Mount Hebron

Howard County had a day to remember at Saturday's cold and chilly state cross country meet at Hereford. River Hill swept the Class 2A state crowns; Glenelg took the Class 1A boys; and Howard captured the Class 3A girls title. Wilde Lake finished second - just one point behind Bethesda-Chevy Chase - in the Class 3A boys, and Joey Thompson (Howard) and Kyle Andrews (Oakland Mills) won individual titles on the hilly course. "It's kind of a special thing to be able to do this," said River Hill coach Earl Lauer.

FIELD HOCKEY River Hill @ Glenelg WHEN -- Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m. OUTLOOK -- The county title appears to be up for grabs, with a handful of teams capable of bringing home a plaque. Defending county champion Glenelg, with a talented front line led by senior Amy Thompson, won't surrender without a fight. The Gladiators' first county test will come against the Hawks, who are banking on a largely new nucleus after graduating 13 players from last year's 11-6 team. GIRLS SOCCER No. 5 River Hill @ No. 10 Centennial WHEN -- Tomorrow, 5:30 p.m. OUTLOOK -- River Hill, the county and Class 3A state champion last season, saw its 22-game winning streak come to an end with a 2-0 loss to Severna Park on Sept.

The Marriotts Ridge boys soccer team learned a lot from its first varsity season last year. And that knowledge is being put to good use this fall. The Mustangs have been the surprise team of the county and metro area, taking a 7-0-2 mark into the week and working their way up to No. 9 in The Sun's poll. "Last year, we played very defensive to just kind of survive in games," coach Kevin Flynn said. "And from that, we learned a lot about how to defend and what it took to play at the varsity level.

After 88 minutes of scoreless play in yesterday's season opener against No. 6 Mount Hebron, the cramps in Fallston midfielder Darren Twanmoh's legs almost forced him to the sideline. However, the junior had been attacking the Vikings' goal for much of the game and he did not want to take a chance on missing an opportunity to take down the defending 3A state champions. Twanmoh's resilience paid off as his shot from just inside the penalty area found the upper far corner of the net with 2:38 left in the first overtime to give the No. 4 Cougars a 1-0 victory.

As the goalie on the lacrosse team and a top defender in soccer, Mount Hebron senior Billy McNamara has enjoyed an incredible ride in the past year. It started last spring in the lacrosse playoffs when the Vikings avenged losses to county rivals Glenelg and River Hill before defeating Urbana to win the program's fourth state championship. In the fall, McNamara was the defensive anchor on the Vikings' unbeaten state championship soccer team. A two-year starter on both teams, McNamara is hoping to close out his high school career with another title as the Vikings (9-5)

Top Howard County school officials say that there is a clear need for the $118 million capital budget unveiled by Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin, but many expect a tough fight to fund the entire wish list. "I'm always optimistic. But I know [the budget] will be dependent on funds," said Cousin, whose plan reflects an $18 million increase from the current capital budget. "We'll have difficult choices to make at the appropriate time," said school board Vice Chairman Frank Aquino. Cousin's proposed budget includes $27 million to partially fund a renovation project at Mount Hebron High School; $20 million for systemic renovations at three buildings; $13.75 million to add to and renovate the "Old" Cedar Lane School; $12 million to construct a maintenance-warehouse facility; and $6.28 million for the addition of a cafetorium at Elkridge Elementary School.

Unranked Reservoir used a balanced attack to overwhelm visiting No. 9 Long Reach, 42-14, last night. Three Reservoir running backs shared in the scoring. Scott Sutton ran for 48 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, Robert Wile had 54 yards and one touchdown on six carries, and Tyler Howell made 53 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. "We used a balanced attack ... we prepared well and executed," said Gators coach Joe Lewis. Senior quarterback Josh Cohen went 11-for-25 for 186 yards and a touchdown pass for Reservoir.

The school system's operating budget will be fully funded thanks to the unexpected success of a decision to self-insure employee health costs, Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin said. He said the $2.3 million gap between what the school board requested and what County Executive Ken Ulman proposed for the 2008 fiscal year budget will be closed by using some of the $3.27 million surplus in the system's health insurance fund. The board had requested $429.5 million in county funding. Using the money in the insurance fund will result in "the least impact as possible on operations," Cousin told the school board Thursday night.

A discussion about a pending renovation project and sewage problems at Mount Hebron attracted more than 200 people to the high school's auditorium for two hours Monday evening. Top school system administrators favor a $49.8 million plan that would include mechanical upgrades, full systemic renovations and an expansion of the school's art, athletic and administrative offices. But concerned parents wanted the school system to further investigate other options, according to Cindy Arlinger, the Mount Hebron PTSA president, who attended the meeting.

Top-ranked Mount Hebron opened its girls lacrosse season with a 25-1 win over host Wilde Lake yesterday. The victory pushes the Vikings' winning streak to 98 games. Alicia Krause scored a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists. Ashley Bruns (four goals, one assist) and Cindy Heiser (four goals, one assist) each added five points for Mount Hebron. Freshman Beth Glarof scored the goal for the Wildecats (1-1). Mount de Sales 10, Catonsville 9 -- Hannah Curch, Meg Decker and Caitlen Hoffen all scored two goals to lead the visiting Sailors over the Comets.

