Player of the Year

Brynn Jones, Northeast-AA, junior, shortstop

For Brynn Jones, it’s all about the work ethic. Just ask her coach, Joe Hart.

“I’d be out working on the field and I’d look over and see her and her dad practicing,” Hart said. “That’s what set her apart, her work ethic and her leadership. She leads by example. That’s why she is as successful as she is.”

That work ethic and her ability to display it on the field made Jones The Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro Player of the Year. The Eagles were the best team in the area this year, and Jones was a major reason.

“After we lost to Chesapeake in the playoffs the year before, I thought this would be our year. We didn’t get our ultimate goal [of winning a state title] but we still had a great season,” she said.

Much of that was because of Jones. The junior was a leader in the batter’s box, hitting .558 with a .614 on-base percentage while 10 of her 43 hits went for extra bases. She was a force as a runner, too, recording 14 steals for Northeast (21-2).

She also played perhaps the toughest position in the infield and had a .960 fielding percentage. Hart said that Jones’ willingness to learn and improve is one of the things that sets her apart from others.

“She played with Caitlyn Cornwell as a freshman, and she was like a sponge,” he said, referencing the former Northeast star who plays at Maryland. “She got a lot from that, and now she is passing some of that on to others.”

Anne Arundel County was stacked this season, with the likes of Arundel, Broadneck, Chesapeake, Severna Park and Crofton on the schedule. The Eagles managed to go undefeated in the county, with both losses coming to teams from Southern Maryland. Northeast trailed eventual state champion Chopticon 4-0 in the Class 3A state semifinals before rallying in the fourth inning to tie the game. The Braves, however, scored five runs in the fifth to put the game away.

“They were a good team, and we did our best,” Jones said. “We had a great year, and I’ll always remember my teammates and our closeness, and the lessons I learned. It was truly a blessing.”

Coach of the Year

Anna Pallozzi, Glenelg

Ask Anna Pallozzi about her team and you’ll be surprised by her answer.

“In the kindest way possible, I can honestly say I’ve never met a more obnoxious group of girls in my life,” she said. “They were crazy but they were also lots of fun.”

Pallozzi took a group of young, experienced players to the Class 2A state semifinals to be named The Sun’s All-Metro Coach of the Year. The Gladiators finished 17-4, losing 3-2 to eventual state champion Huntingtown in the seventh inning.

“The wound is still a little fresh,” Pallozzi said. “We surprised a lot of people, though, and in some ways, I think we surprised ourselves. This was the school’s first time winning a regional championship in 15 years.”

The pitching of All-Metro second-team selection Bella Wisniewski paced Glenelg. A four-year starter, she led the team from the circle and compiled a 1.11 ERA for the season.

Pallozzi, in her third year as the varsity coach, grew up with the team. She coached at Hammond before becoming a teacher and JV coach at Glenelg in 2022.

In her three years as varsity coach at Glenelg, she has compiled a 50-9 record. The team won the Howard County title for the second straight year, then finally got over the hump, defeating Middletown for a regional crown. The Gladiators had lost in the regional final the previous two seasons.

From there, the Gladiators pulled out a 3-2 win over defending Class 2A state champion Rising Sun in the quarterfinals. It looked like they would be in the state championship game, but they couldn’t hold a 2-1 sixth-inning lead against Huntingtown.

Pallozzi said the thing she will remember most about this team was the camaraderie and joy they played with.

“It was always my goal to make it fun,” she said. “We had a special season this year, and that’s exactly what happened.”

First team

Lily Baldwin, Patterson Mill, senior, pitcher-utility player

Baldwin hit .500 for the Huskies with 19 extra-base hits and 40 RBIs. She compiled a 2.24 ERA in 50 innings as a pitcher and a .965 fielding percentage.

Madison Burris, Northeast-AA, junior, outfielder-first baseman

A key piece of the area’s best team, Burris hit .429 with a .494 on-base percentage. She recorded 33 hits, including eight for extra bases, and five steals.

Kallissa Coats, John Carroll, senior, shortstop

Coats led the IAAM A Conference champions with a school-record nine home runs, including a two-run shot in the title game victory over Spalding, and a .556 average. A four-year varsity player, she will play for Towson University next year.

