By Sydney Case, Editor-in-Chief
Only two weeks into the season, River Hill’s varsity soccer program is already turning heads. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have opened with a mix of wins, a tie, and a couple of tough losses, but more importantly, both programs are showing the depth and improvement that point towards a promising fall.
The boys’ team entered this season with high expectations after claiming the state championship back in 2024, and coming close in 2025 at the regional semifinals. Early results from the team suggest that that determination hasn’t gone anywhere. River Hill opened the year with a 2-0 win over Glenelg, followed by a 1-1 tie against Hammond. The Hawks bounced back with a 1-0 win at Long Reach, before dropping a close one to Marriotts Ridge, 1-0.
That puts the boys at 2-1-1 through four games, a start senior captain Alexander El Sawi says reflects a team still finding its rhythm.
“We won state champs back in 2024, and I see potential for another win this year,” El Sawi said. “We’ve won a couple games, tied, and lost, but it’s only the beginning of the season and I’ve already seen so much improvement from my teammates.”
Senior Zachary Pan talks about how it will be parting from the team, “This is my last season wearing this jersey, so I’m not taking a single practice or game for granted. I just want to leave the program better than I found it and help these underclassmen understand what it means to compete for this school.”
Fellow senior captain Reed Peterson agrees: “We’ve put in the work all season, and it’s starting to show on the field.” He states, “Every guy on the team has done what Coach Shagogue is asking of us, and that trust is what’s going to carry us through the rest of the year.”
The girl’s team has had a similar up-and-down start, but one that’s trending in the right direction. After opening losses to Glenelg (0-1) and Dulaney (2-3), River Hill has won three straight, 4-0 against Hammond, a 2-0 win over Long Reach, and a 3-1 victory at Marriott’s Ridge. Pushing the team to a 3-2 start on the season.
For senior Anjana Chakrobarty, this final season is about more than just the record.
“This is my last season, so I’m really just trying to have a good time and make fun memories with my teammates,” Chakrobarty said. “Apart from this though, we really do have a solid team and should carry out a lot of wins this year.”
The team also answered questions regarding replacing key graduated talent, but senior Emily Ma says the roster has more than met the expectations.
“Losing players like Marella And Lauren Virmani after last season had us a little worried heading into this year,” Ma said. “But our underclassmen have really stepped up and picked up the slack, it’s been great to see them grow into bigger roles so early on.”
Junior Elsie Hagstrom says, “We are definitely in for a good season this year, we had a rough start losing to Glenelg and Dulaney but we kept our heads up and are making it back!” Junior Caroline Urban agreed, “We definitely showed serious determination to get those wins, we just need to keep it up for the rest of the season.”
With both teams showing flashes of the talent that’s defined River Hill soccer in recent years, the early results suggest the Hawks are just getting started. As the season progresses, both squads will look to build on their wins and turn close losses into statement victories.