Ten months removed from a loss in the Class 3A-2A state title game, No. 12 Fallston yesterday took the first step on its long road back to UMBC Stadium.

Attackman Patrick Mull had two goals and four assists and teammates Mike Antinozzi, Luke Raab and Andy Thrasher also scored two each, as the Cougars pulled away in the second half to top host No. 14 Century, 10-6, in the season opener for both teams.

"For the guys who returned from last year, it still stings us," Mull said of Fallston's 6-3 title game loss to Glenelg. "We still feel it. We really want it bad."

Fallston showed just how badly in the first half, breaking a tie at 2 with consecutive goals by Thrasher, Mull and Antinozzi before halftime.

Century briefly mounted a comeback in the third quarter, pulling to within one on goals by Joey Brandt and Tyler Cockey. Cockey, a junior, led the Knights with two goals and two assists.

Over the next 12 minutes, however, the Cougars dominated, beating the Knights to loose balls, taking advantage of several key turnovers and scoring five of the next six goals, including two in 11 seconds by Raab and Trey Cover midway through the fourth quarter that sealed the win.

"We challenged our defense to step it up," said first-year Fallston coach Ryan Arist, who coached Joppatowne last season. "We have offensive weapons on our team, but we can't just rely on our offense. Our defense has got to play their part. We've got a brand new defense out there, and really, the ball is in their court to step up."

"Fundamentally, they were sound. Fundamentally, we weren't," Century coach Jim Langrall said. "A lot of turnovers, not picking up ground balls, not executing passes inside ... just not real good execution all the way around. We didn't have very many answers today."