Kimani Dennis, Dulaney, junior, infielder

The core of the Lions’ offense and a great fielder, Dennis led Dulaney to the Class 3A state semifinals. She had a .516 average and a .667 on-base percentage with seven home runs.

Abbie Frisvold, Reservoir, senior, utility player-catcher

A great fundamental player, Frisvold led the Gators with a .689 batting average, .744 on-base percentage and 46 RBIs. A four-year starter, she will play for UMBC next season.

Kenzie Knight, Patterson Mill, senior, outfielder

Knight led the Huskies to an 18-2 record with a .566 batting average, a .645 on-base percentage and 16 stolen bases. She will play softball for Syracuse next season.

Abby Magdar, Mt. Hebron, junior, pitcher

Magdar was the leader in the circle for the Vikings, posting an 11-0 record with a 1.66 ERA and 105 strikeouts. A power hitter, she also batted .559 with a .629 on-base percentage and 11 home runs.

Abby Marmen, Fallston, junior, infielder

Marmen led the Cougars to their first regional championship in 16 years with 30 hits, including eight home runs and six doubles. She also contributed a .556 batting average with 38 RBIs.

Presley McGinty, Northeast-AA, junior, pitcher-third baseman

A great all-around player, McGinty compiled a 7-2 record with a 1.51 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. She also was stellar at the plate, batting .453 with a .517 slugging percentage with 17 RBIs and six stolen bases.

Cessi Prince, Spalding, senior, pitcher

Prince led the Cavaliers to the IAAM A Conference regular-season title with a 1.35 ERA and 146 strikeouts. She had a 13-strikeout game against eventual conference champion John Carroll and will play at Saint Peter’s University next season.

Madison Schupple, Dulaney, sophomore, pitcher

A lights-out pitcher, Schupple compiled a 13-2 record with a 1.15 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings, including a perfect game against Catonsville in the Class 3A North Region I final. She also hit .330 at the plate.

Second team

Anna Bristol, Arundel, junior, pitcher-center fielder

Taylor Castle, Northeast-AA, senior, catcher

Lindsay Cavey, Chesapeake-AA, senior, outfielder-pitcher

Savannah Claycomb, John Carroll, junior, outfielder

Marley Connor, Crofton, senior, third baseman-pitcher

Rylan Crisafulli, Broadneck, sophomore, pitcher

Kayleigh Fyffe, Northeast-AA, senior, pitcher-outfielder-third baseman

Kendall Jackman, Francis Scott Key, senior, outfielder

Audrey March, Patterson Mill, junior, infielder

Zoe Pachoca, River Hill, senior, shortstop

Cambell Sagin, Reservoir, senior, infielder

Bella Wisniewski, Glenelg, senior, pitcher

Final Top 15 poll

Rank, team, record

1. Northeast-AA (21-2)

2. Dulaney (17-4)

3. Glenelg (17-4)

4. John Carroll (12-5)

5. Fallston (15-6)

6. Spalding (13-3)

7. Patterson Mill (18-2)

8. South Carroll (12-4)

9. Marriotts Ridge (11-4)

10. Arundel (16-5)

11. Mt. Hebron (14-2)

12. Chesapeake-AA (12-4)

13. Broadneck (15-5)

14. Mount de Sales (10-5)

15. Reservoir (14-6)

Others considered: Catonsville (9-8), Centennial (12-6), Crofton (13-8), Francis Scott Key (8-7), Manchester Valley (13-5)

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13.

Glenelg took a one-run lead in the top of the sixth, but a home run and two errors doomed the Gladiators as they fell to Calvert County’s Huntingtown, 3-2, in the Class 2A state semifinals at Bachman Softball Park in Glen Burnie on Tuesday.

Huntingtown (21-3), the state runner-up last season, will play Stephen Decatur, a 4-3 winner over Damascus in nine innings in the other semifinal, in Friday’s Class 2A state championship at the University of Maryland’s Softball Complex in College Park. Glenelg’s season ends at 15-4.

