TRIUMPHANT TRIO: Parkville Lady Predators' coach Laurie Schwoy (center) considered Liberty High junior Cheyenne Skidmore (left) her best player in Monday's 2-1 championship victory over East Islip of New York, although Bel Air senior Kory Webster (right) scored one of their team's goals. The Predators won the championship of the four-day, Soccer Association of Columbia Memorial Day Invitational Tournament.
by Lem Satterfield
(See video interviews below)
www.elitetournaments.com (Click here for complete tournament results)
Parkville's Lady Predators, a girls' Under-17 team comprised of players from as far apart as Carroll County's Sykesville and Harford County's Bel Air, earned a 2-1 victory over New York's East Islip Impact to end a long, four-day weekend with the championship for their age-group of the Soccer Association of Columbia Memorial Tournament on Monday.
Coached by Laurie Schwoy, a 1996 graduate of McDonogh of Owings Mills, where she earned National Player of The Year honors as a forward before starring at North Carolina, the Predators' game was the second-to-last to be completed in a tournament whose director, Mike Libber, called this year's event "The largest in its history."
"I had a great year coaching you, I really enjoyed it. Great way to end it," Schwoy told the Predators, who surrounded her as she hoisted the tournament trophy out in front of herself before them. "Congratulations. You guys worked hard, and I'm proud of you."
Defender Kory Webster, a senior out of Bel Air High, scored the Predators' initial goal to give her team a 1-0 lead in the first half against East Islip.
The play was set up as the result of a foul against a teammate, Cheyenne Skidmore, a junior who plays for Liberty High in Carroll County.
"Actually, Cheyenne got fouled about five yards outside of the box. So then, I took a free kick and just aimed it at the lower corner and made it," said Webster, who is headed for Wilmington of Delaware.
"It's been good," playing for Schwoy, said Webster. "I've learned a lot of stuff."
Although she did not score a goal, Skidmore is considered by Schwoy to be the Predators' best player.
"She was our best player today, created a lot of chances for the other players, but she was really unlucky in terms of not scoring," said Schwoy. "I definitely had to point her out, because I don't think we would have been successful if she wasn't on the field for us."
Winning the tournament, said Skidmore, "definitely sets the bar. It's going to encourage us to play better over the summer."
According to tournament director, Mike Libber, of www.elitetournaments.com, the four-day this year's 33rd annual event was the largest in the event's history.
It boasted 430 teams from 22 different states and Canada ranging from Under-9, to, Under-19 boys and girls. It also registered more than 150 college coaches, said Libber.
As he directed a small group of tournament workers who were breaking down equipment and cleaning up after the long weekend, Libber said "it feels great" to be done.
"Just looking forward to going home and getting some rest," said Libber, who will begin planning next year's tournament as early as Tuesday.
"Four hot days -- Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday," Libber said. "Thanks for coming."