BOYS LACROSSE
Player of the Year
Travis Love
Winters Mill
The senior was the unyielding force that helped make Winters Mill (19-0) Carroll County's firststate lacrosse champion. The Towson University-bound goalie led the county with a .710 save percentage, allowing just 92 goals in 19 games - an average of less than five per game. He did some of his best work in the Class 2A-1A state title game, making 20 saves in a 6-5 overtime win against previously unbeaten Parkside. For his efforts, Love, 6 feet 1 and 180 pounds, earlier this week was named the Class 2A-1A winner of the C. Markland Kelly Award as the top player in state 2A and 1A schools, as selected by coaches. Love has been a four-year starter and a team captain since his sophomore year.
Coach of the Year
Jim Langrall
Century
A year after limping to a 3-9 record, including 0-6 in Carroll County, Langrall's Knights turned things around this spring in a big way, finishing 14-3 overall and 5-1 in the county. The season included an eight-game winning streak, as well as a dozen games in which the team scored at least 11 goals. It was a major departure from a year ago, when the Knights stayed competitive in most games, but rarely were able to finish off an opponent. The biggest difference, Langrall said, was the maturation of his seniors, many of whom showed improved stick skills and leadership after playing summer ball. He also credited his assistant coaches, who helped provide players with more individualized attention. Langrall spent nine years coaching at Liberty before starting Century's program from the junior varsity level in 2002.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Player of the Year
Jenny Steadman
Century
The senior capped her stellar career by excelling at what she always did best - catching the ball in traffic and finishing. Steadman scored a career-high 94 goals to go along with 37 assists, leading Century to its third Class 2A-1A state title in four years and earning the midfielder her second straight county Player of the Year award. The Penn State-bound Steadman set Carroll County records for career goals (259) and points (388). She scored eight goals in a game against Winters Mill and seven in her team's 15-5 win over Pikesville in the state final, but had one of her best all-around performances in a playoff win against Liberty, despite not scoring at all.
Coach of the Year
Rose Pentz
Century
What some saw as a changing of the guard in Carroll County, Pentz's team saw as inspiration. After the first county in their history loss in early April against Liberty, the Knights quickly took stock and fired back. They finished the season with 14 straight wins - by a combined score of 258-64 - to claim a share of their fifth straight county title, as well as their third Class 2A-1A state title in four years. One of those wins was a 15-4 blowout of Liberty in the regional semifinals. No. 5 Century (17-2) received key contributions from veterans and newcomers in continuing to set the standard in county girls lacrosse. Pentz, who has coached the program since its initial year at the junior varsity level in 2002, ran her career record to 84-6. Player of the Year
SOFTBALL
Megan Johnson
Francis Scott Key
Not only was the Morgan State-bound senior Carroll County's most dominant pitcher, but she also was among its best hitters. Johnson started every game for the Eagles, compiling a 14-6 record with a 1.48 ERA, and 209 strikeouts in just 141 innings. She walked only 27, and she racked up seven shutouts. Johnson ranked among the county's leaders by batting .361, with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and 14 RBIs. Her hot bat and ability to lay off bad pitches helped her to reach base nearly 53 percent of the time.
Coach of the Year
Greg Knill
Winters Mill
Despite losing more than half his team from a year ago to graduation, Knill led the Falcons to a turnaround season. The team improved from 8-12 to 13-8, tying Francis Scott Key for second place in the Monocacy Valley Athletic League Piedmont Conference and finishing in a three-way tie for second place in Carroll County. Knill, who has coached a variety of sports over the past 19 years, including football, golf, basketball, track and lacrosse, has led his current team since its inception at the junior varsity level in 2003. Despite mixed results since, he said that this year's players bonded better than any of his previous groups, with the goal of proving they could win.
First Team
Name School Class Position Megan Johnson F.S. Key Senior Pitcher
Kim Ruppert Winters Mill Senior Pitcher Anna Struhar Century Junior Pitcher
Sarah Alpaugh Liberty Soph. Catcher
Emilie McFarland Century Soph. Catcher
Kelley Farley F.S. Key Soph. Infield Mary Harshman South Carroll Soph. Infield
Felicia Knill Winters Mill Junior Infield Marie Lindberg Century Senior Infield
Amy Metcalfe Westminster Soph. Infield Meghan Clements Century Junior Outfield
Brittani Rynkowski North Carroll Junior Outfield
Second Team
Name School Class Position Ashley Woods North Carroll Junior Pitcher
Nicki Brown F.S. Key Senior Catcher
Megan McFeeley Westminster Senior Catcher
Meagan Elfert Westminster Senior Infield Lindsay Harman Winters Mill Junior Infield
Jamie Holden South Carroll Senior Infield Emily Reider Liberty Soph. Infield
Brooke Robinson Westminster Soph. Infield Emily Sullivan North Carroll Junior Infield
Morgan Wheeler Century Junior Infield Liz Cullinane F.S. Key Senior Outfield
Christine Isenberg F.S. Key Fresh. Outfield
Note -- Teams selected by Rich Scherr after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.