Pitcher Jordyn Greever got the win for Huntingtown, striking out nine. Madisyn Williamson led the Hurricanes with two hits and two RBIs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.

“It was a great run we had,” Glenelg starting pitcher Bella Wisniewski said. “It was tough knowing we were up and we lost, but there’s a great nucleus coming back next year.”

The Gladiators took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth after Audry Riley doubled to lead off the inning. She stole third and was driven in by a Wisniewski flyout to right field. Greever settled down after that, getting Rylie Thomas to ground out and striking out Pence.

Any excitement that Glenelg felt was short-lived, however. Williamson, the first batter in the bottom of the sixth, got a pitch she liked from Wisniewski and hit it over the left field wall for a home run to tie the game. The Hurricanes got a single later in the inning, but couldn’t get a runner past second base.

Greever retired the Gladiators in order in the top of the seventh, setting up the bottom of the inning.

Wisniewski retired the first batter in the bottom of the seventh, but Madalee Hunley singled in the next at-bat. Ripple, the next batter, hit a line drive to short, where the Gladiators couldn’t corral the ball. The error put runners on first and second. Greever hit a pop-up that was dropped in the outfield for another error to load the bases. Williamson then ended the game on a double to deep left field.

“I was looking for a low pitch, because that’s what I hit for the home run,” Williamson said. “It was a line shot and I knew it [was a hit] when I hit it.”

Huntingtown took the lead in the bottom of the third. The Hurricanes got a double by Kayla Ripple with one out to put runners on second and third. Greever popped out to center field, but it allowed Morgan Cranford to score for a 1-0 lead. Wisniewski then retired Williamson to end the inning.

Glenelg got the run back in the top of the fourth. Wisniewski singled to start the inning and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. She was plated by Addi Pence, who singled to right field to tie the game.

For Glenelg, the loss was a learning experience.

“They’re a really great team,” Glenelg coach Anna Palozzi said of Huntingtown. “To make a run like this, I think this is only the beginning for Glenelg softball. My six seniors, I’m sorry it had to end this way. Still, I couldn’t be more proud of the fight we had.”

Have a news tip? Contact Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

GL — 000 101 0 — 2 3 2

HT — 001 001 1 — 3 9 0

WP — Greever

LP — Wisniewski

HR: HT — Williamson

2B: GL – Riley; HT — Ripple

Schupple pitched a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. She also hit a two-run home run and drove in four runs to give the Lions a 10-0 victory in a Class 3A state quarterfinal.

Dulaney (17-3) will now face Montgomery County powerhouse Sherwood in the state semifinals Tuesday at Bachman Softball Park in Glen Burnie at a time to be determined.

The Lions scored three runs in the first inning and never let up to record the win.

“Everything was working for me,” Schupple said of her pitches. “It’s going to be tough against Sherwood, but I think we’ll be OK.”

The Lions wasted little time getting started. In the first inning, Kimani Dennis singled with two outs. After a walk to Carley Desi, Avery Remeto singled to score Dennis for a 1-0 lead. That set the table for Schupple, who doubled to score both Remeto and courtesy runner Campbell Feltman for a 3-0 Dulaney advantage.

Marriotts Ridge (14-5) put some pressure on in the top of the second. With one out, Sienna Williams hit a long fly ball to left field for a double that just missed going over the fence. Schupple settled down after that, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

The hit by Williams would turn out to be Schupple’s only blemish on the day.

In the bottom of the second, the Lions added to their lead. With one out, Ava O’Donnell singled and a throwing error put her on second. Renaldo then singled to move her to third. Lila Gordon singled, and another throwing error allowed both O’Donnell and Renaldo to score for a 5-0 lead.

If there was any thought of a Mustangs comeback, Schupple closed that door quickly in the top of the third. The junior kept getting stronger and struck out the side.

Dulaney put the game away in the bottom of the fifth inning. A walk to start the inning forced Mustangs coach Randy Parson to bring in a relief pitcher. Four pitches later, Schupple made her pay, depositing the ball over the left center field fence for a 7-0 lead.

“I’ve come close to hitting one out this year, and it feels good to finally do it,” Schupple said. “I kept having balls bounce off the fence but I finally got one over.”