When new McDonogh girls soccer coach Harry Canellakis took over the program in the summer - new to the area and unfamiliar with the demanding Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference - his first priority was to maintain the program's winning tradition. So far, so good. The No. 2 Eagles are off to an impressive 5-0 start going into what Canellakis calls "a week of truth" as they travel to league foe St. Vincent Pallotti at 4 p.m. today before playing host to No. 1 and defending league champ Archbishop Spalding on Friday in a rematch of last year's title game.

The top-ranked Loyola boys and the No. 3 Severna Park girls scored easy victories at Thursday's Knights Invitational cross country meet at Baybrook Park. Despite competing without top runner Matt Jablonski, the Dons (49 points) had little trouble beating No. 8 Chesapeake-Anne Arundel (85). Will Neal of Chesapeake won in 15:41.71, beating Loyola's Matt Erford by almost 7 seconds. The Dons put four runners in the top 10. The Severna Park girls were more dominant. Christina Patrick won the race in 18 minutes, 54.55 seconds, leading the Falcons to an easy victory.

When Mount Hebron High School's longtime band director left abruptly in December, it felt to many students like the day the music died. But nowadays, strains of a traditional Sousa march and two sunny pop anthems fill the air outside the Ellicott City school as marching band members rehearse their first official halftime show with a new director and a new outlook. The Vikings Marching Band was set to take the football field Friday under the direction of Daniel Pendley, who has taken over the beloved band program that was one man's empire for more than three decades.

Et cetera Mount Hebron names Bell girls basketball coach Tony Bell was named varsity girls basketball coach at Mount Hebron on Monday, replacing Scott Robinson, who resigned as coach last spring. Bell teaches special education at Mount Hebron. In recent years, he has been a track coach there and has led his teams to three Howard County titles. He was the junior varsity girls basketball coach at Howard for three years and coached the varsity in 2004-05. - Carol Gralia, Columbia Flier Maryland football:: Quarterback Clay Belton, a former Miami (Ohio)

Players to watch Samantha Brostrom: Centennial, hitter, junior Brostrom, a first-team All-Metro player, controlled the net while leading the Eagles to the Class 3A state championship as a sophomore. Her leadership will be instrumental if Centennial is to repeat. Liz Brown: Centennial, hitter, junior The other half of Centennial's twin towers with Brostrom, Brown was a major reason the Eagles lost only three games last year. Her soft hands and defensive skills are critical to Centennial's success.

Runners to watch Matt Jablonski : Loyola, junior Jablonski did a lot of preparation this summer to get ready for the season, including some weeks when he ran 70 miles. Constantine Matsakis: Mount Hebron, senior The Vikings lost some key runners, but they have balance and depth, and it all starts with Matsakis. He flew under the radar a bit last year in the tough Howard County races but ran consistently throughout. Will Meadows : Gilman, sophomore Meadows ran well as a freshman, finishing seventh in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship meet and helping the Greyhounds to a fourth-place finish.

Marcy Leonard eyed the four thick New York strip steaks that rested atop the hot grill. Occasional flames jumped up as the juices from the meat dripped below. Her two assistants stood a few feet away, concentrating on chopping zucchini, squash and tomato for a roasted vegetable bruschetta. "Forty minutes, ladies!" Leonard yelled above the surrounding chatter and other sounds of the Howard County Fair. "We've got 40 minutes." Her teammates nodded and quickened their pace. At first glance, one wouldn't know that Leonard has no formal culinary training.

A longtime band director at Mount Hebron High School in Howard County was sentenced to 18 months in jail Thursday for sexually abusing a female student at the school over a two-year period, prosecutors said. Judge Timothy McCrone sentenced Robert Douglas Johnston, who taught at the school for 35 years before his arrest in December, to nine years in prison with all but 18 months suspended. Johnston will be able to serve his time in the county detention center and will be on supervised probation for five years after his release.

GIRLS LACROSSE Player of the Year Ashley Bruns Mount Hebron The senior attacker wrote her name firmly in the Vikings' record book this season - no easy task considering the program's storied history. Bruns set a mark for most goals in a season with 103, breaking the record set by Cathy Reese, then Cathy Nelson, 16 years ago. She also set single-game records for goals (12) and points (19). In leading the Howard County champions to the state Class 3A-2A final, she averaged 5.2 goals and scored eight in the state semifinal win over Annapolis.

GIRLS TRACK Performer of the Year Katie Harman River Hill The senior did it all this season. The James Madison-bound Harman swept the 1,600 and 3,200 in Class 2A at the state meet. Coach Earl Lauer said Harman becoming a year-round runner played a big role in her more success. She was one of the state's top runner in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track this year - sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the county and Class 2A South regioal meets before winning twice at states Coach of the Year Earl Lauer River Hill Lauer worked on developing versatile athletes, and that versatility is a main reason the Hawks were so hard to beat.