Defending state champ Reservoir opened its season with two loses in the Titans Tournament of Champions at Tuscarora High School last weekend. The Gators lost, 3-0, to Urbana in the opening round on Sept. 2, and, 1-0, to Leonardtown the next day.
River Hill also played in the tournament, splitting its two games, losing to Tuscarora, 3-0, in the first game, and beating C.M. Wright, 4-1, in the final game on a pair of goals from Sheridan Street.
The tournament featured several powerhouse teams. Tuscarora was a Class 3A finalist last fall, losing to Reservoir for the title. C.M. Wright was a semifinalist last year as well. Middletown, the Class 2A state champion, was also in the tournament.
"We definitely learned a lot about ourselves as a team," said Reservoir coach Josh Sullivan. With a young team, nagging injuries and three starters missing from the lineup, the Gators had to reinvent their game.
Sullivan started a freshman, six sophomores, two juniors and two seniors. "I'm just hopeful the youth of this team can take what they learned from the past two games and what varsity soccer is like and can shake things off before the (county) season begins.
"We played particularly well against Urbana but unfortunately the score didn't indicate how the game went," he added.
Urbana scored with a minute remaining in the first half, off a corner Reservoir did not clear, and again in the first minute of the second half from about 35 yards out.
Urbana "just put it in that one spot that our goalie couldn't reach," Sullivan said. "I think that was a little unfortunate, and took the wind out (of us) for coming back the second half."
Reservoir hit the crossbar three times but couldn't find the net, Sullivan said
Urbana's final goal came as Reservoir pushed everyone up to try to pick up the tempo.
"All in all, they really outplayed us to the 50/50s and they were much more physical, but I'm not disappointed with our effort, just the result," he said.
In the second day of the tournament, Reservoir held Leonardtown scoreless until the two-minute mark of the second half. Reservoir could not clear a ball and Leonardtown got a foot on it for the lone goal of the game.
"We really did a much better job against Leonardtown, winning nine corners to their three, but we just couldn't put anything in the back of the net. We were really forcing them to shoot from outside, which was our game plan, and it was working well, but again, it's hard to win when you don't capitalize on your chances."
River Hill held Tuscarora to just one goal until the final five minutes of the game when the hosts scored two quick goals. "The game was very close and competitive until a couple bad calls" and a Tuscarora penalty kick, said coach Brian Song.
The Hawks rebounded from the 3-0 shutout to beat C.M. Wright from Harford County, 4-1, behind Street's goals. Callie Allen scored on a corner kick and Kathryn Arensmeier put in the Hawks' final shot.
River Hill held a 1-0 halftime lead and scored three more times before Wright got in the scoring column. "We gave up a goal with the subs in," Song said.
Liz Bamber had two assists, and Alexandria Hamer had the other assist, said Song.