The Lions used singles by O’Donnell, Renaldo and Gordon to close out the game.

Dennis knows the Lions will have their hands full against Sherwood, which has won eight state titles, including last year’s Class 3A crown.

“It’s super exciting [to be in the state semifinals],” the junior said. “We have pretty much everything we need to get to where we want to be. I know it will be tough, but it doesn’t surprise me that we are where we are.”

For Marriotts Ridge, the loss ends an impressive run in which it won a regional title.

“We ran into a buzz saw today,” Parson said. “She was lights-out and she moved the ball up and down. Regardless of how they hit the ball, if you can’t score, you can’t win. They also had a top-notch defense. I thought we overachieved this year, and I’m so proud of the season we had.”

Have a news tip? Contact Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

Class 3A state quarterfinals

Dulaney 10, Marriotts Ridge 0

MR 000 00x x  – 0 1 3

DL 320 05x x – 10 10 0

WP – Schupple

LP – Ober

Home run: D – Schupple

2B: MR – Williams; D – Renaldo, Schupple

The Patriots scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning to break up a 1-1 tie, then held off the Cavaliers’ rally to defeat Spalding, 7-5, in a crazy championship game at the Weinberg YMCA Field at Stadium Place in Baltimore.

This marks the second straight season that John Carroll (13-6) has beaten Spalding in the final. Before that, the Cavaliers were the four-time IAAM A Conference titlists.

The Patriots got a complete game in the circle from Emily Hildt, who also had a double in the victory. The win avenged two regular-season losses to the Cavaliers (13-3 and 10-0). John Carroll also did the same to Mount de Sales in the semifinals after dropping both regular-season games to the Sailors.

The game ended on a beautiful throw from John Carroll catcher Juliana Aragon to catch Spalding’s Jalayah Jones attempting to steal second, touching off a wild celebration.

“I knew I had to pick my teammates up,” Aragon said. “We practice every day for moments like this, and I took advantage of mine.”

John Carroll began the eighth inning with Ryan Pindell on second. After a strikeout, the Patriots loaded the bases on the strength of two walks. Samantha Claycomb hit a line drive to second base, and the throw went to home plate with Pindell just sliding under the tag of Spalding catcher Zoey Bronzert to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

John Carroll’s Mia Anderson came up next and hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out, but that allowed Olivia Guenther to score for a 3-1 lead.

Then the Patriots’ bats came alive. First, Hildt doubled, which scored both Hemphill and Claycomb to push the lead to 5-1. Then Kallissa Coats hit a monstrous home run to straightaway center field and the lead swelled to 7-1. Spalding then removed Prince before Brynn Fryer came in to get the final out.

“I just was just trying to do my best,” Coats said of her home run. “I waited for a ball that I liked, and I got my perfect pitch. It was straight on, right down the middle and I knew I was hitting it out.”

Much to Spalding’s credit, the Cavaliers didn’t give up. The Cavs got four singles and a triple by Olivia Rowley to cut the lead to 7-5 with one out. Hildt then struck out Savannah Marshall for the second out. In the next at-bat, Jones singled. With Ryanne Clark at the plate, Aragon threw out Jones to end the game.

Both teams posted early runs. John Carroll started the scoring with Hildt’s single to left field with one out in the top of the first to score Savannah Claycomb. Spalding responded with a run of its own in the bottom half when third baseman Taylor Cody got a single but used two John Carroll throwing errors to tie the game at 1.

At that point, the pitching started to take over. Both Hildt and Spalding’s Cecilia Prince took command, and both pitched out of jams along the way. John Carroll got a single up the middle to start the seventh by Coats, but she was erased when Aragon hit a line drive to left fielder Lily Davey, who then threw to first to complete the double play.

For Spalding, the loss capped a season in which the young Cavaliers grew into one of the area’s best teams. Still, it ended one win short.

“We had some tears in the dugout,” Spalding coach Delaney Bell said. “Our girl’s always have the green light on the base paths, and I think [Jones] made the right call there. I didn’t work in our favor, but I wouldn’t change it.”

