On Thursday, Oct. 16, the North Harford Hawks traveled to Bobcat Stadium to take on the Bel Air High School Boys’ Soccer Team during Bel Air’s senior night and the County Championship.

The Boys’ Soccer team boasts 16 seniors on their 26 man roster, and each senior was honored and recognized on the night of the game. The honors started before the game as each senior gave their parents flowers and a mini soccer ball, thanking them for 4 years of support.

Bel Air started 11 seniors at 11 different positions against a very young North Harford team. The game started out well for the Bobcats after a great strike by Matt Rannie was saved by the Hawk’s division 1 bound goalie in the first 5 minutes. The Bobcats hammered the goal with shots but to no avail. The first breakthrough came at the 30 minute mark when Senior Zach Memmo was taken down inside the box and the Bobcats were rewarded with a penalty kick, which Rannie cleverly placed in the corner, giving the Cats the lead. The second goal of the game came from Bel Air’s Logan Szekalski when he headed the ball into the top corner off of a cross from Alex Munley. Bel Air went into the half with a 2-0 lead.

Bel Air’s Coach Dominic Rose talked about the game at half time. “2-0 is the most dangerous score in soccer,” Coach Rose said. “North Harford is a very dangerous team if we let them be. We just need to keep our composure for the next 40 minutes and we’re county champs.”

The second half began with North Harford pressuring the Bobcats’ defensive line with a feverish intensity, causing some early mistakes. However, Bel Air regained their footing and took control of the game once more. The third goal of the game was an unassisted tap in by Junior Daniel Milad, midway through the second half. Bel Air coasted for the rest of the half, winning the game 3-0 and becoming county champs for the 3^rd time in 4 years.

Bel Air will have a first round in the MPSSAA state play offs and be rewarded the first seed in the region.