Washington Post - Top 10

Wednesday, August 27, 2008; Page E09

Top 10

Team	*LS
1. St. John's (D.C.) (21-2-1)	1
2. O'Connell (13-3-3)	5
3. Quince Orchard (17-2)	4
4. Urbana (12-3-1)	6
5. Spalding (19-2-1)	7
6. Pallotti (11-5-2)	3
7. B-CC (14-1)	10
8. Good Counsel (15-4-1)	NR
9. Georgetown Visitation (14-2-1)	NR
10. Walter Johnson (8-2)	NR

*2007 Records

Washington Post - Key Dates

Wednesday, August 27, 2008; Page E09

Key Dates

Sept. 5-6: McDonogh Invitational
Sept. 6: Tuscarora Tournament of Champions
Sept. 19: Good Counsel at St. John's (D.C.)
Sept. 30: Wilson vs. School Without Walls
Oct. 3: Walter Johnson at Quince Orchard

Washington Post - Girls' Soccer Preview

Around the Area - Wednesday, August 27, 2008; Page E09

Archbishop Spalding lost two players from last year's team that lost in the IAAM A Conference semifinals to McDonogh, but they left two very large holes. Now Spalding is looking to strike back with Erica Page and sophomore goalkeeper Jocelyn McCoy. Former Spalding goalkeeper Karen Blocker set three Maryland records, including shutouts in a season (17) and career (57). . . .

Walter Johnson will rely on the leadership of All-Met forward Caroline Miller, a senior who is looking to add to her 62 career goals. The Wildcats could again see Quince Orchard in the postseason; the Cougars beat Walter Johnson by a goal in last season's region semifinals en route to the Maryland 4A title. The Cougars lost seven seniors, including four starters, but 10th-year coach Peg Keiller is happy to have junior midfielder Kayla Clarke, a second-team All-Met, running the offense again. "She's a smart distributor and the quarterback of our team," Keiller said. Keiller will have to replace last year's two top scorers, Ariel Nehemiah and Christie Shell, and she's starting with junior forward Ele Margelos, who was the team's third-leading scorer with eight goals and seven assists last season. . . .

Urbana won its first 3A title in 2007, but the Hawks are facing a couple of early obstacles this year. The big question is how All-Met Coach of the Year Chuck Nichols will deal with the absence of Julia Roberts. An All-Met midfielder last year, Roberts will miss her senior season to train with the under-17 national team for the World Cup. "We have a massive hole right in the middle of our field, in the middle of our team," Nichols said. "We're holding our own defensively, but we're going to struggle to score goals." . . .

Once again, Wilson is playing the toughest nonconference schedule in the DCIAA, with games against ISL heavyweight National Cathedral and a season opener hosting defending WCAC champion St. John's. Wilson, the DCIAA champion, lost just two players from last season's 17-2 squad. . . .

St. John's bid to remain the top-ranked team in the area will rely on several key newcomers, including freshmen Alison Stark, the team's starting right defender; Maisey McCune, the starting center midfielder; and Ally Gross, the fastest girl on the team. Junior Deja Walker, a transfer from La Plata, is expected to help fill the hole left by All-Met Player of the Year Tiffany McCarty. Senior forward Sarah Kneeland and freshman Caity Dee are expected to play similar roles. Molly Carter, a polished, athletic goalkeeper who sat for two years behind Caroline Lalley, will start for the Cadets.

Good Counsel handed the Cadets one of their few blemishes on last year's record, a 3-3 tie, and is looking to challenge in the WCAC.

-- Soraya Nadia McDonald

Player to Watch

Erica Page,
Archbishop Spalding, Senior

The second-team All-Met is second on the school's career goal-scoring list behind 2007 All-Met Christine Nairn, who now plays on the U.S. under-18 team. Page had 19 goals last season -- including seven game-winners -- and Coach Bob Dieterle is convinced that her ability to keep her cool will allow her to fill Nairn's shoes. She has committed to Maryland.

Call for Sports Reporters

Fame and fortune await! Well...maybe fame. Ummmm...how about deep everlasting satisfaction? Ok thats pushing it too. Anyone good with superlatives and interested in writing up a game or two? Particularly JV? Your future awaits! Please contact me.

Varsity - Broadneck Scrimmage Ends in a 1-1 Draw

Broadneck Scrimmage Ends in a 1-1 Draw

In a game characterized by limited offensive opportunities, QO Varsity was forced to settle for a tie. Not unexpectedly, the Broadneck Bruins came out of the gate fierce taking QO out of their game for the first 5 minutes. The turf was certainly a factor as the Cougars struggled to adjust to the bounce and speed of a synthetic field. Broadneck wanted a long ball game and QO obliged, but had difficulty winning the ball in the air. About 15 minutes in, Kurkjian and Amato succeeded in settling the game down with excellent distribution. Clarke initiated the first coordinated attack with Slonim winning QO’s first corner. The Bruins denied the cross but Kurkjian fed it back in across to Prentice who’s left footed shot just cleared the net. After denying multiple attacks coming from long balls over the top, Smith was taken down hard bringing play to a halt. Shannon Dwyer capitalized by winning a ball coming out of the Bruin’s back 40 yards out, bringing it down and gaining 15 yards of space, striking a straight solid shot into the upper right from about goal. The half was finished by a solid Dorset, Dwyer, and Kurkjian midfield.

