By Daniel Maiorana
The regular season for the boys varsity soccer team has ended, and there are a lot of positives to take away from the season. Ending the season 6-2, and losing two games by only a 1 goal margin, the Hawks have lots of confidence going into the playoffs. The Hawks’ fast paced offense and their ability to turn defense into attack is what makes them a top team in the county. Some of their best moments from the season were when the ball seemed to go up the field in a matter of seconds, scoring quick goals from when their goalie, Eric Gesell, cleared the ball. Seniors Jonah Stoutenborough and Jed Dixon controlled the front line for the hawks, scoring the majority of goals and always keeping the intensity high during games. Juniors Milan Gupta and Aidan Edmonds were key players for the Hawks in the midfield, transferring the ball to the strikers with ease. The skills these two players possessed were always out of full display, as they dribbled past opponents at the speed of light. Once the ball was in possession of the senior strikers, fans were almost sure a goal was coming. The history of the Hawks dominating the county has been a recurring theme in the county, and this year was no different.
The seniors have had a big role on the field for the Hawks, as they are the ones who set the tone for how the game should be played. Seniors have had to embrace every day of games and practices, as there could be a slight pause or a complete end to their high school careers with a COVID-19 case. Only playing 8 games is not what varsity veterans are used to, so they know every win and loss counts, as it could be crucial to their place in the rankings. Senior Eric Gesell, who is the goalie and a captain for the Hawks, says his team has kept a consistently high level all year. “I’ve had to be a role model on and off the field, just to make sure players are staying motivated and aren’t losing focus of the season.” Gesell knows that other top schools are giving it their all every day, and that fuels him and his team to keep striving to get better day-in and day-out. “A lot of players have stepped up this year, and I’m really proud of how our team has dealt with tough situations in games.” All 6 wins came from not just one player, but the whole team and their ability to always stay positive and hungry, even when the game may be over according to the score. Knowing that they won and gave it their all on the field is the best feeling, and the Hawks fuel off that feeling, aiming to win by big margins every game.
Something new that has been seen in this year’s soccer season is a top 10 list of players every week for both boys and girls varsity soccer. PhilmLand is a soccer training company created by a former D1 player, George Phillips. This program trains elite soccer players around the area, improving their skills by focusing on film taken to analyze their play. Their instagram page posts a list of the 10 best players that week, and the aforementioned Hawks stars are usually found somewhere on that list. This list has definitely added a more competitive edge to this COVID-19 shortened season. As a player, seeing your name on that list is very impactful to your confidence, and having that reputation on the field is a very proud feeling.
The county playoffs have begun, as lower seeded teams have played their play in games to get a spot in the semifinals the week of April 12th. Gesell says his team is ready for any challenges teams will throw at them, as they have had to adapt to different play styles all year. When asked what his team needs to do in order to make a run in the playoffs, he said, “we need to put all we got into the games and if we do that, the results will come.” River Hill, as usual, are one of the top dogs, along with Centennial, Mt. Hebron, and Reservoir. With the Hawks only losses being against Centennial and Reservoir in close contests, some extra hard work will have to be put in at practices in order to separate them from every other team.
With a shortened regular season in the books, Howard County teams are ready to compete for the top spot in the playoffs. The Hawks are ready to add onto their stacked trophy room of nine Maryland State Championships, and their determination will have to be at a high level to beat the other top teams in the county. Seniors feel lots of pressure riding on their backs to finish the season on a high-note, and they believe their team has what it takes to win the county title.