Raiders before graduating in 1993, is survived by his identical twin brother, Alex.
"We're trying to generate a scholarship fund to give to a player who reflects Norman's positive attributes," Atholton coach Wendell Thomas said.
Where are they now?
Kyle Campbell, high school All-American and 1998 Co-Player of the Year, is playing for Loyola College along with former teammate and 1997 Player of the Year, Mike Stromberg.
Whit Faris, first-team All-County Glenelg defenseman, is now playing with Maryland-College Park.
Jeremy Edge, first-team All-County midfielder, now plays for West Point.
Whatever it takes
Mount Hebron was the only team that managed to play a scrimmage last week. They wanted it badly.
The entire team showed up Thursday to shovel the snow off the field.
Then the Vikings practiced Friday, before scrimmaging St. Alban's Saturday at Mount Hebron. The Vikings won in overtime. It was only fair after all that shoveling.
Early commitments
Mount Hebron attackman Bryan Warner, a second-team All-County choice, will play for Rutgers on a partial scholarship after commiting early.
Centennial midfielder Eric Jones orally committed last week to UMBC.
Mount Hebron first-team All-County defenseman Dave Smith has orally committed to UMBC on a 50 percent scholarship for the first two years and a full ride the last two years -- the same as his older brother, Jon, who is redshirting after shoulder surgery.
Pub Date: 3/19/99