Penalty Kick

In soccer, it may be the equivalent of the New York Jets beating the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl, and the New York Mets beating the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series.The heavily underdog Albany Capitals completed a stunning elimination of the Maryland Bays from the American Professional Soccer League semifinal playoffs last night, defeating the Bays, 1-0, in a best-of-five penalty-kick shootout in the deciding 30-minute mini-game before 2,741 at Cedar Lane Park.The Capitals were 10-11 in the regular season and Maryland 19-2.

Arundel goalkeeper Brian Morrison was ready for them all last night against No. 15 Glen Burnie. But one save in particular will be most remembered.It came with 6: 40 left, when, diving to his left, he turned back a well-placed penalty kick from Ronnie Smith to preserve a 1-0 win in a Class 4A East Region first-round playoff game in Gambrills."

Hereford girls soccer team has two seniors. Last night, both showed that there's no substitute for experience and leadership.Senior Jen Cox scored on a first-half penalty kick, and senior Paige Nichol added another goal in overtime as visiting Hereford (10-1-2) defeated Loch Raven, 2-1, to win the Baltimore County championship.The victory avenged a 2-0 loss to Loch Raven in last season's title match."They have been our captains and our leaders all year," said Hereford coach Steve Power of Cox and Nichol.

Centennial and Wilde Lake eliminated each other from county championship contention yesterday by tying 0-0 after 100 minutes of soccer.Fourteenth-ranked Wilde Lake (5-3-1 overall, 4-2-1 league) had the best chance to win the game -- a penalty kick with 2: 20 left in the first overtime after a contested foul.But Centennial goalkeeper Paul Krausman (10 saves) dove left to stop Michael Dello-Russo's kick and save the game at Wilde Lake.On the foul, the referee ruled that Krausman dropped the ball just in front of the goal line with no contact from an offensive player, and that Wilde Lake's Ian Rodway had gained possession and was fouled by Krausman as he attempted to turn and shoot.

As the Severna Park girls were stepping up to receive their Class 4A runner-up plaques last night shortly after their disheartening 2-1 loss to Montgomery County's Wootton, coach Chuck Seivert twice told them to wipe away the tears.It was difficult.In an instant early in the second half at North County High in Ferndale, the No. 2 Falcons not only saw their one-goal lead disappear, but also their hopes of capturing a fourth state crown.An apparent intentional hand ball in the penalty area on Severna Park's standout fullback Lindsey Nauman not only awarded the Patriots (18-1-1)

McDonogh's soccer field seems to bring out the best in Curley's Brandon Scarfield.A year ago, Scarfield shut out the Eagles on a late penalty kick. Yesterday, Scarfield assisted Steve Novak's game-winner with 14 minutes left in the first half before creating three quality chances for himself in the second half in addition to breaking up a one-on-one opportunity by the second-ranked Eagles.Brandon Quaranta's penalty kick with 11 minutes to play completed the 2-0 shutout and the upset for the fourth-ranked Friars (2-0, 1-0)

WASHINGTON -- It was bad enough that Maryland could have won the game. To get drubbed by a rival was particularly disheartening.The eighth-ranked Terps looked good early, but Scott Pearson three times was the beneficiary of Maryland errors and his hat trick powered No. 5 American over the visitors, 3-1, in a non-conference soccer match yesterday at Reeves Field."

The Sweet 16 has left a bitter taste with Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski and the Terrapins seniors.For the past three years, Maryland won its NCAA tournament first-round game but suffered frustrating losses in the second round.First, it was a one-goal loss to Virginia in 1994. The next year, a shootout loss at James Madison. And last season, a three-goal defeat to William and Mary after outshooting the Tribe 16-4.Maryland (16-5-1), which is ranked No. 9 nationally, will attempt to break that tournament slide when the Terps travel to No. 8 American tomorrow at 1 p.m. for an NCAA second-round game.

Though it took all but 45 seconds of yesterday's 90-minute affair at No. 3 McDonogh -- not to mention a little luck and all-out hustle by the entire squad -- Archbishop Curley showed it's soccer program is still alive and kicking without Giuliano Celenza.After Brandon Scarfield buried the game-clinching penalty kick to the left of diving Eagles goalie Cam Thompson for the 1-0 win, several of his Friars' teammates chanted "who needs Celenza," referring to the graduated three-time All-Metro player who led the Friars to two MIAA A Conference titles in four championship appearances and scored 75 percent of his teams' goals.

River Hill, newly anointed this week with the area's No. 1 ranking, played at Wilde Lake yesterday like a team intent upon keeping that position.The Hawks (5-0 overall, 2-0 league) knocked off fourth-ranked Wilde Lake 1-0 on a penalty kick by team co-captain and sweeper Sam Salganik 12 minutes into the game.The goal was Salganik's third in two games this week, and was a good personal tonic in the wake of the death of his mother's sister Saturday. She was buried Tuesday. Salganik also scored twice in Monday's 4-1 win over Good Counsel.

