Varsity Players

Player of the YearCraig Rentch, Annapolis, senior, attack: On a team of outstanding seniors and four-year players, Rentch emerged as the 3A/4A State champion Panthers' go-to guy. Rentch scored nine of his 54 goals in the state semifinals and final. With five goals in the Panthers 12-7 state championship victory over Dulaney, Rentch missed the state final game record by one. Rentch, who will play at Washington College, scored 19 goals and had five assists (20 season for 74 points) in the Panthers' six playoff victories.

Arden Smith is a soft-spoken sophomore forward playing in her first year of varsity for the Broadneck girls soccer team. But her right foot boomed loudly Thursday at South River. Smith cleanly struck a shot from 18 yards that quickly found the top-right corner of the Seahawks' net, providing the overtime golden goal that gave the No. 15 Bruins a 2-1 upset win over No. 10 South River in Anne Arundel County play. Sophomore Caitlyn Shea sent a long ball from midfield to junior Emily Lord, who settled and then nudged a short pass across to Smith.

Centennial High School has suspended 14 varsity soccer players for an Aug. 31 hazing incident that resulted in injuries to two freshman junior varsity players.In an exercise called "butts up," most of the 12 freshmen on the junior varsity team were lined up facing the back wall of the school building and forced to bend over and hold their ankles while varsity players punted soccer balls at them from close range, according to a statement from Centennial principal Lynda Mitic, who issued the suspensions.

By Andrew Conrad It was not a banner spring for local varsity sports. Two Howard County lacrosse teams and several individual track athletes won state titles, but it came up empty in all the other spring sports: baseball, softball and tennis. Luckily, at the junior varsity level, young athletes were preparing for the success of next year's teams and beyond. We asked all of the county's athletics and activities managers to spread word to their JV coaches that we were gathering details on the exploits of their teams this spring, and this is what we found out about the Columbia teams.

For Samuel Din, who has played field hockey for a quarter-century and has spent the last seven years looking for a head coaching job, thesearch is over.Din will get his chance this fall with the field hockey team at Wilde Lake High School.He replaces Terry Smith, who stepped down after seven years. Smith guided the Wildecats into the regional playoffs six times."He (Din) is very enthusiastic, very knowledgeable, and we're very excitedabout him," said Carol Satterwhite, Wilde Lake's athletic director.

A 47-year-old Westminster man was charged yesterday with buying beer and liquor for a sleepover party attended by members of the Westminster High School girls basketball team - and with having sex with one of the girls at the gathering. Randall S. Matthews, who surrendered at the Maryland State Police barracks in Westminster yesterday morning, is charged with 16 counts of providing alcohol to underage drinkers - a charge called "contributing to the condition of a child." Nine girls who attended the party were suspended from the basketball team for the balance of the season for allegedly violating the Carroll school system's alcohol policy.

When Becky Towns cut into the middle of the field with the ball dancing at her stick, raced past two North Carroll defenders and sent a perfect pass to Carrie Herb for a good shot at the end of a Westminster fast break, it was obvious she was no ordinary field hockey player.Only a freshman, she was playing in her first varsity game against then eighth-ranked North Carroll just two weeks ago. She showed nerves of steel for a 14-year-old rookie, displayed super stickwork and agility and appeared always under control, even though going at full speed.

COLLEGE PARK -- It was five years ago, but Scott Rosen remembers it as if it were yesterday: His first days as a Maryland freshman football player were "overwhelming."Now a Terps co-captain, Rosen and the other seniors will try to make the transition from high school to college easier for incoming freshmen by serving as their Big Brothers.The Big Brothers relationship is one of the things that new coach Mark Duffner initiated at Holy Cross and brought with him here.Rosen is Big Brother to Latroy Askew, a defensive back from Fairfax, Va., who is clearly apprehensive.

Meade's boys lacrosse team won its first game in two years last week, and we erred in noting the Mustangs' last winning season, which was an 8-6 showing in 1992 for coach Lou Norbeck. We thank Matt Rayman, who played on that team, for calling the 24-hour Sportsline to fill us in.Anne Arundel boysAnnapolis Panthers1997 record: 12-3Coach: Dan HartTop players: Steve Brianas, Sr., A; Craig Rentch, Sr., A; Danny Marcellus, Sr., A; David Wooster, So., A; Pete Ludlam, Sr., M; Brad Downer, Sr., M; Dustin McConnaughhay, Sr., M; Will Phillips, So., M; Josh Lesko, So., M; Mike Donlin, Sr., D; Paul Haberlein, Jr., D; Judd Carstens, Sr., D; Cole Gelrod, So., D; Jeff Paulson, Jr., G; Jeff Childs, Sr., G.Outlook: Experience plus talent usually means a successful season, and the Panthers are loaded in those departments.

