Mustangs

Not even the coldest day of the spring season could stop C. Milton Wright's boys track team from adding to a win streak that dates to 1986.Thursday, the Mustangs won their 71st straight dual- or tri-meet with a lopsided victory over North Harford and Havre de Grace. The Mustangs, who improved to 6-0 this year, won with 124 points with North Harford second (47) and the host Warriors third (19).But C. Milton Wright coach Jim McNicholas didn't want to talk about the times posted by his guys Thursday.

With just three weeks left in the football season, C. Milton Wright stands on the brink of winning its first ever county championship.Going into last Friday night's game at Bel Air, the Mustangs (6-0 overall, 4-0 league) sat all alone on top of the county standings.Previously undefeated Joppatowne dropped into third place behind Aberdeen (5-1, 4-1) after a 33-0 loss to the Eagles on Oct. 12.Those three appear to be the only teams left in the county title race.Joppatowne (5-1, 3-1) will have the toughest battle with C. Milton Wright, ranked No. 10 by The Sun, and Edgewood (4-2, 3-2)

The race for the county boys soccer title could all come down to Thursday's contest between Fallston and C. Milton Wright.Defending champion Fallston and C. Milton Wright were both undefeated against county foes going into Tuesday night's games.If the Cougars can get past Edgewood and the Mustangs can knock off Joppatowne on Tuesday, they would set up a Thursday night showdownat Fallston at 6:45 p.m.The Mustangs probably face the biggest Tuesday night test, since Joppatowne beat them last year, 2-1. But even if they were to lose to Joppatowne, the Mustangs could complicate the county title race -- and maybe claim a piece of it for themselves -- by knocking off Fallston.

The Mervo boys basketball and wrestling teams are enjoyin surprising success this season.The Mustangs on the mat were an unanticipated 3-0 against Maryland Scholastic Association B Conference opponents before yesterday's match at Carver, last year's C Conference champion.Meanwhile, the basketball team was 3-1 before yesterday, including a three-game winning streak, since dropping its opener, 60-52, to Douglass.A bench-clearing fight forced the early ending of the Mervo-Poly basketball game Monday with under a minute left in the first overtime and the Mustangs ahead 67-64.

The Marriotts Ridge football team had been gradually growing up as it entered its second season of varsity action. On Friday night, the Mustangs had a defining growth spurt, rallying for a 28-24 win over Hammond. Trailing 24-16 going into the fourth quarter, the Mustangs closed to 24-22 on a 32-yard touchdown run by fullback Vince Testerman. That set the stage for a character-building drive that started on the Mustangs' 20-yard line with 2:10 to play. With all three timeouts, Marriotts Ridge methodically drove down the field before quarterback Kevin Seker found wide receiver Kyle Williams with a 25-yard gain that put the ball on the Bears' 5. With six seconds left, Seker rolled out and hit Kyle Feldman with a touchdown toss that gave the Mustangs a satisfying home-opening win. "It shows they're starting to mature and really believe in themselves," said Marriotts Ridge coach Ken Hovet, whose Mustangs went 1-9 last season without a senior on the roster.

Looking at the rosters of the Old Mill and Meade girls basketball squads, the first adjective that comes to mind is youthful.The Patriots roster includes only two seniors, veteran guards Denise Zellers and Sandy Johnson (out nursing a preseason thigh injury). The Mustangs also have only two seniors, first-year guards Tamieca Hamlin and Shamone Williams.However, that's where the similarities end.Undefeated host Old Mill (5-0, 2-0 in the 4A County Friendship Division) took advantage of a 20-9 first-quarter lead yesterday, sailing to a 70-31 victory over the Mustangs.

Brian Harris has two goals for Friday's Harford County Cross CountryChampionships.First, the C. Milton Wright sophomore wants to win. Second, he wants to break the Harford Glen course record, of 16:47,set by former teammate Jeff Hankins in last year's county title race.Harris, who placed second last year, is an overwhelming favorite to win. If conditions are right, he could break the record. Already this season, he has established himself as one of the top runners in the state. He won the Westminster Invitational and finished fifth in the Harford County Invitational last weekend.

In 95-pound youth football action, the Maryland City Mustangs defeated Brooklyn Park, 33-0, on homecoming Saturday.Kenny Rhames won the Most Valuable Player award on offense, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown, and John Goverman scored two touchdowns, one on an interception return. Malik Newman (63 yards rushing, one extra point), Dennis Gore (45 yards, two extra points) and DeAnte Saab each scored a touchdown. Quarterback Keith Cromer completed two passes to Wesley Campbell for 40 yards.

C. Milton Wright's boys lacrosse team won its first regional playoff game ever with a rain-shortened 14-6 victory over Bel Air Friday night in a Class 3A/4A Region I semifinal.Carl Greenberg's squad had been to the regional playoffs four times before without a win. Wednesday night it will go for two in a row, playing host to either second-seeded Centennial or third-seeded South Carroll. The winner moves on to the state final four.Officials called Friday night's game at C. Milton Wright with two minutes remaining because of lightning.

Analyzing the Fallston-C. Milton Wright wrestling match beforehand, the Mustangs figured to be six- to 10-point favorites.But Mustangs coach Carl Holston knows he can't plan on anything against Fallston.In the four years that Holston has coached the Mustangs, they hadnever beaten Fallston in a dual meet. The Mustangs last beat Fallston in 1985 when the Mustangs had four county champs.This time, Fallston forfeited 12 points, and the Mustangs appeared ready to break the streak. But the Cougars got a couple of unexpected wins early and crucial decisions from Derek Schwarz at 140 pounds and Jared McCarthyat 152 to beat C. Milton Wright, 31-23, Wednesday night.