Soccer County Championships: Comets Boys Top Franklin, Girls Fall to Perry Hall

Catonsville head coach Victor Vega called it pure adrenaline. Franklin head coach Ian Reid speculated it was a very good guess. Comets goalie Kevin Sheppard says he knew where it was going all along.

Whatever it was, it worked.

Sheppard’s save of Franklin striker Michael Cronauer’s penalty kick with only seconds to play in second half stoppage time preserved a 1-0 lead and earned Catonsville its first Baltimore County title in almost 25 years.

While José Moran’s goal 14 minutes in to the second half proved to be the difference, Sheppard’s quick reaction kept Franklin off the board—and the Comets out of overtime—after the game referee awarded the Indians the penalty shot for a foul following a deep throw into the 18-yard box.

“Once he set up the ball I had a good idea where he was going,” said Sheppard, who laid out to his right to stop the low, line drive attempt.  “I followed that instinct and went with it.”

Said Reid, “Mike did the right thing. He hit it low, he hit it firm. You’ve got to give credit to the keeper—he made a very good save.”  

Following a scoreless first half, the Comets (11-2) pulled in front when Moran found himself one-on-one with the Indians goalie Dylan Schuman at the top of the box and narrowly beat the keeper by controlling the ball to his left side and quickly flicking his shot back across into the right corner of the net.

Ten minutes prior, Schuman had stopped a Moran breakaway by diving underneath the striker and corralling the ball before he could get a shot off. This time, however, the speedy junior had an improved angle and better control of the ball.

“He’s just a determined kid,” Vega said of his leading goal scorer.

“The kid just has it in him to be successful. He has vision like no other player I’ve ever seen. He sees everything. He paces the game, the game doesn’t pace him. He knows when to go fast, when to go slow and it’s just pretty hard to defend that kind of stuff.”

Added Sheppard, “One of José’s best features is composure.  On breakaways most guys get excited, kick it high, or can’t control the ball—José kept his composure and did what he had to do.”   

While it was Sheppard and Moran who came up with the key plays in the game, it was the Comets defensive back line that limited the opportunities for Franklin.

In fact, prior to Cronauer’s penalty kick, the Indians (10-5) managed just one shot on goal—an off-balanced header from Scott Luthy—for the duration of the second half.

Led by sweeper Kevin Vogelpohl and marking back James Flaherty, Catonsville stymied Franklin’s attack by controlling the midfield and keying on striker Ryan Silcott, who provided both goals in the Indians 2-1 victory over Catonsville in the regular season. 

Franklin managed only three shots on goal for the game.

“I don’t know that it was anything that we did,” Reid said. “I think Catonsville went to the ball really well all night and picked the ball up in the midfield.”

The Indians best opportunity in the first half came about four minutes in off a shot from Luthy, but Sheppard blocked the drive with an extended right foot and cleared the ball away.

While the Comets came away with their first county crown since 1988, both teams will have to put the game behind them and prepare themselves for the opening round of the state tournament on Friday.

However, that task may be a bit tougher for a disappointed Franklin squad.

“I’m sure it’s going to stick with them for a couple days, but the best thing is you get out here, practice again tomorrow,” Reid said. “Certainly, it’s going to be tough for them tonight, but we got a game to get ready for on Friday.”

Catonsville Girls Halted by Perry Hall 

Comets head coach James Fitzpatrick needed only one word to sum up what his girls must do if they plan on defeating Perry Hall this season.

Finish.

Tuesday, in search of a county championship, Catonsville had its opportunities at the goal, could not cash them in and wound up falling to the Gators, 3-0, at Clarence E. McWilliams Stadium at Franklin High School.

Of the Comets three losses, two have come at the hands of Perry Hall, which won the teams’ regular season matchup, 5-2, earlier this year.

“They’re older, quicker, faster, maybe a bit more talented than us, but I think the game boiled down to not finishing the chances we had,” Fitzpatrick said. “…Everything else will come together for us if we can start seeing some results.”

Trailing 1-0 with around 13 minutes to play in the first half, the Comets (10-3) squandered their best chance at an equalizer when Lauren McDonald delivered a textbook centering pass to fellow freshman Jennifer Nonn. However, shooting on the run from about 15 yards out, Nonn’s attempt sailed a few feet over the crossbar.

Catonsville arguably didn’t get a better look at the goal for the remainder of the game.

The Gators (12-3) earned the lead in the 13^th minute when Sofia Perzon corralled a deflected pass in the center of the box and beat freshman keeper Natalie Croom with a sizzling, line drive shot. Diving to her right, Croom slowed down the attempt, but struck with so much force, the ball trickled past her into the net.

Perry Hall extended its lead to 3-0 in the second half on scores by Samantha Testerman and Perzon, a second time, in the 48^th and 60^th minutes, respectively. 

Still, the Comets kept on scrapping and appeared to cut the deficit to 3-1 when a deflected corner kick by Rachel Woods off the noggin of Deb Milani found its way into the back of the net. However, the referee nullified the score, motioning that a Catonsville player’s push occurred prior to the goal being scored.

Said Fitzpatrick, “Those are the little things in a soccer match that can really swing momentum one way or the other.”

With Perry Hall and Catonsville slated as the top two seeds in Class 4A North for the state playoffs all signs point to the two teams meeting again for the regional final in a couple of weeks.

Following the loss, Fitzpatrick says the Comets are putting this game behind them and turning their attention toward earning the opportunity for a rematch.

“We worked hard [during the regular season] to get the seeding we have” Fitzpatrick said. “We can get a bye and take a day off, set this one behind us, start up again, focus on regional play and we hope to see Perry Hall again. They’re a good team and I think so are we.”