[Baltimore Sun] Carroll County high school sports week in review: A look at the top players and performances (March 21-30)
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Each week, the Carroll County Times highlights a Team of the Week, five standout players and top statistical performances. Here is the first rundown of the new spring sports season.
Team of the Week
Manchester Valley girls lacrosse
The reigning Class 2A state champions have picked up right where they left off after last year’s unbeaten season, opening the 2024 campaign with four straight wins.
After picking up wins over Catonsville and Winters Mill by an average of 16.5 goals, the Mavericks won the prestigious 4 Causes 4 Champions tournament Saturday. They opened the tournament with a 12-6 win over last year’s 4A champion Broadneck, then beat county rival and reigning 1A champion Liberty, 10-9, in a dramatic finish.
Honorable mentions
Gerstell baseball: The Falcons are 3-0 with wins over Annapolis Area Christian School, St. John’s and Indian Creek. They are outscoring opponents by a total of 28-3.
Francis Scott Key softball: The Eagles are 4-1 and have won their past three games, including a win over county rival Century in a nonconference tournament game.
Westminster baseball: The Owls are 4-1 and have scored nine or more runs in three of the wins. They also have a victory over River Hill, last season’s Class 3A state champion.
Century softball: The Knights are 3-1 to open the season and already have a conference win under their belt, a 10-2 victory over South Carroll. Century is averaging 10 runs per game and has allowed only 2.5 per game.
5-star players
Taylor Fique, Manchester Valley, girls lacrosse: The freshman opened her varsity career with 16 goals in her first four games, including the game-winner in the final seconds of a 10-9 win over Liberty in the final of the 4 Causes 4 Champions tournament.
Leah Miller, South Carroll, girls lacrosse: Miller is the county’s goal-scoring leader after the first week with 24 goals through her team’s first five games. She’s also handed out three assists.
Carroll County Times 5-star players. (Courtesy and file photos)
Travis Smith, Gerstell, baseball: Smith is swinging a hot bat early in the season. In his past three games, he is a combined 7-for-10 with four doubles, three RBIs and five runs scored.
Jordan Currie, Century, softball: Currie has had two dominant outings in the circle for the Knights. She’s pitched 12 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on 10 hits with 25 strikeouts.
Camden Deming, Winters Mill, boys lacrosse: Deming stepped up with five goals in the Falcons’ 12-10 win over Manchester Valley, an early-season clash of preseason county favorites.
Top performances
Boys lacrosse
Most goals in a game
5 — Camden Deming, Winters Mill, March 25 vs. Manchester Valley
4 — Gavin Reid, Manchester Valley, March 21 vs. Franklin
4 — Gary Bavetta, Francis Scott Key, March 26 vs. North Hagerstown
3 — Grant Miller, Manchester Valley, March 21 vs. Franklin
3 — Chase Oropollo, Winters Mill, March 25 vs. Manchester Valley
3 — Reed Postlethwait, Winters Mill, March 25 vs. Manchester Valley
3 — Graham Johns, Francis Scott Key, March 26 vs. North Hagerstown
Manchester Valley’s Emma Penczek already has three games scoring six or more goals. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Girls lacrosse
Most goals in a game
8 — Taylor Fique, Manchester Valley, March 25 vs. Winters Mill
7 — Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, March 21 vs. Catonsville
6 — Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, March 25 vs. Winters Mill
6 — Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, March 30 vs. Broadneck
5 — Lily Bertier, Francis Scott Key, March 21 vs. Walkersville
5 — Leah Miller, South Carroll, March 21 vs. Linganore
5 — Drew Watkins, Francis Scott Key, March 21 vs. Walkersville
5 — Leah Miller, South Carroll, March 26 vs. Frederick
5 — Leah Miller, South Carroll, March 30 vs. Glenelg
Baseball
Most hits in a game
4 — Chase Taylor, Westminster, March 22 vs. North County
4 — Ben Stevens, Francis Scott Key, March 26 vs. Frederick
Most RBIs in a game
4 — Chase Speiden, Century, March 22 vs. Urbana
Most strikeouts in a game pitching
10 — Thomas McGrew, Manchester Valley, March 25 vs. Glenelg
9 — Gene Magin, Manchester Valley, March 22 vs. Harford Tech
8 — Josh Pribulick, South Carroll, March 22 vs. Frederick
8 — Gavin Larson, Gerstell, March 25 vs. St. John’s
Doug Kapustin/for Carroll County Times
Westminster’s Kayla Garland, shown at left in a game last season, has the most hits in a game so far this season with four. (Doug Kapustin/Freelance)
Softball
Most hits in a game
4 — Kayla Garland, Westminster, March 22 vs. North County
Most RBIs in a game
5 — Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, March 21 vs. Leonardtown
Most strikeouts in a game pitching
13 — Jordan Currie, Century, March 25 vs. South Carroll
12 — Jordan Currie, Century, March 21 vs. Thomas Johnson
10 — Hailey Facchine, Manchester Valley, March 28 vs. Winters Mill
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