There was a change in the climate Friday, and it had nothing to do with the weather.
Glenelg, considered one of a handful of teams that perhaps could win a county title, made a big statement on the soccer field by downing Marriotts Ridge, 4-1.
The Gladiators overcame an early 1-0 deficit, getting two goals apiece from Amanda Lyons and Kayla Renehan, to hand the defending county champions the loss. Though it is early in the season, with just two county games checked off, Glenelg played with the power, athleticism and confidence of a winning team.
"We showed people we are willing to work hard" to win, said Renehan, who had Glenelg's second and fourth goals.
"The girls wanted to play well, and they showed that," said Glenelg coach Dean Sheridan.
But, he added, "I don't think we're near what we're capable of doing."
With six players who weren't in the program last year — four freshmen, a transfer and a junior who didn't play last year — "we still have a lot of melding to do," he said. But his six seniors, including keeper Brooke Carey, Christina Kaminsky, Lyons and Danielle Burris, gave the Gladiators stability throughout the game.
River Hill, Centennial and Howard, which pulled a huge upset by beating Reservoir earlier in the week, are also unbeaten in the league with two county games under their belts.
Marriotts Ridge scored on its second shot of the game against Glenelg, with Morgan Crable running down an ineffective Glenelg clear on a corner kick. She turned and drilled in the shot from about 30 yards out. Less than five minutes were gone off the clock.
Glenelg bounced back, pressuring the Mustangs' defense with three shots, all saved by keeper Jenna Bergquist. Sweeper Maria Hochuli cut off another attack. But 15 minutes into the first period, Glenelg evened the score on Lyons' shot from the left side of the box.
"I don't think the score reflects the way we played," said Mustang coach Robin Grey. "We came out strong, we scored and then we lost our heads a little, lost our composure, and stopped playing our game.
"Glenelg took advantage of that, and rightfully so. We made mistakes," she said.
Marriotts Ridge's first goal "made us upset," said Renehan.
"It knocked us into reality," added Lyons. "We knew it was going to be a tough game but we didn't have our heads into it yet."
With three minutes left into the first half, Renehan put in her first goal — the winning goal, as it turned out — on an assist from Lyons, from about 10 yards out.
With its senior leadership, Glenelg showed composure throughout the game, especially in the second half when the visiting Mustangs started controlling the ball and kept Glenelg with its back to its own goal during several flurries of shots.
But Glenelg's defense held, and both Lyons and Renehan added second-half goals to put the game out of reach.
Burris had opened the second half with a line drive that Bergquist brushed over the cross bar.
Glenelg had several offsides calls, and could not get past Hochuli on other opportunities. Twelve minutes into the second half she slid to knock the ball away from Burris on a fast-break about 10 yards out. A few seconds later, she made a second, similar save.
"We kept her pretty busy tonight," Sheridan said about Hochuli.
"I feel we beat ourselves," said Hochuli. "A lot of the goals were because we were caught off guard and didn't get back" in position.
"It was the little things that beat us," added Crable.
Nicole Grote said the Mustangs forgot their game plan and quit "playing to feet." However, she said the loss "helps us. It will motivate us."
Bergquist had seven saves and Carey had three, including a spectacular save midway through the second half.
The Glenelg vs. Marriotts Ridge matchup has become a big rivalry. Though both teams are playing for a county title, the big prize is the regional championship, which determines which team advances to the state's final four. It's likely that both teams will end up in that regional game.
"Our coach thinks we'll see Marriotts Ridge again in the regional championship," said Lyons.
Centennial moves to 2-0
Unbeaten Centennial handed Reservoir its second straight county loss with a 1-0 win Friday night on Reservoir's home field.
"I couldn't be more proud of the effort our girls gave tonight," said Eagle coach Steve Baxter, whose team is 2-0 in the league and 4-0 overall. "It was a total team effort."
The winning goal came early in the game, at about eight minutes into the contest, when Ruthie Lucas scored off an assist from Nicki Mize. "Ruthie came open in space and hit a nice left-footed shot into the upper right corner of the goal."
