Girls’ Soccer Falls in State Semi Final

Girls’ Soccer Falls in State Semi Final

Katie McGrain

On Saturday, Nov. 12, the Bel Air Girls’ Soccer Team fell to Northern-Calvert High School, 3-2, in the State Semi Final. The loss wraps up a tremendous season for the Lady Bobcats, after losing 10 key seniors and coming off of a State Championship last season.

After coming off an unbelievable, undefeated 19-0 and State Championship season in 2015, the Bobcats had a lot to prove; especially after graduating 10 key senior players. The team was very young, with only 4 seniors this season in 2016. Many key players plan on returning next year, and there will be another large senior class in 2017.

The Lady Bobcats finished the season with a record of 12-5-1, with an UCBAC Championship as well as a Regional Championship title. They have won the Regional Championship for the past 4 years, and have been a dominant force in the UCBAC league as well. They pulled out key wins against rivals C. Milton Wright, Fallston, and Patterson Mill, and against tough out-of-conference teams such as Huntingtown, Rising Sun, and John Carroll.

“Based on where the team started this season and where we ended up, I consider this to be a very successful season.” Says assistant coach Jason Brooks.

After graduating three All-State seniors, the Bobcats had key positions to fill across the field. Many people doubted the team’s ability to get back to the State Championship in 2016, but the Bobcats proved them wrong. They managed to have the same success as the team in 2015, after winning the UCBAC league as well as the Regional Championship, and even though they weren’t able to make it back to the State Championship, making it as far into the tournament as they did made people think twice about having had doubted them.

“After the awesome season we had last year, everyone brought their best game to us, and we were able to work with that all season.” Says junior captain Carolyn Doheny. “It was a lot of pressure to come back and experience the same success as we had before, but I’m so proud of the team and what we accomplished this season!”

After graduating a small class of 4 seniors this season, and strong players coming up from a great JV program, look for the Lady Bobcats to be back to have another strong season in 2017!