Wrapping Up Another Year Of Sports

I know, it’s been a while. Maybe you missed me, maybe not. Can’t say I blame you, really.

But, I figured it was as good a time as any to blog again and recap the 2024-25 sports season across the Carroll County Athletic League.

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CMSportsNet 2024 Fall Season Wrap-Up Show

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Liberty won Class 1A state championships in boys soccer and girls soccer. The Lions won a boys title for the first time since 2005, while the girls won for the first time since 1996.

Liberty’s boys outlasted Brunswick in penalty kicks to win its championship; the girls took down Mardela for their crown.

South Carroll repeated as 2A-1A golf state champions. The Cavaliers held off C. Milton Wright in the team scoring and won by 9 strokes. 

The Cavs now have 2 of the county’s 4 all-time golf state titles. Liberty won a state crown in 2007, and North Carroll won in 2010.

There was another state title in the fall thanks to Manchester Valley. The Mavericks went 17-0 and got revenge by beating Glenelg, the 3-time reigning champs, in the 2A final. Man Valley got to the title game in 2023 but lost to the Gladiators.

That win gave longtime coach Denean Koontz a third career state title – she led North Carroll to championships in 2013 and 2014.

No other fall state titles for Carroll, but football had its share of big moments. 

Liberty made it to the 1A state quarterfinals, and Westminster junior running back Jack Hitchcock had a game for the ages during the regular season.

He helped the Owls beat city rival Winters Mill in Week 9 by going for 323 rushing yards (on 20 carries) and scoring 4 touchdowns.

My records have that game as the fourth most by a Carroll County player ever.

Jake Fernandez (Man Valley) has the record with 337 yards vs. Liberty back in 2013. Bill Shaffer (Liberty) held the previous mark when he ran for 336 vs. Mount Hebron in 1995.

Jamar Williams (South Carroll) finished with 334 yards against Man Valley in 2016.

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CMSportsNet Winter Sports Wrap-Up Show 2024-25

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South Carroll won the winter cheerleading state title in Class 1A for the second time in as many tries.

The Cavaliers also won a wrestling dual-meet state championship – SC’S fourth in a row – when they dominated Class 1A once again. Less than one month later, South Carroll crowned 4 individual wrestling state champs in Eli Gabrielson, JoJo Gigliotti, Landon Hamper, and Evan Owen.

Century claimed the 2A state title in girls indoor track. The Knights held off Hereford for the team crown and won for the first time since 2011.

Girls basketball saw Francis Scott Key get hot down the stretch and take the 2A championship. The Eagles were led by senior guard Summer Brooks, who finished her career with 1,086 points – the second player in program history to get to 1,000, and the second most on the list.

Jordan Fine is Key’s all-time leader at 1,144 points.

Another senior went out with a bang when Westminster guard Maddy Gassman finished with 1,046 points. She became the 6th player in Owls history to surpass 1,000 points. 

Sue Head remains on top with 1,243 points during her time at Westminster.

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CMSportsNet 2025 Spring Sports Wrap-Up Show

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More state titles in the third leg of the sports calendar year. 

Congrats to Liberty for winning 1A state titles in tennis and boys track – the tennis squad won for the third time in four seasons, while the boys track team won its first outdoor state crown in school history.

And girls lacrosse brought home a pair of state championship plaques.

South Carroll won the 1A title and Manchester Valley earned the 2A crown. The Cavaliers beat Middletown in their final, while the Mavericks downed Glenelg in their matchup to go 19-0.

And some personal history was made along the way – MV senior Emma Penczek ended her career with 329 goals, the most in girls lacrosse country history. Meanwhile, SC senior Leah Miller finished with 281 goals for the most in Cavs history and the 4th most all-time.

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