Soccer

Before I get down to the nitty gritty, let me say that I fully agree with The Aegis' sports editor Randy McRoberts, who voiced his distaste in Wednesday's paper on how the MPSSAA decided to move Class 2A teams into the 1A field hockey tournament in order to better fill out the brackets. That move does not sit well with me, and if I were a coach or player on the Havre de Grace, Perryville or Bohemia Manor teams, which are the only true 1A schools playing in the North bracket, I'd write a strongly worded letter to the powers that be. I am not trashing the efforts of the MPSSAA, which, like every scholastic athletic association in the country has a tough, thankless job, and I appreciate the work it puts forth (seriously, in four-plus years of trying to pick fights with various people, teams, organizations, coaches, etc. with this column, the only time I ever wrote anything bad about the MPSSAA was after some goon with a walkie talkie tried to beat me up for attempting to do an on-field interview with Fallston's Caitlin Dempsey, after she scored a double-overtime goal in the Cougars' 1-0 victory over Bethesda-Chevy Chase in the 2007 Class 3A state title game)

Severn has named Albert Oni as its new girls soccer coach, replacing longtime coach Adam Ritchie. Oni has coaching experience at many levels, and he was most recently the head coach of the Chesapeake Charge in the Women's Premier Soccer League and an assistant coach for the women's program at Towson University. Starting in 2002, Oni spent eight seasons as head coach at Mercy, earning The Baltimore Sun's  All-Metro Coach of the Year award in his final season in 2009 after leading the Magic to a 12-5-3 record and a trip to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship game.

Two teams with different soccer lineage are within a pair of victories each of bringing national boys soccer championships back to Baltimore from Phoenix, Ariz., later this week.Columbia City United, a team formed essentially with the objective of trying for the U.S. Youth Soccer Association's top prize, carries an obvious pedigree.As last year's Under-17 national titlist, United flew into Phoenix yesterday looking for a second straight national crown, at U-18 this time, having back-to-back Maryland and Maine-to-Virginia regional titles among its honors.

Et cetera Spirit's 2-0 loss to Thorns is first shutout Christine Sinclair scored in the 41st minute and Alex Morgan added a late goal as the Portland Thorns defeated the visiting Washington Spirit, 2-0, in a National Women's Soccer League match before an announced 12,474 at Jeld-Wen Field. The Spirit (1-3-3), which scored four times at Seattle on Thursday, suffered its first shutout. Chantel Jones made her first start in goal for Washington, replacing Ashlyn Harris (sore knee)

Greater Laurel United Soccer Club is offering a reduced fee of $47.50 for girls born between August 1997 and July 2001. The fee covers 10 weeks of soccer. Registration deadline for reduced fee is June 30. Register online at http://www.eteamz.com/greaterlaurelunitedsoccerclub.

The Sun reports that Towson University Athletic Director Mike Waddell is recommending the elimination of the baseball and soccer programs ("Baseball, men's soccer target of cuts," Oct. 3). By cutting baseball and soccer, Mr. Waddell would save about $800,000. Clearly, the label "bean counter" should be placed on Mr. Waddell. The label allows Mr. Waddell to ignore logic, courage, tradition, integrity, and wisdom as factors in the decision. I am proud to say that I played soccer for another athletic director at Towson by the name of Dr. Donald "Doc" Minnegan.

A week into the new school year, Broadneck center midfielder Emily Lord is loving her senior gig. She's quick to say it's completely different. She's finished with her classes at 10:30 a.m. every day. In her third year on varsity, she is a captain for the No. 6 Bruins. And she's learning a new position after playing her first two years at forward. It has been a lot to take in, and Lord is excited and primed for a banner year. Lord showed a fine ability to distribute the ball last season - finishing with eight assists to go with three goals - and she'll have the chance to set up teammates even more this fall with the ball at her feet more in the middle.

The elimination of the men's baseball and soccer programs at Towson State University is a tough pill to swallow ("Towson president: Cutbacks of baseball, soccer painful but necessary," March 15). It is a great disappointment to fans, the administration, friends of the university and the athletes in these two programs. Yet it is the only viable option if Towson is to comply with Title IX. Athletic Director Mike Waddell spent a year studying alternatives to cutting the two sports. University President Maravene Loeschke then appointed a task force to review his recommendations.

Bays under-19 team earns 2-1 win in 2nd round of nationals The Baltimore Bays under-19 team used goals by J.J. Raley and Gary Weisbaum in the final four minutes to top Pike Indy Burn from Indiana, 2-1, on Thursday in the second round of the U.S. Youth National Soccer championship at Lancaster, Mass. The Bays will advance to Sunday's national championship game with a win or a tie against the Colorado Rush today. The Bays under-15 team earned a 1-1 tie with Blast FC from Ohio and will qualify for the championship game with a victory over South Charlotte Gold from North Carolina today.

