The Catonsville High girls soccer team is a colorful group.
From the bright balloons and singing before Wednesday night?s senior night contest to the depth throughout the roster, the Comets are a close-knit, happy bunch.
“It?s amazing. We?re so close,” said senior midfielder Carly Bock, who scored two goals in the 4-0 senior night win over Franklin. “A lot of the [previous] years, it?s been cliquey, but this year it?s so close.”
Bock and fellow senior midfielder Megan Heath are the captains of a team that features two freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup.
“It is one group,” Comets coach James Fitzpatrick said. “The seniors lead it … but it literally is one.”
Freshmen Peyton Johnson and Danielle Pulliam have blended in well with the group that started the season on an 11-game winning streak. That streak was snapped last week, but the team moved to 12-1 Wednesday in its first game since that loss.
“It reinvigorated us,” Fitzpatrick said. “It hurt them. It hurt them bad … with a pain they hadn?t felt.”
Now, they?re looking to carry that drive through the state playoffs. The Comets are backed by a strong defense, led by seniors Sarah Dobson and Jen Hartman, with juniors Nicole Chupka and Jillian Curtis sharing time in goal. The team has allowed just seven goals all year while recording eight shutouts.
The offense, which has scored 50 goals in 13 games, is led by junior striker Jessica Nonn?s 15 goals. She scored once Wednesday, while Bock?s two goals gave her nine on the season. Pulliam, the freshman, added a goal to give her seven in her rookie campaign.
The depth at every grade level was evident during Catonsville?s spirit week last week, when each class wore a different color for homecoming festivities.
“I?ve got all four colors,” Fitzpatrick said.
But even then, there was no dissension amongst the team. On Wednesday, theunderclassmen showed their love for eight seniors, as they serenaded Kelly Connelly, Theresa Sweeney, Hartman, Dobson, Bock and Heath with an original re-write of “YMCA” during the pre-game ceremony.
And after the game, the team belted out Bon Jovi?s “Livin? On A Prayer” while clearing the field.
“It?s our team song,” Heath said
Whether it?s playing or singing, the Comets will get through as one. Their talents will be on display today, when they host Baltimore County rival Eastern Tech at 7 p.m.
“Everything is as a team,” Bock said.
