Playoff winning streaks; Girls’ teams bring home regional championships

Riley Stoneback, Reporter

     North Harford’s girls’ soccer team won their regional championship game for the first time in 21 years this past Tuesday. 

     The team, coached by head coach Ora Cummings and assistant coaches Chris Quick and Aidan Riordan, had a 7-4-1 record, setting them at the bottom of their division for regional finals. They played Elkton at home, winning 4-0 on October 27. Then they traveled to North East high school, winning 2-1 on November 1. The next day, they traveled to Harford Tech high school, winning 4-0 and earning themselves the title of regional champions.  

     Senior Ava Lewis was the lead goal scorer throughout the playoffs. 

     Lewis says, “Going into regionals we had a pretty good shot. We were all confident and all really excited, and I think that confidence made us do a lot better than how everyone thought we would do.” 

     Lewis, along with many other seniors, were very nervous for the Harford Tech game after having lost to them 1-2 previously in the season. 

     “I think once we hit the field and the whistle blew, all of our nerves just went away, and we just played how we knew we could play.” 

     Senior Kayla Smith also said “We used the weather to our advantage and didn’t let that stop us. We just kept going even when we were only up by one, just so we could get a better lead. That made us play really well.” 

     The girls field hockey team also won their regional championship game on Wednesday, November 3. 

     The Hawks’ record of 5-7 put them at a lower seed, but ended up working their way to the top of their region. Coached by head coach Carla Harward and assistant coaches Patty Murdy, Patti Webb, and Carey Webb, the girls played the number one seed, C. Milton Wright, winning 1-0. After that, they traveled to Sparrows Point High School, who was the number two seed, winning 1-0 and becoming regional champions.  

     Junior Kendall Fortune scored the game winning goal in the championship game against Sparrows Point with about 2:45 left in regulation time. 

     “I think going into our first playoff game we were really pumped. We were nervous, but mainly excited just because C. Milton is such a big rival. Then after coming off that win going into the Sparrows Point game, we were a bit off at first, but we came out with the win.” 

     Junior Grace Underwood agreed with Fortune, saying “I think that we played really well as a team in both the regional semifinals and finals. We worked really well together, we had confidence in each other, we trusted each other, and that’s really what teamwork is all about.”