WOOTTON’S GIRLS’ TENNIS TEAM LOOKS TO EQUAL THE SCHOOL’S BOYS’ TEAM IN DOMINATING THE COUNTY, B-3
SPORTS SILVER SPRING
www.gazette.net | Wednesday, September 4, 2013 | Page B-1
Holy Cross has tall tale
County takes new direction without Holston
Tartans look to build upon first WCAC championship from last year n
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
TRAVIS MEWHIRTER STAFF WRITER
Montgomery Blair OH Amy Yan
There is a saying that nearly every coach of just about every sport shy of gymnastics will repeat to reporters, coaches, parents, athletes and the like throughout the season: “You can’t coach height.” And, no matter how badly the girls’ volleyball coaches at Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. John’s College or Paul VI may want to be able to do just that, there’s nothing short of stuffing some platforms under their players’ shoes that will leave them able to match up inch for inch with Dave Geiser’s team at the Academy of the Holy Cross. “I’m definitely feeling blessed,” Geiser said, laughing. “I’m not complaining at all.” As if his 26-2, Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion team of 2012 wasn’t enough, Geiser has loaded some more 6-foot-plus talent onto his squad this season, beginning with the 6-foot-5 blocker and middle hitter in University of Florida recruit Rhamat Alhassan. In one possible combination on the front, Alhassan can be joined by 6-foot-1 sophomore Megan McTigue and 6-foot-2 freshman Emily Ryan. “It’s going to be pretty big,” said Alhassan, an honorable mention All-Gazette selection last season whom coaches around the county, both public and private, near unanimously dubbed the top returning player. “It’s going to make it easy for our back line to get digs.” That’s if the back line has anything to dig at all. Alhassan claims her best asset to be her blocking, and with two players combining for more than 12 feet of height — not including the lanky arms befitting middle and
See HOLY CROSS, Page B-2
Winston Churchill OH Olivia Chao OH Kaitlyn Hillard Clarksburg OH Jo Cardea L Alex Gerber Academy of the Holy Cross MH Rhamat Alhassan L Carlise Cardoza
FILE PHOTO
Sherwood High School’s Makayla Roy spikes the ball over the net during a match last year. The Warriors are the three-time defending Class 4A state champions, but have lost several players to graduation.
Volleyball hierarchy up in air after graduating “most talented senior class in 20 years” n
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STAFF WRITER
Barons have established the county’s gold standard in girls’ soccer BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER
Back in 2008 when the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School girls’ soccer team won the first of a state-record four straight championships it was unquestionably the best in Montgomery County. The Barons haven’t been as dominant recently, but still have something over the rest of the county: A champion’s mentality. With six state titles and an additional three championship game appearances since 2001,
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Alex Holston is in Gainesville, Fla., far away from Montgomery County and Sherwood High School where she molded a girls’ volleyball program into a three-time reigning state title winning powerhouse. The current Gator left an indelible footprint, no doubt, but also one giant, gaping hole both in the county and at her alma mater. “It’s been different,” Sherwood coach Brian McCarty said of life without arguably the best player in Maryland history. “She’s been a pretty steady force in the program up until now, so I think a lot of people are adjusting to a new role, accepting and stepping into and developing into these leadership roles.” McCarty said that, at first, several of his seniors tried being “an Alex.” But there is no one way to simply become
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Academy of the Holy Cross’ Rhamat Alhassan hits a ball during an Aug. 29 scrimmage against Sherwood.
It’s B-CC until someone proves otherwise n
TRAVIS MEWHIRTER
HOW THEY RANK
Boys’ soccer: Whitman, Wootton, Walter Johnson all vying a state title in Maryland’s toughest division
2. Academy of the Holy Cross 3. Bethesda-Chevy Chase 4. Walt Whitman
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5. Winston Churchill
See BCC, Page B-2
NICK CAMMAROTA STAFF WRITER
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Quince Orchard High School’s Stephi Shin warms up before Thursday’s scrimmage with the Academy of the Holy Cross.
Damascus S Carly Marella OH Annika Schwartz Walter Johnson OH Brigid Morris John F. Kennedy L Ellis Edwards OH Tushig Idersuut Northwest L Jenna Brown Northwood MH Katie Bristol S Larissa Prentice Paint Branch MH Malaika Butler OH Ali Krizmanich Poolesville OH Rosie Barry L Sarah Kenneweg Quince Orchard Dakota Burton OH Daniella Zajac Seneca Valley MH Jaleesa Gaddis OH Natalie Speth Sherwood OH Makayla Roy MH Kerra-Lei Tirado Wheaton OH Sheyla Carrasco MH Danielle MacKenzie Thomas S. Wootton Jessica Wang
4A West is the best n
1. Our Lady of Good Counsel
B-CC always finds a way to win big games. Fighting that winning tradition has become the rest of the county’s biggest obstacle, coaches agreed. B-CC returns six starters this fall, including four-year starting midfielder/forward Eliza Doll, who is committed to play at Colgate (N.Y.) University in 2014-15.
See HOLSTON, Page B-6
Our Lady of Good Counsel OH Megan Conger OH Tricia Kerner
David Greene will enter his 35th season coaching boys’ soccer at Walt Whitman High School this week when the Montgomery County regular season kicks off. And in his 35 years leading the Vikings, he doubts he’s ever said this: “If they put it all together, they’re going to be very, very good.” Which — deciphering coach speak — is code for describing a team that has all the tools to reach and win
a state title, provided the players stay healthy. “Our strength is in our overall skill,” Greene said. “Every player on the team is skilled and we have an enormous amount of team speed. Maybe one of the fastest teams I’ve ever coached. We can be quite dangerous with our speed alone.” Contributing to that overall skill are three players who started as sophomores and didn’t play last year, but are back for their senior seasons to serve as three of seven senior captains. Striker Emmanuel Kanneh and midfielder Vegas Kastberg both played for D.C. United’s Academy team last season and have opted to return to the Vikings while midfielder
See 4A, Page B-2