The first games of the 2006 boys soccer season are just over a week away, and there is no clear-cut preseason favorite in the Baltimore metro area. The competition, however, is as good as ever, even as traditional soccer hotbed Howard County goes through some growing pains.
With Marriotts Ridge High School joining varsity play in 2006, a slew of new coaches are taking over successful programs, including Matt Shagogue at River Hill, Jeff Reinhol at Hammond and Matt Pickett at Wilde Lake.
Recommended Stories
“This is the most balanced the county has been in a long time,” said Shagogue, whois taking over a championship team from longtime coach Bill Stara. River Hill split the 2005 Class 3A championship with Towson.
Hammond, a 2005 Class 2A state finalist, and River Hill are both are returning squads laden with seniors. Atholton, Centennial and Mount Hebron all have a chance to contend for the county championship.
In Anne Arundel County, Broadneck made a run to the state final last year and fell in the championship to Sherwood of Montgomery County. Hammond and River Hill are always dangerous.
One of Broadneck?s top foes, Arundel, is returning a core of players, including an explosive midfield. Severna Park is dealing with graduating experienced players.
The picture in Baltimore County is not any clearer, even with Towson coming off its co-state title with River Hill. Towson will have to get through Dulaney, Perry Hall, Franklin, Loch Raven and Eastern Tech on the road to the county title.
In Carroll County, Liberty coach Ed DeVincent lost eight starters from his Class 2A championship team last year and knows he will face tough competition from an experienced Century team and possibly from North Carroll and Westminster.
Fallston looks to reload again in Harford County, but will face challenges from Bel Air and last year?s conference winner, C. Milton Wright.
MIAA
Mount St. Joseph and Loyola split the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title in 2005. Starting the 2006 campaign, the Dons and the Gaels are back in contention, but are also joined by Calvert Hall, McDonogh School and Archbishop Curley.
Calvert Hall and Curley, however, both have talented and senior-oriented teams that will make both tough to beat. McDonogh coach Stephen Nichols said that his team?s success could be measured by how well he plays against those two teams.
“It is how we will handle CalvertHall and Curley,” Nichols said. “They have the most talent and the most senior-oriented teams. If they don?t win it, it is their own fault.”
