Marching into fall: Previewing a sports season that got delayed for six months

Mar. 6—March is the month when winter turns to spring.

Not this year, though, at least not for Frederick County Public Schools athletes. For them, it will be fall in March.

The fall sports season, which was postponed from the actual fall until March because of the coronavirus pandemic, is set to get into full swing during the upcoming week (golf started late this week).

From early March until mid-April, a period that usually is utilized by spring sports teams, FCPS athletes in every fall sport — football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls cross-country, field hockey, volleyball and golf — will be competing.

Except for workouts and practices, those teams have been idle since the end of the 2019 season, even as some private schools and public schools in other counties got to compete during the traditional fall season in 2020.

But many fall athletes who are underclassmen should get to make up for that lack of action in 2021 to some degree because, barring any future shutdowns, their teams will get to play two different seasons — an abbreviated one this spring and a traditional one in the fall — during the same calendar year.

So, as local teams are poised to start their belated fall seasons, here's a brief rundown of what to watch for in every fall sport except football (which will be previewed separately next week).

BOYS SOCCER

Oakdale was the last Frederick County boys soccer team standing in 2019, when it saw its 22-match unbeaten streak end in the Class 2A state semifinals.

While the Bears lost 11 seniors from a team that finished 13-1-3, including Frederick News-Post Player of the Year Riley Daiger, they return all-county first-team keeper Dylan Miller, who had an 0.54 goals against average and led a defense that posted 11 shutouts.

Oakdale also returns all-county honorable mentions Sumangal Myers (striker) and Leo Quintanilla (midfielder).

This being Frederick County, which has produced plenty of state boys soccer powers in recent years, Oakdale is far from the only team that merits watching.

Take Tuscarora, which looked like a program on the rise in 2019. Going 11-4-1, the Titans won the CMC Spires title, captured the CMC championship and got their first postseason victory in three years before falling to Frederick in the Class 3A West Region I final.

All-county first-teamer David Diaz returns for Tuscarora. His deft dribbling was essential for the Titans' possession game, and he had four goals and five assists as a sophomore in 2019.

Tuscarora also returns all-county honorable mentions in forward Andrew Delauter and backs Vincent Lombardi and Tony Lombardi.

Frederick gave Frederick County yet another double-digit win team in 2019, finishing 10-6-3 after falling in the state quarterfinals.

The Cadets return all-county first-teamer Stanley Burgos, a center back who also thrived on set pieces and finished with four goals and one assist. All-county honorable mentions Kenny Estrada, Jahiem Jamison and Andrew Layman also are back for Frederick.

Thomas Johnson, which went a respectable 8-3-4 in 2019, returns all-county first-teamers Carson Grove (11 goals, five assists) and Sean Weiland (defender).

GIRLS SOCCER

Middletown returns several key players from a team that reached the 2019 Class 2A state championship match.

Returnees Sarah Remp (midfield), Keri Horine (defense) and Millie Smith (midfield) all earned all-county first-team honors. They helped the Knights go 16-2 and make a serious run at their eighth state crown, falling 2-1 to Calvert in double overtime.

Smith ranked among Frederick County's top scorers with seven goals and five assists, Remp did the so-called dirty work and Horine helped fortify a defense that gave up just 13 goals all season.

The Knights also won the CMC title, beating Urbana in PKs in the championship match.

Always a power, Urbana lost valuable contributors to graduation. Gone are Frederick News-Post offensive player of the year Nyah Savage, defensive player of the year Grayson Jons (keeper) and all-county first-teamer Brianna Skidmore.

Still, all-county second-teamer Abigail Min will return from an Urbana team that went 11-3-2.

Thomas Johnson's Mei Homman (defender) and Oakdale's Sofia Carrera (defender, four goals and seven assists) also return for teams that are traditionally among Frederick County's toughest.

VOLLEYBALL

Urbana was the team to beat in 2019, and the only opponent to do so was Wootton, which pulled out a five-set win over the previously unbeaten Hawks in the Class 4A West Region II final.

The Hawks no longer have setter-hitter Trinity Burge, who earned Frederick News-Post co-player of the year honors, thanks to graduation. But they do return setter junior Tatiana Johnson, another versatile player who averaged 2.98 kills, 6.83 assists and 2.74 digs per set en route to earning all-county first team honors.

All-county second-teamer Penelope Hiepler and honorable mentions Cathryn Diaz, Makala Thompson and Kayla Tarigo also return for Urbana.