South River sophomore midfielder Anna D'Ambra had a couple of choices to consider when she ran on to a through ball in the second overtime of Wednesday night's game against rival Arundel: pass or shoot. She chose the latter, and it proved a smart decision as she neatly placed a shot into the lower left corner with 2:58 left to give the No. 5 Seahawks a resilient 2-1 home win over the No. 3 Wildcats in Anne Arundel County girls soccer. South River improved to 10-2 overall and 8-1 in Anne Arundel, handing Arundel (11-1, 8-1)

Varsity City's Coxson, Poly's Goodson and Ali-El could return soon City quarterback Adrian Coxson, who suffered a shoulder injury in Friday's victory over Walbrook, could be back in the Knights' lineup within a couple of weeks, he said Sunday night. The senior said the injury is a small ligament tear in his left shoulder that happened on a hard tackle after he had passed the ball. Coxson has filled a void at quarterback for the Knights, although he has committed to Penn State as a wide receiver.

The top-ranked McDonogh boys soccer team was playing its third game of the week, and it showed at times in Friday's contest against No. 7 Calvert Hall. The Eagles, playing without injured Marquez Fernandez - the reigning All-Metro Player of the Year - weren't always as tidy in back or crisp through the midfield, and coach Steve Nichols screamed at his forwards to be more aggressive in the box. Despite all that, and a formidable challenge from the determined Cardinals, the defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champions came away with a 2-1 home win. McDonogh improved to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference, while the Cardinals fell to 2-2 in both categories.

Mamadou Kansaye McDonogh, soccer The center-midfielder was the dominant player in the No. 1 Eagles' 6-1 win over Mount St. Joseph in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship game Nov. 10, scoring two goals and adding two assists. Kansaye, a junior in his third year on the varsity, set up Connor Rockefeller for the game's first goal and then scored the game-winner when he sent a free kick from 20 yards through a six-man wall for a pivotal goal with five minutes left in the first half.

All season, the Fallston boys soccer team found ways to win, having little trouble scoring and proving comfortable in the close games with positive results. In yesterday's Class 3A state championship game against upstart Tuscarora from Frederick County, the No. 4 Cougars didn't play any differently but left UMBC Stadium unfulfilled after the Titans captured their first state title in the program's fifth year on penalty kicks. After 100 minutes of soccer ended with the teams tied at 1, it was the young Titans who showed a little more poise in taking a 2-1 victory after a 4-2 decision on penalty kicks.

Spend enough time in the other team's penalty area and something good is likely to happen. That was the case for the No. 4 Eastern Tech girls soccer team in its Class 2A North regional championship against Baltimore County rival and No. 13 Loch Raven. Frustrated for most of the game by tight marking and some fine work from Raiders goalie Danielle DeLisle, the Mavericks finally got the break they needed with seven minutes left when senior midfielder Sarah Holmes was taken down in the box as she tried to turn and place a shot on goal.

Usually, a St. Paul's School for Girls volleyball game is the Bailey Webster show. Webster showed up as usual, but so did the supporting cast, and the host Gators needed every ounce of their effort to defeat Mount de Sales, 25-22, 24-26, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12, in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference showdown. In addition to Webster, one of the country's most highly recruited volleyball players, the third-ranked Gators (6-0) got big games from libero Liz Vlk (16 digs)

The top-ranked McDonogh girls soccer team wasn't fazed by anything yesterday morning. Not by the tropical storm that passed through or the talented Sacred Heart team from Louisville, Ky., it was up against. With a three-goal surge in the first 10 minutes and an impressive three-goal, one-assist performance from freshman midfielder Ashley Spivey, the Eagles came away with a comfortable 5-1 win over their Kentucky opponent in the second day of the McDonogh Tournament. The host team and Pennington, New York, had 2-0 records in the tournament and were set to meet in the championship game, but the persistent rainstorm canceled the final.

River Hill's season hung on the foot of sophomore Tony Riso. That's just where coach Matt Shagogue wanted it. Riso's goal on a penalty kick in the 94th minute gave No. 4 River Hill a 1-0 victory over a spirited Liberty squad in the state Class 2A semifinals at North Hagerstown High School yesterday. The Hawks (15-4) advance to Saturday's Class 2A state championship at South River, where they will take on Loch Raven, a 2-0 winner in the other semifinal. "He's taken our PKs all year, and I saw no reason to change that now," said Shagogue.

Up against a determined Loyola team that was able to stay with it step for step through 100 minutes, the No. 1 McDonogh boys soccer team needed penalty kicks to move ahead in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference semifinals yesterday. While Andrew Bulls, Mamadou Kansaye, Chris Agorsor and Joe Vidmar converted penalty kicks for McDonogh, goalkeeper Tom Caso made a diving save on Steve LeVine's attempt and Adam Parr had his chance go wide as the host Eagles advanced to the league championship with a 4-2 shootout win after the teams played to a 0-0 tie through two overtimes.