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

John Carroll defeats Spalding for IAAM A Softball title | PHOTOS

IAAM A Conference Championship

(at Weinberg YMCA Field at Stadium Place)

John Carroll 7, Archbishop Spalding 5, 8 innings

JC 100 000 06 – 7 5 3

AS 100 000 04 – 5 9 0

WP: Hildt

LP: Prince

Homer Run: JC – Coates.

3B: AS – Rowley.

2B: JC – Hildt; AS – Davey.

Dennis had a triple, two doubles and a single to lead the Lions to a 10-0 win over Catonsville in a six-inning contest.

The game also showcased the pitching of Dulaney’s Madison Schupple. The sophomore had another phenomenal outing, striking out 12 on route to a three-hit, complete-game win. Avery Remeto and Lila Gordon each had three hits for the Lions.

Dennis knows that she plays on a great team, but she also knows her leading by example is important.

“I think it helps when I get locked in to motivate the rest of the team.” said Dennis. “I knew that I was going to have to work hard at the plate to make a day like this happen.”

Dennis said a Baltimore County loss to Eastern Tech two weeks ago helped to motivate the team.

“It was definitely a wake-up call. It showed up that the teams that come in here will play at a great intensity level, and its up to us to match that intensity.”

Dulaney (12-1, 8-1) wasted little time getting on the board. After singles by Lila Gordon and Schupple led off the game, Dennis crushed a pitch deep to center field to score both. Two batters later, a single by Avery Remeto scored Dennis. Later in the inning, Ester Weinstein singled to score Remeto, giving Dulaney a 4-0 lead after the first.

The Lions widened their lead in the second. With runners on second and third, a throwing error to first base on a ball hit by Schupple allowed Gordon and Ava O’Donnell to score. Dennis then hit her first double, which moved Schupple to third. She was plated on a Carley Desi groundout for a 7-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Schupple was showing what she could do from the circle. In the top of the third, she struck out the Comets’ Clara Nelsen, Olivia Parton and Olivia Jenkins in order.

The Lions added two more runs in the fourth on a Remeto double and a throwing error.

Catonsville (8-5, 6-5) had its best chance to score in the sixth. With one out in the inning and runners on first and second, Emily Meiller hit a bouncing line drive to Dennis. The junior stepped on third before throwing a strike to first to complete a double play.

Dulaney ended the game on Remeto’s second double that scored Dennis in the sixth.

“I think the energy we bring, whether in the games or in practice, is what keeps us going,” Gordon said. “I feel like we’ve improved in hitting with runners on base. I think we learned from what happened in our loss to Eastern Tech. Now we just have to keep improving moving forward.”

Dulaney 10, Catonsville 0

CAT  000 000 x – 0 3 2

DUL 430 201 x – 10 15 1

WP – Schupple

LP – Montgomery-Snoke

Triples: D – Dennis

Doubles: D – Dennis 2, Remeto 2, Schupple, Gordon, Townsend.

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

No. 2 Spalding used three late runs — two in the fifth and one in the sixth — to rally from a one-run deficit and defeat visiting John Carroll, 3-1, in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference game.

No. 5 John Carroll was its own worst enemy in the loss, committing three errors.

The win gives the Cavs a 7-0 record in the conference, while the Patriots drop to 3-4. Spalding, which plays second-place Mount de Sales on Friday, can win the outright regular-season title with a victory. The Cavaliers already beat the Sailors, 7-2, earlier in the year.

“I had confidence in my team,” said Spalding starting pitcher Cessi Prince, who finished with 11 strikeouts. “I’m just thinking I knew I had to keep throwing strikes and to trust my defense, and that they would back me up.”

For most of the game, it was John Carroll pitcher Emily Hildt who was baffling the Spalding hitters. The Cavaliers were able to get hits, one in the first, two in the third, and one in the fourth, but Hildt always made the proper adjustments to keep Spalding off the scoreboard.

The Patriots broke through in the third to take a 1-0 lead. John Carroll used a leadoff walk to Savannah Claycomb, who advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and third on a wild pitch. She came home on Kallissa Coats’ RBI single. It looked like the Patriots would have another run, but Coats was thrown out at home trying to score for the final out.