Baxter said the Eagles "missed several high percentage shots in the first half and really should have been up by three at half time. I was very impressed with how many high percentage chances we created."
But, he added, "We must do better finishing if we are to continue to get results against the best teams. I was very concerned that we did not put them away when we had a chance."
Reservoir's Amanda Jackson had an opportunity to tie the score late in the game. Defender Jordan Coburn made a good play to cut her off, said Baxter.
"It was no surprise to me that Amanda Jackson was able to create something out of nothing in the last minutes of the game to give us a scare," he said.
Katie Donegan had two saves for Centennial, which meets unbeaten Howard on Sept. 22.
Mt. Hebron wins first league contest
Mt. Hebron came from behind to beat Oakland Mills, 3-1, Friday evening, and post its first county win in two games.
Jen Giles, assisted by Amanda Steinmuller; Nia Crump, assisted by Annalise Humm, and Janette Yacynych, assisted by Susie Halper, scored for the Vikings.
"Our girls came back from being down 1-0 with aggression and composure," said Mt. Hebron coach Tim Deppen.
Nicole Twardowicz scored on an assist from Rachel Hunter to give Oakland Mills the early lead. Giles' goal tied the game going into halftime.
Crump's winning goal was "amazing," said Deppen. Humm settled a cross inside the 18 and played the ball back to the 25 for Crump. "She just hammered the ball" into the back of the net.
The Vikings' final goal came in the last five minutes of the game.
"We came together well and played some great balls in behind their defense," said Deppen.
Oakland Mills "had a great opportunity that looked like it rolled in but didn't get called," said Scorpion coach Christina Bleivik. Scorpion goalie Erin Yarn had a "great game in goal with a lot of great saves," she added.
River Hill posts shutout
River Hill is unbeaten in county play after a 5-0 win over Long Reach on Sept. 15.
Sheridan Street, Kathryn Arensmeier, Liz Bamber, Jennifer Voyton and Katie Marlatt scored. Arensmeier's goal came off a corner kick and was assisted by Bamber, who had two assists for the game, and Marlatt's goal was on a penalty kick.
Michaela Hennessy, Voyton and Arensmeier also had assists.
Lions win in 80 minutes
After beating Reservoir in the 99th minute of a double overtime game earlier in the week, Howard edged Atholton, 1-0, in regulation on Sept 15.
The winning goal came on a penalty kick by Maddie Barrow in the second half.
Nick Zaron said Atholton outshot his Howard team by a 14-5 count, and had nine corners while Howard had three.
Wilde Lake rebounds
After losing, 5-0, to Centennial to open the county season, Wilde Lake beat Hammond, 4-2, Sept. 15 at home. Gillian Sawyer had a hat trick in the win.
"Our midfield played terrific possession soccer and really controlled the game, with Maria Pascale, Sarah Hulit and Abbie Wright excelling," said coach Robin Sawyer. Nataliya Taylor played "extremely well" on defense, he added.
Hammond's first goal came on a free kick at the 30 by Sarah Robey. Allie Kennedy's goal tied the game.
"While the score may seem well tipped to Wilde Lake, I thought the teams played pretty evenly," said Hammond coach Mike Koplow. "Pretty exciting — cold, but exciting."
Wilde Lake is now 1-1 in the county and Hammond is 0-2.
Yellowjackets top AAC
Lydia Frierson had two goals as Chapelgate beat visiting Annapolis Area Christian, 4-1, Friday.
Jordan Williams and Jennifer Lindauere also scored. Williams and Molly Carlson had assists in the win.
Chapelgate is in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland C Conference, while Annapolis Area Christian is in the B Conference.
A day earlier, Chapelgate beat St. Timothy's, 9-0. Carlson and Kristin Thomas scored twice each and Frierson had three goals.
"Our team is beginning to strengthen their level of play and trusting each other on the field," said coach Christen Gjeldum.