In the Nov. 6 edition, two of my colleagues -- Sandra McKee and Kathy Dunn -- squared off in a faceoff about the pros and cons of penalty kicks deciding state championships in high school soccer. In the past few days, I watched two quality girls teams in Sparrows Point and Eastern Tech and two on the boys side -- Fallston and Liberty -- see their special seasons come to an end in bitter disappointment because they didn't have better aim than their respective opponents after playing 100 minutes of soccer.
My take on the question? NO WAY!
The bottom line is, the better team always doesn't leave with the first-place trophy and penalty kicks -- when it is one player vs. one player -- shouldn't determine a team's fate for an entire season.
After losing to Glenelg, 2-0, in last year's 1A title game, Sparrows Point caught up this season, playing on even terms against the Gladiators through 100 minutes of play. River Hill and Eastern Tech played an instant classic last year with the Hawks scoring a goal in the final minute of double overtime to claim the top prize. This year's rematch upped last year's game -- Eastern Tech taking a 2-0 lead and then a 3-2 lead before the Hawks battling back to tie the game in the final minute. Then, with less than three minutes left in the second overtime, Eastern tech senior standout Amber Womack, who scored all three goals during regulation, cramped up and had to leave the game. Because she wasn't on the field at the end of the overtime, she couldn't participate in the penalty kicks.
The Liberty boys were hoping to send head coach Ed DeVincent out with another state title in his last season as coach did everythig they could but put a goal away as they controlled the majority of the second half against J.M. Bennett in the Class 2A boys title game. Liberty fell, 5-3, in penalty kicks.
Fallston had the same bad luck against Tuscarora in the 3A game, playing a solid game but losing 4-2 in the shootout.
The biggest impression I was left with watching all that soccer over the weekend came following the Eastern Tech-River Hill game when a number of the Mavericks sat in the press conference, crying in disappointment after working so hard to get back to the title game in hopes of a different outcome.
They, too, were champions in my book that day.