The calendar has turned to November and with that it’s officially the postseason in every fall sport highlighted by some state champions decided this week.
Here are some of the biggest games and contests throughout Howard County fall sports for the week of Nov. 3-9.
Cross country
MPSSAA State Championships, Saturday at Hereford
The high school cross country season culminates on Saturday with the challenging course at Hereford. Several Howard County runners are contenders in the tough Class 2A and 3A fields.
In 2A boys, Hammond’s Trevor Miyagishima, River Hill’s Noah Levy, Long Reach’s Pierce Eatough and Wilde Lake’s Wesley Zaron are runners to watch. In 2A girls, River Hill’s Alyssa Mattes, Glenelg’s Kate Love and Alexa Hester as well as Mt. Hebron’s Lily Davis are each coming off strong performances in regionals.
In 3A boys, Marriotts Ridge’s Zachary Cratin, Atholton’s Cameron Martinez and Jason Oberly made up the top three at regionals. In 3A girls, Howard’s Claire Sivitz, Centennial’s Kaylee Beal, Marriotts Ridge’s Anya Subramaniam, Guilford Park’s Izabella McDonald and Oakland Mills’ Aspen Yorek are other names to look out for.
Field hockey
Glenelg vs. Kent Island, Class 2A state semifinal, 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Glen Burnie
The Gladiators (14-2) are Howard County’s last remaining field hockey team and are playing in the state semifinals for a fifth consecutive season. Glenelg will look to move one step closer to the program’s fourth state title in the last five years and avenge last year’s state final loss to Manchester Valley.
Girls soccer
Atholton vs. Oakdale, Class 3A state semifinal, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Linganore
The Raiders (13-1-1) are vying for the program’s first state championship appearance and playing in the state semifinals for the first since 2017. Atholton has won 10 of its last 11 games with the other result being a tie. In a state quarterfinal win over Chesapeake-AA, the Raiders delivered a strong offensive performance with five goals.
Mt. Hebron vs. Kent Island, Class 2A state semifinal, 5 p.m. Saturday at Kent Island
The Vikings (10-2-2) are back in the state semifinals for the fourth time in the last five years. Mt. Hebron is on a four-game winning streak and is coming off a 3-1 state quarterfinal win over Hereford.
Boys soccer
Centennial vs. Tuscarora, Class 3A state semifinal, 5 p.m. Friday at Linganore
The Eagles (13-1-1) face a challenging matchup in a rematch of the 2022 state championship game. Centennial’s defense and goalie Zac Herzberger have notched consecutive clean sheets and hope to deliver another strong defensive performance against the Titans.
Glenelg vs. Hereford, Class 2A state semifinal, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at North County
The Gladiators (15-0) are in the state semifinals for the third time in the last five years and have dominated most of their schedule. Glenelg has played just two one-goal games and has a high-octane offense that averages four goals per game.
Volleyball
Centennial at Howard, Class 3A North Region II Final, Wednesday
The top-ranked and Howard County champion Lions continue to roll and have dropped just one set this season. Howard (15-0) swept the regular season meeting 25-19, 25-9, 25-22. Meanwhile, Centennial (12-4) enters the matchup playing some of its best volleyball on a six-match winning streak, dropping just one set in those matches.
Reservoir at Sherwood, Class 3A South Region I Final, Wednesday
The Gators (13-3) are a battle-tested group having played a difficult schedule. They’ll need to use that experience in a challenging matchup against one of Montgomery County’s top teams on the road. Reservoir is accustomed to making deep postseason runs and aims to keep that trend going in 2025.
Glenelg at River Hill, Class 2A West Region II Final, Wednesday
The Hawks (14-2) haven’t lost to anybody this season other than top-ranked Howard. River Hill swept the regular season meeting between the teams. Glenelg (11-4) will look to rebound from the first meeting and pull off a regional final victory on the road.
Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Steinberg at jsteinberg@baltsun.com, 443-442-9445 and x.com/jacobstein23.
