Zanti

Alli Zanti's goal off a feed from Katie Corron midway through the first half gave No. 12 Westminster a lead it would never relinquish, as the Owls advanced the state soccer semifinals for the first time since 1999 with a 3-0 win over Kenwood last night in the Class 4A North region final. The host Owls (12-1-3) advanced to the 4A state semifinals, to be played at Northeast at 7:30 p.m. Friday against No. 8 South River, a 1-0 winner over Broadneck. "When we play pedal to the metal, I think we can play with anybody," said Westminster coach Terry Molloy.

The Carroll County 4-H program recently held its annual Public Speaking Contest, in which members competed in three categories.The purpose of the contest is to teach 4-H members to express themselves effectively and to inform others about various topics. Categories were prepared speech, extemporaneous speech 30- or 60-second radio/public address spots.Winners in prepared speech were:* Clovers (participation ribbon): Kelly Bassler, Alexis Becker, Sandy Bolm, Chelsea Brulinski, Kristopher Buckler, Colleen Kazaras, Jaimie Lippy, Jeanea Rinehart, Sarah Weisse and Tara Wilhelm.

PLAYERS TO WATCHMichelle Allen, F, LibertyA four-year starter who twice has been on the All-Metro first-team, Allen led Carroll County in scoring last fall with 15 goals and 10 assists. The senior also stands out in basketball and lacrosse.Jen Biscoe, MF, John CarrollThis senior's splendid two-way play at center midfield last season was a major reason the Patriots spent most of it atop the metro rankings before closing at No. 2. The first-team All-Metro selection had 14 goals and eight assists.

On a day in which the chilly wind numbed the fingers of many in attendance, Curley's offensive intensity was hot and cold, while McDonogh's generally was heartwarming to its coach.The end result was a 2-2 double-overtime tie between the third-ranked Friars and fourth-ranked Eagles in Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference action at McDonogh.Curley (17-1-3, 11-0-3) -- an earlier 1-0 winner against McDonogh -- already has clinched a No. 1 seed heading into next Wednesday's conference playoffs.

McDonogh languished in the self-proclaimed "post-beating Catholic syndrome" for about 35 minutes. But a two-goal deficit straightened out the Eagles.Two days after beating top-ranked Catholic, No. 3 McDonogh needed to score three consecutive times to escape with a 3-2 victory at No. 7 Mercy yesterday in both teams' final Catholic League regular-season game.Eagles junior Marissa Schuchat scored two goals, including the game-winner 17 minutes into the second half. She also scored the game's only goal against Catholic to account for three of McDonogh's past four goals this week.

Westminster High School has announced its honor roll for the second quarter of the 1998-1999 academic year.Students earning all A's on their report card were:Tenth grade: Jennifer Bockmiller, Diana Bode, Troy Borneman, Jon-David Byers, Diana Carr, Angela Casey, Laura Coons, Jameson Cowan, Kari Davidson, J. Duke IV, Sean Finch, Kirsten Graff, Katherine Henshaw, Zachary Hepler, Carrie Jackson, Catherine Johnson, Benjamin Joy, Michael Lueking, Heather MacGregor,...

ABOARD THE USS WISCONSIN -- After initiating the allied air attack against Iraq, a naval task force in the Persian Gulf fired dozens of additional Tomahawk cruise missiles in intermittent barrages Thursday.The battleship Wisconsin, the ship coordinating the launches, fired missile salvos three times in daylight on the first day of the war. It also coordinated and participated in the initial pre-dawn attack, the first use of cruise missiles in battle.By late afternoon, the Wisconsin had fired 16 long-range, precision-guided cruise missiles.

One quick look at McDonogh's standout sweeper Laura Schroeder shortly after her top-ranked Eagles survived a 1-0 win over No. 3 St. Mary's in last night's Catholic League A Division semifinal told the story.Her black jersey was draped in mud, making the No. 18 on her back barely visible."This was not about pretty soccer," she said.Despite being outshot, 21-7, and outplayed most of the game by last year's conference champ St. Mary's, the Eagles (15-2-4) made the most of their opportunities -- getting a first-half goal from junior Marissa Schuchat 18 minutes in and holding on with a stellar defensive effort led by Schroeder and senior keeper Laura Fawley (nine saves)

Striker Melissa Garner scored all three Chesapeake goals, each off an assist from Veronica Cyford, as the Cougars upended host and No. 12-ranked Arundel, 3-2, in last night's girls Class 4A East Region quarterfinal .The Cougars (9-3) advance to play North County, a 2-1 winner over Meade, at 7 p.m. Saturday at Chesapeake."This is my best game so far, " said Garner, who had her first three-goal game. "We were just working awesome as a team. I think this is the best our offense has ever worked together."

Catholic wasted no time in snatching the No. 1 ranking back from McDonogh last night.Alison Healey and Natalie Loftus scored in the first 10 minutes en TTC route to a 4-1 Cubs victory over the top-ranked Eagles for the Catholic League A Division tournament championship. Before a crowd of about 350 at Utz Twardowicz Field in Patterson Park, the Cubs outshot McDonogh, 20-5.The Cubs, 20-1-1 and ranked sixth in the nation in the USA Today Top 25, carried plenty of incentive into last night's game.