North Carroll

LANDOVER -- The fourth-ranked North Carroll girls made school history last night. Katie Hursey won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs and played a large role in the Panthers winning the Class 3A-2A state championship at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex. This was the school's first indoor track state title. North Carroll won the state title after capturing the Carroll County, Monocacy Valley Athletic League Chesapeake Conference and the Class 3A-2A West regional crowns. The Panthers got Hursey's two victories plus Jess Huber's win in the pole vault and a relay victory to help compile 50 points, beating Annapolis and Largo, which were tied for second with 34. North Carroll coach Jim MacDonald said his team had a good mix of first-place efforts and points from other events.

Mount Hebron's Liz McCarter and Katie Hursey of North Carroll waged another battle in a state championship race yesterday. The teammates-to-be at Syracuse met in the Class 3A 3,200-meter final, and McCarter pulled away for an impressive victory at Morgan State. McCarter had beaten Hursey in a mild upset in the Class 3A state championship cross country race last fall, using a kick that the North Carroll senior couldn't answer. Hursey then topped McCarter in this past winter's Class 3A-2A 1,600 state title run. The two were close throughout the first half of yesterday's race before McCarter made her move on the fifth of the eight laps.

To say that North Carroll's Erik Adami posted a career day at Wednesday's Carroll County track and field championships at Century would be an understatement. The multi-talented senior scored 36 individual points, taking gold medals in the pole vault, high jump and discus, to lead the Panthers to their first-ever boys outdoor championship. Along the way, Adami achieved personal bests in the pole vault (14 feet) and discus (133 feet, 7.25 inches). The winning height in the pole vault, in fact, was 18 inches higher than his winning height the week before at the Monocacy Valley Athletic League Chesapeake Conference meet, and just 6 inches off the county record.

Three months into the season, area basketball coaches have built a wealth of knowledge about their own teams. For two Carroll County rivals meeting in tomorrow's Class 3A West boys quarterfinals, that knowledge will extend to the opposing bench. Host Westminster (16-6) will meet North Carroll (13-9) for the third time this season, with each looking for a spot in Wednesday's semifinals, most likely against a Bethesda-Chevy Chase team that holds the top seed in the region and the No. 14 ranking in the Washington area.

FIELD HOCKEY No. 5 North Carroll @ No. 10 Westminster WHEN -- Thursday, 4 p.m. OUTLOOK -- This is a meeting of two of the area's top defensive teams. North Carroll allowed only seven goals this season through last Wednesay, five of which came in a loss to Broadneck. Westminster had done even better. The Owls gave up just one goal. FOOTBALL Liberty @ Winters Mill WHEN -- Friday, 7 p.m. OUTLOOK -- Liberty went 0-10 last year, but they're battling Winters Mill for a Class 2A West regional playoff spot this season, winning three straight games after an 0-2 start.

Following a spring highlighted by state lacrosse championships for the Winters Mill boys and Century girls, as well as a state championship appearance yesterday by the Westminster baseball team, numerous athletes from Carroll County have landed spots on the Monocacy Valley Athletic League's all-conference teams. Here's a look at the county players who made first team, as picked by the coaches: Baseball Chesapeake Conference -- Nick Riley, North Carroll, outfielder; Evan Picciotto, North Carroll, infielder; Mike Yingling, North Carroll, catcher-pitcher; Jeremy Ritz, North Carroll, pitcher-infielder; Dustin Tarlow, Westminster, outfielder; Brett Harman, Westminster, pitcher-infielder.

Senior forward Warren Gordon scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in an upset of Westminster last week. Gordon, 6 feet 3, averages four points, 5.5 rebounds and one assist a game while blocking a team-leading seven shots this season for the Panthers (9-6). His coach, Lloyd Ford, said the most impressive thing about Gordon is, "he just plays like he's having a good time." Talk about your performance in North Carroll's win over Westminster. I just stayed focused and stepped up for that game.

To Carroll Christian girls basketball coach Matthew Reisberg, it's no huge surprise that his team is off to a 16-2 start. Reisberg said the team planted the roots for its success four years ago, when many of the players were forced into the lineup after the Patriots had graduated their starting lineup. "Many of them jumped in as sophomores or even as freshmen and started," he said. "We've been building toward this." The team is led by a pair of seniors in forward-guard Christine Maher (8.9 points per game, 6.9 rebounds)

Karri Ellen Johnson scored twice in the first half off corners to power fifth-ranked Broadneck past ninth-ranked North Carroll, 5-2, in field hockey yesterday. "Our offense was moving the ball really well," Broadneck coach Jen Parks said. "We did a good job of maintaining tempo because North Carroll is a really tough team." Lindsay Jackson gave Broadneck a 1-0 lead 1:50 into the game. The Bruins (1-0) went up 2-0 before trading goals with the Panthers (2-1) before the half. Each team had 15 shots and Broadneck had 11 corners to North Carroll's seven.