Archbishop Spalding goalkeeper Cassidy Babin, a second-team All-Metro selection last year, has made a commitment to play soccer at Massachusetts. In her second season starting this fall, Babin is 6-3-3 with five shutouts, 54 saves and seven goals allowed for the No. 4 Cavaliers.

Annapolis Area Christian School is looking for a varsity swimming coach and a girls varsity soccer coach for the next school year. For information, contact athletic director Jim Domoracki, jdomoracki@aacsonline.org or 410-519-5300 x3150.  

If Towson University is so strapped for funds that President Maravene Loeschke needs to disband her baseball and soccer programs, how can she afford to spend so much on the deluge of TV advertisements that are on the air daily? No other college in the University System of Maryland does this. The Towson enrollment is growing considerably. Why these expenditures at this time? Wally Knapp, Ellicott City Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Send recreation results to tworgo@tribune.com . Include teams, scores, highlights and players first and last names. . Greater Laurel United Soccer Club U-6 co-ed: Newkirk's Kickers 3 (Zachary Akyeampong, Reuben Guerrero) Lynch's Ladies 3 (Malina Simmons, Anya Lynch) Gans Gougers 1 (Jordan Dean, Ayden Robertson) Scott's Tots 1 (Dylan Cowdery, Dalton Dwyer) U-8 girls: Wild Lightning 6 (Hana Majid, Kaitlyn Gebhardt) Orange Tigers 1 (Nevea Jones, Danielle Harris)

In a recent editorial ("Franchot goes too far," April 20), The Sun stated that Towson University President Maravene Loeschke's "primary responsibility is to foster the state's goal of increasing the educational attainment of its residents. " It further assailed Comptroller Peter Franchot for calling for President Loeschke's resignation unless he has some evidence that she is failing that mission. The point you are missing is that Ms. Loeschke has steadfastly refused to allow any examination of athletic expenditures in a public forum of any kind, despite repeated requests.

Henry F. Long Jr., a boys soccer coach and state champion who owned a window-cleaning business, died of cancer Tuesday at Gilchrist Hospice Care. The Perry Hall resident was 54. Born in Baltimore and raised in Sparrows Point's North Point Village, he began playing sports at Battle Grove Elementary School. He was a 1976 graduate of Sparrows Point High School, where he wrestled and was a three-time state champion in soccer. He attended Essex Community College and earned a bachelor's degree in sports management at West Virginia University, where he was captain of the men's soccer team.

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Annapolis Area Christian School is seeking a varsity boys' soccer a a junior varsity girls' volleyball coach for the 2012 fall season.  The soccer position is part time with the possibility of becoming a full-time teacher-coach position depending on the academic openings at the school this spring.  Playing and coaching experience are required. The volleyball position is part time with coaching experience preferred. Interested applicants should send a resume to Director of Athletics Jim Domoracki at  jdomoracki@aacsonline.org .

The senior forward, hindered by injuries for most of the season, played her first full game in Friday's Class 4A East regional semifinal against Severna Park, scoring twice to lead the No. 4 Wildcats to a 2-1 overtime win. Okoko, a first-team All-Metro player last year, has six goals in limited time as she has had to overcome a severe ankle sprain and a pulled hamstring. Against the Falcons, who were ranked No. 2 at the time, she gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the second half and scored the game-winner with four minutes left in the first overtime.

Colleges Stinnett pitches Terps past Miami in baseball Host Maryland won its baseball series finale over Miami, 7-2, on Sunday behind seven strong innings from starter Jake Stinnett . Stinnett, who pitched five scoreless innings at George Mason on Wednesday, retired 13 of the first 15 batters and held the Hurricanes (24-15, 8-10 Atlantic Coast Conference) to one run on three hits with six strikeouts to earn his third consecutive victory and improve to 4-3. In his past three starts, Stinnett has a 1.42 ERA and is averaging 8.53 strikeouts per nine innings.

For full disclosure's sake, I am a 1968 graduate of what is now Towson University (and a 1974 graduate of Morgan State University). I taught high school for 14 years and founded an advertising agency that has a sports specialty. Our company has done sports ticket sales campaigns for 43 university programs in 24 states over a 30 year period - including Towson - as well as several pro teams, including all of the local franchises. To say that specializing in college athletics is not a way to build a big media billing agency is an understatement.