Kenwood's Tiffany Runk (left) tries to get the ball from C. Milton Wright's Tayler Kuzma during Tuesday's 4A North Region title game. The Mustangs ended Kenwood's season with a 2-0 victory.
For the third time in four seasons, C. Milton Wright is headed to the state Final Four. The Mustangs will play Severna Park in a 4A semifinal Thursday or Friday.
Back in the dog days of August, Kenwood High School girls' soccer coach Derek Woodward was in rebuilding mode. Hit hard by graduation, Woodward would've been happy if the Bluebirds were competitive this season.
Nearly three months later, Woodward stood on Kenwood's soccer field on a blustery afternoon Tuesday. The Bluebirds' season had just concluded with a 2-0 loss to C. Milton Wright in the Class 4A state North Region championship game.
"If you talk me Aug. 15, I would've said this is going to be a long season rebuilding, we're looking at being .500," said Woodward. "To be at this point is a huge success."
For the second time, Kenwood reached the region championship round. A berth in the state Final Four would've been the penultimate chapter in the Bluebirds' surprising season, but C. Milton Wright had the final say.
Lyndsie Ludwig and Kelly McKinney each scored for the Mustangs, who will play Severna Park in a state semifinal Thursday or Friday evening. Severna Park outlasted Leonardtown, 1-0, in double overtime in the East Region finals Tuesday evening.
C. Milton Wright dictated the pace, outshooting the Bluebirds, 13-4. Woodward was hoping Kenwood would get opportunities in the final 40 minutes after playing into the wind in the first half.
"They were able to get the ball on the floor and knock it around us," said Woodward.
"This was supposed to be our year," said Kenwood junior forward/midfielder Chaunell Abrams. "We've played good, but today we were off as a team."
The Mustangs' defense with junior Molly Stryker and Ludwig, and the senior goalie combo of Lynn Tranovich and Allison Kuchar kept Kenwood under control. C. Milton Wright coach Paul Austin said depth was the reason the Harford County school was able to knock off the No. 1 seeded Bluebirds.
"Two years ago, we beat them in the semifinals on an own goal, and I thought they were the better team," said Austin, whose team advance to the Final Four for the third time in four seasons. "They played with a lot of heart. For us to beat them here at their place is a big win."
Ludwig, a senior who has four goals in three postseason games, took a corner kick to the far post from freshman Amy Marks and put it in the net at the 11-minute mark of the first half. With 25 minutes remaining in the second half, Kenwood sophomore goalie Brittany Kobal got nearly 10 yards out of the net, and McKinney got around her for the Mustangs' second score.
When the final whistle blew, Kenwood's cheerleaders and other supporters ran to the Bluebirds' bench to congratulate the team. After going winless in the first three decisions (0-2-1), Kenwood went 11-2-1 the remainder of the season. Woodward said his previous couple of teams was talented, but this fall's squad made up any shortcomings with grit.
"We expected this would be our rebuilding year. The first two games, we got thumped 3-0 and 2-1," said Woodward, whose lost 2-1 to Eastern Tech in October cost them a spot in the Baltimore County championship game. "The chemistry of this team started to develop where they weren't going to quit, no matter who we were playing or the situation, they were going to go to the whistle."
"We got first seed, so I'd say we did a pretty good job," said Bluebirds senior forward/midfielder Courtney Kobal. "We came together more as a team this year instead being individuals. We leaned on each other."
Kenwood will have 12 letter winners to depend on next fall including Abrams, one of the top players in Baltimore County. Woodward is hoping the Bluebirds can carry the momentum into 2008.
"We didn't have any drama this year, and it was a delight to know the chemistry was there," said Woodward. "I wish they could've gotten this match today. I can't go into next year thinking the same because of what happened this year. You never know."