BASEBALL
Player of the Year
Brett Harman
Westminster
The 6-foot-4 right-hander dominated hitters all season, finishing 10-1 with an 0.64 ERA and 113 strikeouts against just 16 walks to lead Westminster to its first Class 3A state title. The Maryland-bound senior overpowered batters with his 90 mph fastball, and consistently kept them off balance by dropping down and throwing from various angles. Harman, who also batted a county-best .423 with 20 RBIs and 15 stolen bases, did his finest work in the playoffs, pitching four straight complete games - including a 4-1 win over Centennial in the state final - while allowing only three earned runs and striking out 40. He finishes his four years on the varsity with six Monocacy Valley Athletic League career records, including most wins (30) and, as a batter, most hits (99).
Coach of the Year
Denny Snyder
North Carroll
Led by its torrid hitting, Snyder's team dominated Carroll County throughout the regular season. Consistently putting up huge numbers at the plate, the Panthers finished 14-6 and won both the county title and a share of the MVAL Chesapeake Conference title. Among North Carroll's wins were a pair of regular-season victories over eventual state champion Westminster. Snyder, in his 14th year, assembled a lineup that for much of the season was as strong one-through-nine as any in county history. Down 6-0 against South Carroll in April, the team exploded for 15 runs in an inning, breaking North Hagerstown's MVAL record. The Panthers followed that by scoring nine in an inning against Linganore. Snyder also won Coach of the Year honors last season, as well as in soccer last fall.
First team
Name School Class Pos.
Brett Harman Westminster Senior Pitcher
Garrett Harrison South Carroll Junior Pitcher
Dan Litfin Liberty Junior Pitcher
Garrett Price Liberty Junior Catcher
Mike Yingling North Carroll Senior Catcher
Matt Greene South Carroll Senior Infield
Evan Picciotto North Carroll Senior Infield
Jeremy Ritz North Carroll Junior Infield
Evan Dayhoff South Carroll Senior Outfield
Shane Eyler F.S. Key Senior Outfield
Nick Riley North Carroll Senior Outfield
Dustin Tarlow Westminster Senior Outfield
Second team
Name School Class Pos.
John Byram Liberty Senior Pitcher
Tyler Witte Winters Mill Soph. Pitcher
A.J. Capece North Carroll Senior Infield
Chris Chastain South Carroll Junior Infield
Jack Lambert Liberty Senior Infield
Paul Macciocca Winters Mill Senior Infield
Eric Pindell Century Senior Infield
Justin Carver North Carroll Senior Outfield
Jimmy Gilford F.S. Key Senior Outfield
Sam Krone Winters Mill Junior Outfield
Phil Ruzbarsky Westminster Junior Outfield
Matt Hoffman Century Senior DH
Note -- Teams selected by Rich Scherr after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.
GIRLS TRACK
Performer of the Year
Katie Hursey
North Carroll
The Syracuse-bound senior once again showed why she's one of the state's top runners. She captured the Class 3A state title in the 1,600 in with a late rally to beat Mount Hebron's Liz McCarter. Hursey also swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the county meet. She also is an accomplished swimmer.
Coaches of the Year
Jim MacDonald and Rob Johnson
North Carroll
They were the All-Metro Coaches of the Year in the winter and they did another fine job this spring. They effectively used the team's depth to make North Carroll a power, winning the county, taking second in the regional and seventh in the Class 3A state meet.
The team
Name School Class
Nina Boston South Carroll Sophomore
Jennifer Byrd F.S. Key Senior
Mary Doarnberger North Carroll Sophomore
Molly Donovan North Carroll Senior
Sarah Hollands North Carroll Senior
Jess Huber North Carroll Junior
Alexis Hurd North Carroll Sophomore
Katie Hursey North Carroll Senior
Nikki Koons Winters Mill Sophomore
Jess Lockatell South Carroll Sophomore
Renee Norris Westminster Junior
Kate Paczynski Liberty Junior
Auriel Reeser Century Sophomore
Melissa Stansbury Liberty Senior
Rachel Sykes South Carroll Sophomore
Note -- Team selected by Jeff Seidel after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.
BOYS TRACK
Performer of the Year
Erik Adami
North Carroll
Adami is perhaps the metro area's most versatile track athlete, possessing a rare mix of speed, power and athleticism. The senior won the high jump and pole vault at the state meet, and captured those two events plus the discus and took third in the shot put at the county meet.
Coach of the Year
Ryan Melhorn
Century
In his first outdoor season at Century, Melhorn got the most out of his performers and guided them to a second-place finish at the county meet, just five points behind Liberty. The Knights also took fifth in the regional and 13th in the state.
The team
Name School Class
Erik Adami North Carroll Senior
Ben Burden North Carroll Senior
Issa Connell North Carroll Junior
Brent Dawson Century Senior
Justin Everett Century Senior
Nick Hruch Liberty Senior
Kevin Jones Winters Mill Senior
Arthur Leathers F.S. Key Junior
John Lopez Westminster Senior
Zach Means Winters Mill Senior
C.J. Naper South Carroll Senior
Mikah Ochieng F.S, Key Junior
Chris Wagner South Carroll Senior
Jared Walsh F.S. Key Senior
Mark Young North Carroll Sophomore Note -- Team selected by Jeff Seidel after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.