To opposing football teams, North Carroll has long been a soft spot on the schedule. Just one winning season in the past 20 will earn a team a reputation as a pushover. "Everybody is used to running all over North Carroll," quarterback Stefan Mitchell said. "Now we're trying to change things." Last night, the Panthers took the latest step in their turnaround, getting three first-half touchdown passes by Mitchell during a run of 36 straight points in a 36-8 win over South Carroll. North Carroll is 3-0 for the first time since 1996 and is the only unbeaten team in Carroll County.

A pack of Mavericks has joined the ranks of Carroll students this year, as the new Manchester Valley High School opened its doors on a bright, cool Tuesday morning, welcoming nearly 600 freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The school's inaugural year comes after a lengthy push - and much debate and controversy - from northeast-area residents, who sought a school to relieve crowding at Hampstead's North Carroll High. Along with the usual sounds of lockers slamming and students shuffling from class to class in the wide, airy hallways, a distinct sense - and smell - of newness also permeated the building.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kourtney Salvarola Broadneck Salvarola entered the season with high expectations and was the dominant pitcher on the area's most dominant team. The junior finished the season 12-0 with 88 strikeouts and a 0.10 ERA. Salvarola also batted .619 with seven home runs and six triples. Salvarola knocked off Chesapeake-Anne Arundel in the regional final and later put on a stellar performance in a 5-2 victory over North County in the Class 4A state title game. Salvarola allowed one earned run with four strikeouts and one walk as the Bruins won their first state championship.

Top-ranked Broadneck never considered the possibility that its season could end with anything but a state championship. The Bruins had suffered a devastating blow during the summer when head coach Jim Ware died. They also had the motivation of having lost to Chesapeake-AA in the regional finals the past two years after beating the Cougars in league play. None of this was lost on coach Reese Kiple, who was an assistant to Ware and understood his responsibility to be a guiding force for his players.

Class 4A No. 1 Broadneck (19-0) vs. No. 10 North Carroll (18-3) Time: 11 a.m. Outlook: Broadneck will try to write the final chapter to its remarkable season. The Bruins will rely on pitcher Kourtney Salvarola to win the program's first state championship. Salvarola is 11-0 with a 0.90 ERA. She is also Broadneck's leading hitter, batting .620. The Bruins blew out C.H. Flowers (Prince George's County), 14-0, in the state semifinals. Ashley Thomas led the way with a two-run homer. North Carroll has also put together an impressive season, winning the Carroll County league crown and advancing to its first state final since 2002.

Franklin's Jordan Eades has always been known as a big-game pitcher, and in Tuesday's Class 3A state semifinal against Urbana, she might have put on her best performance. Eades kept the Hawks (15-5) off balance for eight innings and knocked in the go-ahead run in the decisive eighth as sixth-ranked Franklin pulled away for a 7-4 victory at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie. Franklin (20-2) will play for its first state title against Northern-Calvert, a five-time state champion, Saturday in College Park.

COLLEGE PARK -When Old Mill sophomore Ron Vaughters, probably the most physical wrestler in this tournament, denied Urbana junior Peter Tatanish a second state title last night with a 5-3 decision in the 135-pound class, it sent a message to anyone who was watching. The message: Old Mill is tough and ready to claim not only an individual title but also the team title. The Patriots used Vaughters' championship run and a strong performance by their seven other wrestlers to capture the Class 4A-3A state title with a 91-87 victory over Walt Whitman at Cole Field House.

Hannah Bellaza scored with 8:17 left in the game, finishing off a centering pass from Alex Schmidt, as defending Class 4A state champion Severna Park closed out its perfect regular season with a 1-0 field hockey win on the road over No. 6 South River last night. The top-ranked Falcons are 14-0 overall, including 11-0 in Anne Arundel County. The goal came off a penalty corner with Schmidt collecting the first pass and sending it across to the far post for Bellaza. "The girls are looking good.

In a girls soccer game dominated by tight marking, a couple of fine saves and some shots that missed either high or wide, Loch Raven's overtime goal against visiting Catonsville yesterday was a textbook piece of offense. Senior striker Samantha Hannibal sent a cross to the far post that was won by freshman Christie Moyer, who placed it in the middle for senior Sa'Sha Kershaw to tap. Kershaw's sixth goal of the season came two minutes into the first overtime and gave the No. 15 Raiders a 2-1 win over the Comets in Baltimore County play.

After graduating 12 seniors, Westminster's field hockey team appeared headed for a rebuilding season this fall - until its first game. Yesterday, in a clash of 2007 state tournament teams, the unranked Owls edged Carroll County opponent and No. 10 Century, 2-1, on Amber Nichols' goal with 1:59 left in overtime. Nichols, a quick senior forward, took a long pass from Jordan Wilkins and slipped it by Century goalkeeper Jenny Gilbert, who had stopped three previous overtime shots. "She stepped out, went to kick it and I was just reaching far forward," Nichols said.

With less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Hereford boys lacrosse coach Carl Runk had the play he wanted to run. The Bulls were tied in their home opener with North Carroll, and Runk had the formation he wanted, but attackman Ryan Rock decided to improvise. "We had set up a certain pattern, but [Rock] forced, but he was in position to take the shot," Runk said. " ... He was high-percentage for us, and you take what you can get in this game." Rock raced from behind the net and scored the game-winner in a 14-13 victory for Hereford.