The Patriots carried the lead into the bottom of the fifth, but then the Cavaliers’ bats came alive. Olivia Rowley singled with one out, but took second when the right fielder misplayed the ball. After another strikeout, Emily Ford hit a single that scored Rowley to tie the game. She ended up on second after an errant throw and scored on a Lily Davey single for a 2-1 lead.

Spalding tacked on another run in the sixth. Julia Quarles led off the inning with a single then stole second. The Cavaliers used two fielder’s choice plays to score her and extend the lead to 3-1.

“We started playing some small ball and getting some manufactured runs instead of big hits,” Spalding coach Delaney Bell said. “A lot of our players are used to the big hits, so we just had to make some adjustments and go one base at a time.”

John Carroll made a game of it in the seventh. The Patriots got singles by Claycomb and Mia Anderson with two outs, but Prince ended the game with a strikeout.

Both pitchers pitched complete games, but Hildt said the effort was not enough for her team.

“Our team can hit, but we have to play clean defense,” said Hildt. “They’re our rival, and I know all of us are putting it all out on the field. To not get it done just feels awful.”

Have a news tip? Contact Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

Spalding 3, John Carroll 1

JC 001 000 0 – 1 4 3

AS 000 021 x – 3 8 0

WP – Prince

LP – Hildt

Safran went 3-for-4 at the plate, including a double and a triple, and got the win in the circle with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings to lead the host Lions to a 9-3 win over No. 11 Arundel in a nonconference game.

Allison Bald also went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple for Liberty (3-5). The Lions collected 12 hits in the win but had to overcome five errors in the field for the victory.

“Our hitting just keeps getting better and better,” Safran said. “We’ve been up and down this year, and hopefully this will get us started.”

The Lions certainly wasted no time starting against the Wildcats. Haleigh Hodges led off the first with a single. Three batters later, Bald’s double scored her to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. After a walk to Taylor Hoffman, Safran doubled off Arundel starter Aedyn Prince to increase the lead to 2-0 after one inning.

Liberty had its best inning at the plate in the second. With one out, Prince walked Claire Percoski, then gave up a double to Hodges. The double scored Percoski and made it 3-0. After a ground out to Maria Haney, Erin Martin singled to drive in Hodges. Taylor Hoffman’s single made it 5-0, and the Lions picked up another run when Bald scored on a passed ball to run the lead to 6-0.

Arundel (7-2) managed to get two back in the top of the third. Safran didn’t help her cause at the start of the inning when she walked Kylie Foster then hit Bristol. After a fly-out to center field, Safran misplayed a ball hit to her to load the bases. A Maddie Hamolia single scored both Foster and Bristol to cut the lead to 6-2.

The Lions added one run each in fourth, fifth and six, while Arundel got one back in the seventh. The game ended when Liberty reliever Hodges got Foster to pop-out to her with two runners on base.

All totaled, the Lions pounded out 12 hits on the day.

“Sometimes we start out slow, but when we get [our hitting] going, it really gets going,” Bald said. “Now we just need to find some consistency.”

“We played like we’re capable of playing today,” Liberty coach Chris Szocik said. “We got a few breaks, but we really hit the ball, which is something we didn’t do the day before when we lost to Winter’s Mill. Sometimes we seem discombobulated, but we were really on today.”

For Arundel coach Lisa Mills, the loss was another learning experience for her team.

“We left a lot of people on base,” Mills said. “Aedyn started out strong but was missing her spots. Some things weren’t working for her, and they are a very good hitting team. They made good adjustments at the plate and we just left too many people on base.”

Liberty 9, Arundel 3

ARN 002 000 1 – 2 8 1

LIB   240 111  X – 9 12 5

WP: Safran

LP: Prince

Triples: L – Bald, Martin, Safran

Doubles: A – Bristol; L – Bald, Hodges, Safran

Surprisingly, the normally sure-handed Patriots helped them out, contributing four errors along the way at crucial times.

Ava McQueen and Olivia Berger had three hits each to pace the Sailors, while Patriots starting pitcher Emily Hildt had three hits, two of which were doubles, in a losing effort.