Tuscarora, which went 13-3 and reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals in 2019, should be another top team. The Titans return all-county first teamer Julia Slivka (2.95 kills, 2.89 digs and .75 aces) and second-teamer Tiffany Shell (outside hitter), plus they have promising newcomers like freshman middle hitter Christina Lockett.

And of course, perennial power Oakdale is always worth watching. Granted, the Bears lost a slew of talent from the team that reached the 2019 Class 2A state championship game and finished with a 17-3 record.

News-Post co-player of the year Jess Twilley and all-county first-teamers Jen Chomiak (outside hitter) and Sydney Katz (setter) graduated. But the Bears return all-county second-teamer Gabby Barth (libero) and honorable mentions Rosie Carlson and Elise Smith as well as others who saw action, like Jenna Harding, Sami Hill and Maggie Cole.

Also, Linganore libero Julia Gladhill gets to finish her stellar career. As a junior in 2019, she passed the 1,000-dig mark and averaged a county-best 5.73 digs per set en route to earning all-county first-team honors yet again.

FIELD HOCKEY

With four returning all-county first-teamers from a team that was a serious contender for a state title in 2019, Urbana should remain a power.

Taking a lead over juggernaut Westminster in the second half of the Class 3A state championship game, the Hawks looked poised to cap off a spectacular season that saw them lose just one regular-season game. But they ended up losing 2-1 in overtime to the Owls.

Maggie Goodwin, who scored Urbana's goal in the state final and ended up earning Frederick News-Post Offensive Player of the Year honors, returns for her senior season. She led the county in scoring with 28 goals and 21 assists.

Goalie McKenna Ladson and defender Ashlyn White, who both earned all-county first-team honors after contributing to a defense that held opponents to seven goals in 20 games and posted 15 shutouts, also return. Another returning all-county first-teamer is midfielder Zoe Nelson, who had four goals and six assists.

Like Urbana, Oakdale also returns several key players from a team that made the state finals in 2019 — the Bears lost in the 2A championship game.

Oakdale returnees include all-county first-teamers Sam Mogar, a prolific scorer in 2018 who switched to defense to bolster that unit last season, and Kiersten Hoffman, who ranked among the county's top scorers with 17 goals and 11 assists.

Thomas Johnson also has some players to watch, including all-county first-teamer Sydney McCarron and honorable mention Jordan Hastie.

GOLF

Urbana will look to continue its run of dominance, returning key players from a 2019 team that captured the program's 10th Frederick County title in 11 years.

Hawks returnees include Frederick News-Post male golfer of the year Michael Snyder and all-county first-teamer AnPhi Le. Both won individual titles at the county tournament last season.

Oakdale also relied on several underclassmen for its successful 2019 season, in which it won the Class 2A state crown, including Frederick News-Post female golfer of the year Elizabeth Tucci and all-county first-teamer Chris Lee. So the Bears could be a force again.

Other returning all-county first-teamers are Linganore's Ethan Crabb and Middletown's Landon Leatherman.

BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY

Powerhouse Oakdale lost a slew of talent from a team that won every marquee meet in 2019, including the Class 2A state championship.

Gone are Bears standouts like Kyle Lund, the county champ and Frederick News-Post runner of the year, Collin Dempsey, Joshua Milliken and Charles Parrott. All-county honorable mention Justin Cherry does return.

Other Frederick County teams return all-county first-teamers, though, including Catoctin's Alex Contreras, Frederick's Mario Martinez and Linganore's Cole Williamson, so there's proven talent to keep an eye on.

GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY

Plenty of Frederick County's top performers from 2019 are back this season, starting with Middletown sophomore Erin McQuitty.

McQuitty made an immediate impact as a freshman, winning the Class 2A state, Frederick County, Central Maryland Conference individual titles en route to being named The Frederick News-Post runner of the year.

McQuitty's teammates Campbell Caldwell and Eleanor Stafford, who both earned all-county first-team honors, also return.

Yes, Urbana lost its top runner from 2019, Sara Jarman, to graduation. But the Hawks return other vital contributors, including all-county first-teamers Ivy Coldren and Karly McDonnell and honorable mentions Lyna Beraich, and Emily McDonnell, who all helped the program win its third straight county meet title.

Oakdale also has a pair of proven standouts in Aubrey Schaffer and Hayley Ross, who both were all-county first-teamers last season.