The MPSSAA girls soccer playoffs have arrived — region quarterfinal round play starts on Wednesday — with plenty of questions soon to be answered.
Severna Park, ranked No. 1 in The Sun’s Top 15 poll with a 12-0 mark, is seeking a third straight Class 3A state title and is joined by defending Class 1A champ Liberty as the two area teams looking to repeat. In Class 4A, Walt Whitman seeks a fifth straight title with Queen Anne’s entering as the defending 2A champ.
Fresh off a third straight Anne Arundel title following Saturday’s 4-0 win over South River, the Falcons believe they have the talent, big-game experience and quality form to make it three straight state titles. As the top seed in the 3A East Region II, they earned an opening round bye and will host Wednesday’s James M. Bennett-Arundel quarterfinal winner at noon Saturday.
“We have a ton of returning players, so the moment shouldn’t be too big for them. It certainly gives them a lot of confidence when we get to those matches,” Severna Park coach Rick Stimpson said. “The biggest thing we talked about at the start of the year was complacency … that’s what you always worry about at this stage of the year, but I think the girls have shown they’re certainly ready for it and excited to start the playoff run.”
Here’s a breakdown of the four state classifications and the biggest question for each going into the postseason.
Class 4A
Which area teams are best equipped to end Walt Whitman’s championship run?
Looking to come out of the East Region II, Crofton (10-2) best knows what it would take to get past the Vikings, reaching last year’s title game before falling, 3-0.
In earning the top seed in their region, the Cardinals, however, will get an immediate test following their bye, getting the Broadneck-North Point winner in the semifinals. If Broadneck advances, Crofton has a chance to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Bruins that closed out the regular season on Oct. 16.
Perry Hall fresh off a sturdy 2-0 win over Towson in Monday’s Baltimore County title game, is peaking as the top seed in the North Region I. The Gators (9-4) have reached the state semifinals the past two years and have an experienced group back entering the postseason with five straight wins. Their biggest competition getting out of region play will likely be Baltimore County rival Dulaney. Perry Hall beat the Lions, 2-1, on Sept. 19.
Class 3A
Can anybody stop mighty Severna Park?
A big reason for the Falcons sustained success is their steady challenges in Anne Arundel County and then demanding region. By the time the state playoffs arrive, they are fully battle tested.
Should the Falcons get past the Bennett-Arundel winner, second-seed Stephen Decatur or Anne Arundel rival South River could also present a stern test before another state playoff appearance.
In the South, Atholton (10-1-1) has been the breakout team in formidable Howard County. The North also features some quality teams with last year’s state runner-up Towson looking to get out of Region I and Howard County foes Marriotts Ridge and Howard battling in Region II.
Class 2A
How will perennial Howard County powers River Hill and Mt. Hebron moving down from Class 3A impact the 2A landscape?
Likely in a big way.
Top to bottom, the Class 2A brings the deepest field and the additions to River Hill and Mt. Hebron in the West II region adds to it immensely.
While the Hawks and Vikings try to make it out of their region, the classification features two other strong area teams that are playing in top form with Century (7-2-3) coming off its seventh straight Carroll County title and Hereford (9-2-3) taking a seven-game unbeaten streak into postseason play.
Elsewhere in 2A, the East Region I features top-seed Bel Air and Harford County rival C. Milton Wright, last year’s state runner-up. The North Region II boasts top-seed Fallston and second-seed Sparrows Point.
Class 1A
Can Liberty repeat or can rival South Carroll keep the crown in Carroll County?
Defending state champion Liberty (10-3-1) and South Carroll (13-1) both earned top seeds in their regions, North II and West II, respectively, and are capable of state title runs. In the regular season, South Carroll claimed a 3-1 win over the Lions on Sept. 18.
The North Region I is stacked with area talent — Loch Raven (10-1) earning the top seed followed by Harford County foes Harford Tech (9-2-1) and Patterson Mill (10-3). Last year’s state runner-up Mardela looks to come out of the East Region II.
Have a news tip? Contact Glenn Graham at ggraham@baltsun.com, 410-332-6636 and x.com/GlennGrahamSun.