“I just took it one batter at a time,” Mount de Sales winning pitcher Brooke Fuhr said. “I never like to count us out. We’re a good hitting team and we showed we have resilience. This is a game we’ve waited for for a long time.”

The Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland has traditionally been a two-team race between Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll. Though Mount de Sales is sometimes in that mix, it’s been a while.

“It’s been a long time [since we beat them],” Mount de Sales coach Pete Waskiewicz said. “We got hit pretty hard by the pandemic and we had to rebuild everything. We’re on our way now and we’re getting there. A little bit at a time.”

“We collectively all hit well together,” McQueen said. “When one person starts hitting it lights a spark and it’s something we build off of.”

The Sailors (5-3, 5-1) looked like they needed a lifeboat after the fourth Inning. They had one hit to show for their offensive output. Then came the top of the fifth.

Trailing 5-0, McQueen led the inning off with a single. She was followed by infield singles by Mara Granzow and Emma Fox. Fox’s single scored McQueen to cut the lead to 5-1. The next batter was Fuhr, who singled to score Granzow to reduce the lead even more to 5-2. All totaled, the Sailors sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning, and got two RBIs each by Quinn Hastings, Olivia Berger and McQueen on a double in the inning. When the smoke cleared, the Sailors finished the inning with an 8-5 lead.

John Carroll (5-2, 3-2) managed to cut the lead again, using a Hildt double that plated Kalissa Coats to get one back at 8-6 after five innings. The Patriots clawed even closer in the bottom of the sixth when a Kyle Hinkleman single scored Lily Rasmussen to cut the margin to 8-7.

Mount de Sales, though, put the game away in the top of the seventh. The Sailors got another hit by McQueen before benefitting from another John Carroll error. That put McQueen and Granzow on base with no one out. A bunt by Fox led to another throwing error and allowed McQueen to score for a 9-7 lead. A single by Olivia Ross scored both Fox and Granzow for an 11-7 lead. A Hastings double scored Tori Dantinne for the final Sailors run.

The Patriots got one back in the bottom of the seventh, but could get no closer as Fuhr retired Hinkleman on ground ball to end the game.

Patriots coach Sherry Hudson said her team made too many mistakes, and those errors proved costly.

“You give good teams extra outs and they score lots of runs,” said Hudson. “That basically sums up the game. When you score five runs you have to keep pouring it on. You can’t sit back. You have to continue to be aggressive.”

Mount de Sales 12, John Carroll 8

MdS 000 080 4 – 12 14 1

JC     300 211 1 –  8  11 4

WP – Fuhr

LP – Hildt

Doubles: Mds – Hastings, McQueen; JC – Pindell, Hildt 2.

Wrestler of the Year

For Victor Marks-Jenkins it’s always been, and still is, about getting better.

The 175-pound junior won his second straight Class 4A/3A state tournament title this past season and will enter his season year riding a 97-match winning streak that dates to March 2023. That determination, passion and work ethic have earned him the title of The Baltimore Sun All-Metro Wrestler of the Year.

In a culture in which gifted high school athletes move from school to school or transfer to private schools, Marks-Jenkins chose to stay true to his northeastern Baltimore County roots. He came up through Perry Hall’s recreational programs and credits them for his continued development.

This season, he finished with a perfect 48-0 record to be ranked 25th in the country at 175 pounds by SI.com. Those wins included a technical fall over Albert Einstein’s 190-pound state champion Joshua Ogunlade and a decision over Williamsport’s Adin Hastings, a 215-pound state champion.

For his career, Marks-Jenkins is 145-1 with 136 of those victories coming via pin or technical fall. His only loss came in a semifinal match at the 2023 state tournament as a freshman as he went 50-1 with 42 pins or technical falls at 145 pounds. In 2023-24, he went 47-0 with 40 pins and two technical falls at 157 pounds.

Marks-Jenkins won the title this year in dominating fashion, securing two pins and a technical fall before controlling Marriotts Ridge senior Jonah Obitz for a 5-1 victory in the state final.

“I have coached Victor since he was 5 years old, and his development has been a steady climb,” Perry Hall coach Doug Yoakum said. “His smothering, attacking style has been tailor-made to suit his physical tools.”

