By: Danny Tow: Sports Editor
School is back! (I know, less exciting than it sounds.) With the return of school comes the return of school sports, and River Hill was one of the top schools in the county last year. The Hawks won county championships in 5 out of the 11 fall sports last year, taking home titles in Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, and Girls Cross Country, as well as shares of the title in Field Hockey and Football. All 5 teams look to repeat that success this season, with the other teams hungry to gain a crown for themselves. Here’s a rundown of what to expect from every fall sports team at River Hill this fall:
Cheerleading
The cheerleaders are coming off a successful season, one in which they finished in the top half of the county at the county championships, but couldn’t seal the deal and win a title. Junior Sarah Sheinker says that the team is looking to win this season, but it’s not the main goal. “We have a lot of new people, so we’re looking to build this season,” Sheinker says, “but [we] also want to do well enough at counties to go to regionals and then go to states.”
Boys Cross Country
“We’re certainly going to be in the mix in all… the postseason meets.” coach Hugus said recently. “I think we’re one of those top 2-3 teams.” His expectations seem to be justified, with the team being led this season by junior Anish Nanjappa, a 2-time All-County selection in his first 2 high school seasons. With experienced runners behind him, such as seniors Tommy Maloney and Chase McGeehan, and junior Ryan Rose, the team will look to bring a state title back to the Hill for the first time since 2016.
Girls Cross Country
Coming off of back-to-back county championships, Girls Cross Country is the clear favorite to win it all again in the county, led by 2017 Baltimore Sun All-Metro First Teamer, sophomore Faith Meininger. However, the graduation of fellow First Team member Jasmine Tiamfook has other teams in the county believing they can steal the crown. “On the girl’s side, Atholton and Centennial are really good teams,” coach Hugus says. “But I would say if we’re shooting for a top 3 spot, that would be a goal to start from and build from there.”
Field Hockey
Last season, the Hawks were the first team to beat Glenelg for the county championship in a decade, sharing the title with Marriotts Ridge. However, a 2-0 loss to Glenelg in the 2A East Region Final has the left the team eager for more. “I love my team; they are hard working, connect as a team and have wonderful character,” coach Chamness said to the Baltimore Sun. “I believe that with the great leadership of our experienced players and the enthusiasm of our new players, we will reach our potential.”
Football
River Hill shared the county title with Howard last season, but with 21 seniors graduated, it might be hard for the team to repeat the feat this season. Coach Van Deusen isn’t worried though. “We have more experience, size, and strength on the offensive line this year,” Van Deusen says. “We have the potential to be very good defensively. We are strong up the middle and have good team speed.” Indeed, the team is expected the be one of the best defensively in the county, with 2-time All-County DB, junior Beau Brade, and senior LB Spencer Brockdorff back on the field.
Boys Golf
With several of its top players coming back off of a 9-1-1 season, the Boys Golf team is hungry to claim a state championship this fall. Marriotts Ridge has won the last 6 1A/2A state titles, and the Hawks want to prove that they are the best team not only in Howard County but in Maryland as well. “Our expectations are to win counties and make it as a team to the state tournament,” junior Jackson Graves says. “Last year we came up short, and we learned what it takes to get there.”
Girls Golf
The Girls Golf team finished a disappointing 5-6 last season and wants to show that it is a better team than that sub-.500 record. Led by junior Adrienne Lesho, the girls are out to win a crown this year. A tri-match between other top teams in the county, Marriotts Ridge and Centennial, set right at the end of the season, will have championship implications, and was purposefully set there by coach Graves because it will, “have them play each other in a county-championship type of match there at the end,” he said.
Boys Soccer
Boys Soccer had a very successful season last year, winning county and regional championships, but couldn’t close the deal, losing 2-0 to Eastern Tech in the 2A state final. The team is setting its goals high again, junior Alex Krause says. “Our expectations are to give up a maximum of 5 goals this season and score at least 3 [per] game. Our ultimate goal is to win states, which is reasonable because our talent [level] is very high.”
Girls Soccer
Coming off of the program’s 5th state title in 6 years, Girls Soccer knows they are the team to beat in Howard County this year. However, with several top contributors graduating after last season, the team might struggle to find new contributors. “I expect us to continue to improve throughout the season,” junior Caitlin Duffy says. “We’re really focusing on a strong defensive system this year, especially with a new freshman goalkeeper.” Indeed, the team will be starting freshman Caroline Duffy in goal this season, but with 3 seniors and a junior starting in defense, she will have plenty of help as the team looks to extend its run of dominance.
Volleyball
“We’re going to be a stronger team than we have been the last couple of years,” coach Paynter said recently. “I am truly excited, and the kids are excited about it. They’re ready to go.” After a somewhat successful 10-5 season, the Volleyball team wants to improve more and claim a county championship. With seniors Devin Hill and Sara Jain returning to lead the team, expectations are high that the girls can contend for a title this year.
Allied Soccer
Entering its 8th season, the Allied Soccer program has been a favorite among students and staff alike at River Hill. Everyone on the team has a good time, and junior Matthew Snyder says the experience is so enriching because it gives kids who normally wouldn’t have a chance to play a high school sport a path to do just that. “Allied Soccer is a cool program because it allows the players to feel more involved,” Snyder says. “They don’t have much opportunity to participate in extracurriculars and it really makes them feel included.”