Second half; again, size, strength, and long balls over the top from Bruins set the pace of the game. Once QO brought the game back under control, the passing was beautiful. Patrichuck found Cougar rhythm and had a great second half, besting a much larger mark to destroy Bruin’s offense (G.M. commentary, “That’s a big girl right there”, setting up wall passes off midfield to develop, and moving the ball quite effectively down the right line to Slonim up top. About 10 minutes in, the Bruin offense powered through the center and put one in from the top of the 18. Broadneck’s sweeper 15 yards in back of their line quite frustrated Cougar attack for much of the half forcing QO to settle for a draw.

JV Defeats Broadneck 2-1

Junior varsity prevailed over Broadneck Bruins in a game that fluctuated dramatically as both teams sorted out their positions. For the first 20 minutes of the first half, QO maintained possession of the ball on the Bruins’ half culminating in a goal to put QO up 1-0. Julia Jones shot to the upper right corner came from a scrum 20 yards in front of the goal, catching the keeper off the line. Broadneck answered immediately breaking through and scoring with a hard shot to the lower right corner. Whiteis and the back line stepped up and held strong with consecutive attacks turned away. Excitement ensued on the field and in the crowed as the pace of the game picked up, and both side having equal opportunity to finish the half tied.

Broadneck came out of half time strong putting QO on there heals for the first 10 minutes. Hamedi countered with a drive from right back from box to box that brought new life into QO with an volly of opportunities. A minute later Allie Solomon’s shot from the right struck the side-post and reflected across the net. Another minute and Debra Jones shot goes wide by a foot. The Bruins’again quickly countered putting the ball first well over the net, then on frame with a save from the QO keeper. Play went back and forth quite equally for about 10 min, then QO found themselves scrambling with an open net after the Bruin goalie deflected a shot, O’Conner picked up the first rebound, the keeper scrambled to reach the ball, Konecke beat the keeper by a toe poke but was denied by a back who finally cleared the ball. In the last 5 min of the second half, a Hamedi converted a penalty to bring victory.

Cougars Tie Tuscarora Titans 1-1, Down B-CC Barons, at Churchill Play Day

Pre-season scrimmages continued as Churchill hosted its annual play-day today pitting QO against two of the top programs in the area; two-time Maryland State Champs Tuscarora (2004, 2005) and Bethesda-Chevy Chase (2001, 2004).

QO and Tuscarora were well matched, both having excellent ball control and passing. The Tuscarora Titan defense was exactly that; one of prodigious size and strength, easily a head taller than each of the QO forwards. QO’s first solid opportunity came with a curving shot from Margelos that beat the keeper and struck squarely on the right pole, shaking the goal. After play that was predominantly in the center third, Clarke and Prentice had back to back attacks resulting in saved shots. QO’s defense stifled the majority of the attack with the Titans first real opportunity of a corner being turned away by a defensive header from Row. Finally 36 min in, breaking through the defense with a through ball from Latour, D'Italia passed to the back of the net putting QO up 1-0.

The first 10 minutes of the second half was played in the central third with a single threatening through ball to the #15 of the Titans, shut down by Amato. One minute later, after a QO attack that stretched the field, the Titans countered, slipped through on the left, and tied it up. An immediate response came from Dorset on restart that was deflect by the keeper across an open net. Then at least a dozen more good opportunities including a great feed from Dwyer and cross from Kurkjian, who by the way had a superb match, and Margelos's pass across the net just missing. Except for a strong attack at right that was turned away by Starnes, the Titans were on their heals. Then Tuscarora finished hard in the last 5 minutes with consecutive corners and a spectacular save by Paolini.

Scrimmage at Urbana

Cougar soccer got off to a good start today in their first pre-season friendlies in two games taking on Maryland 3a State Champions Urbana Hawks and the consistently strong Middletown Knights, scoring a total of four goals and giving up one (on a penalty kick). From the first wistle, the girl's were in control possessing the ball on Urbana's end for the better part of the first half. The defense was in particular good form and not allow a single ball to get in behind them for the first fifteen minutes. Pre-season scrimmages are a great opportunity to try new things with frequent substitution and rotations. Coaches moved players around liberally and the fresh talents and veterans alike had a chance to show their stuff in the back and up top.

Wednesday: JV scrimmage

Players please be at the QO stadium by 4:15. Players not playing in the JV scrimmage will be at QO Knolls at 3:00, and will be traveling to Urbana Thursday.

Girls Tryout Information

Tryouts begin Saturday, August 16. You must turn in completed and signed MCPS physical and parent permission forms before you may participate in ANY practice. We will meet Friday, August 15 at 5:00 PM in the main lobby of school to collect this paperwork. All practices, unless otherwise noted, are at the practice field, Aberdeen Park. If you hope to tryout for any fall sport, try to avoid vacations that will limit your attendance at tryouts. We cannot evaluate your abilities if you are not at practice! Players are expected to be dressed and ready to go at the practice start time. All players should bring all necessary soccer equipment (including shinguards), running shoes, and a water bottle.

(See calendar here, or agenda at left)

Welcome to our new blog

This is a blog of the Quince Orchard High School girls soccer team. We will use this service to post announcements and news about the happenings. Here is a link to our website and calendar.