At Lansdowne High School, Fridays might not be the sam this fall.The football stadium lights, for which many community members worked so tirelessly, may go unused. Pep rallies have been put on hold. The pompons remain in storage.Because of a lack of interest from students and a concern for the safety of the players, Lansdowne High officials might announce today that they won't field a football team this season.Last Tuesday, there was a "99 percent" likelihood that there would be no varsity football team, school co-athletic director Ed Walker said.

Jen Zoltoski is expected to make her 2008 soccer debut in the coming days. It will be an emotional and satisfying moment for the John Carroll senior. Zoltoski, who plays defense, had to recover from surgery on both legs this summer. She suffered from pain in both legs while playing lacrosse last spring and eventually was diagnosed with compartment syndrome, a condition that results when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This prevents nourishment from reaching nerve and muscle cells.

At the start of the volleyball season, Glenelg coach Don Beall let his athletic director know that attendance will likely be down some. It was for good reason. With sister combinations all over the court - Brooke, Sabrina and Amber Winterling, along with Allison and Dana Gittings - the No. 3 Gladiators have racked up plenty of wins with just slightly less applause. "He asked why would attendance be down, and I told him because we have all these sisters on the team. So parent-wise, we're down [six]

Tyra Breaux, New Town girls basketball coach Pam Wright wanted her Titans to get an early look at how tough the competition can be as they move up to the varsity level for the first time. After the Owings Mills school opened its doors last fall, the Titans went 15-1 in their first season together as a junior varsity program. Wright decided the Titans needed an early introduction to high-caliber varsity competition, so she invited Milford Mill, a team second only to Baltimore County champ Woodlawn last season, over for a scrimmage last Friday.

Most of the coming soccer season will be lost for four Centennial girls varsity soccer players who were among 12 students cited for underage drinking at a back-to-school dance Thursday night. Eleven of the students attend Centennial and one attends Mount St. Joseph High School, said Centennial principal Lynda Mitic. The 11 Howard County students will be suspended five to 30 days from classes and be ineligible to compete in extracurricular activities for 70 calendar days. For the soccer players, that means missing the regular season and most of the postseason.

A 47-year-old Westminster man was charged yesterday with buying beer and liquor for a sleepover party attended by members of the Westminster High School girls' basketball team - and with having sex with one of the girls at the gathering. Randall S. Matthews, who surrendered yesterday morning at the Maryland State Police barracks in Westminster, faces 16 counts of providing alcohol to underage drinkers - a charge called "contributing to the condition of a child." Nine girls who attended the party were suspended from the basketball team for the balance of the season for allegedly violating the Carroll school system's alcohol policy.

Is this the year of the freshman? A lot of area coaches hope so after graduation claimed one of the strongest senior classes ever in local girls basketball. Many top teams have at least one ninth-grader on the roster. Some have three or four. Most of these youngsters are not that young in basketball terms. Take the Waves 13-and-under team that finished ninth in last summer's Amateur Athletic Union National Tournament in Cocoa Beach, Fla. A dozen Waves made their high school varsity teams.

At the start of the volleyball season, Glenelg coach Don Beall let his athletic director know that attendance will likely be down some. It was for good reason. With sister combinations all over the court - Brooke, Sabrina and Amber Winterling, along with Allison and Dana Gittings - the No. 3 Gladiators have racked up plenty of wins with just slightly less applause. "He asked why would attendance be down, and I told him because we have all these sisters on the team. So parent-wise, we're down [six]

Centennial High School has suspended 14 varsity soccer players for an Aug. 31 hazing incident that resulted in injuries to two freshman junior varsity players.In an exercise called "butts up," most of the 12 freshmen on the junior varsity team were lined up facing the back wall of the school building and forced to bend over and hold their ankles while varsity players punted soccer balls at them from close range, according to a statement from Centennial principal Lynda Mitic, who issued the suspensions.