For Marks-Jenkins, he just wants to keep improving.

“I just love to wrestle,” he said. “I’m going to several folkstyle and national tournaments over the summer, and it’s all about learning more and getting better.”

His success has helped put Perry Hall wrestling on the map. The Gators won a share of the Baltimore County title this season, the first county championship for the school since 2015.

“I feel like my success can help to grow the program,” Marks-Jenkins said. “I think we have a good program, but I want them to want [to be successful] as much as I do.”

Yoakum says he sets a great example in that way.

“I’ve never seen someone so driven, and a student of the [sport],” Yoakum said. “Mat strategy is just natural to him at this point, and it’s just fun to watch him now.”

Perfection is a hard goal to reach for any team. Chesapeake is one of the few teams to do it.

The Cougars went a perfect 38-0 in dual meets this past season, winning the Class 3A state championship before also capturing the Anne Arundel County Tournament title to help make Randy Curtin The Baltimore Sun wrestling Coach of the Year.

“I knew we had a solid lineup with no weak spots entering the year, so I thought this was possible,” Curtin said. “We were a better dual meet team, but we also did well in the county. We beat South River twice [in dual meets] and Linganore in the state championship, so it was a special season for us.”

The state final against Linganore was not without drama. The Cougars beat the traditionally powerful Lancers, 31-30, to capture the title. It was Chesapeake’s second dual meet title in four years.

Of the 38 wins, 19 came at two tournaments the Cougars won; the Grindstone Tournament at Winters Mill (9-0) and the Westminster Duals (10-0). That was when the idea of going undefeated started to become a possibility.

“I didn’t really think of it that way [until then],” Curtin said. “Then it became something we were hoping to do.”

The coach is also proud of his team winning the Anne Arundel County title after being the runner-up three straight years.

“We had a great season,” he said. “Winning the state dual title and convincingly winning the county tournament made this season very special.”

First team

Corey Brown, Mount Saint Joseph, freshman, 106 pounds

In addition to being one of the best in the area, Brown is one of the best wrestlers in the country. The freshman compiled a 34-1 record, only losing in the semifinals of the Best of the East Tournament. He recorded 23 pins and won the MIAA Tournament, capturing the crown with a technical fall over Loyola Blakefield’s Tyler Verceles in the final on his way to being named the most outstanding wrestler. He went on to miss weight at the Maryland Independent State Tournament, however.

Liam McGettigan, Gilman, sophomore, 113 pounds

After winning the 106-pound title last season, McGettigan picked up right where he left off by winning the MIAA and MIS tournament titles. He went 41-7 and finished fourth at National Preps at Lehigh to become an All-American. He’s the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class by Legacy Wrestling.

Eli Gabrielson, South Carroll, sophomore, 120 pounds

Gabrielson went 41-0 and won the Class 2A/1A state title, winning the tournament with three first-period pins and a 19-4 technical fall in the championship match. He ended the year ranked No. 1 in the state by Legacy Wrestling and helped lead South Carroll to its fourth straight Class 1A state dual meet championship.

Sean Garretson, Spalding, senior, 126 pounds

Garretson, one of Spalding’s most decorated and consistent wrestlers over the past four years, had another dominant season while leading one of the state’s best teams to the MIAA Tournament title. He compiled a 30-4 record, winning the 132-pound title at the MIAA Tournament before capturing the 126-pound crown at the MIS Tournament and placing fifth at National Preps. Garretson ended his career with a 129-16 record and ranked No. 1 in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Mike Groszkowski, Annapolis, sophomore, 132 pounds

Groszkowski burst onto the local scene this year, going 44-2 and reaching the Class 4A/3A state tournament final after winning Anne Arundel County and Class 4A/3A East Region titles. He ended the year ranked fourth in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Zane Leitzel, Spalding, junior, 138 pounds

A tactician, Leitzel won his first MIAA and MIS tournament titles this season. He finished the year 31-4 and placed fifth at National Preps. Leitzel, who finished the season ranked No. 1 in the state by Legacy Wrestling, enters his senior year with a 105-21 career record.

Evan Owen, South Carroll, senior, 138 pounds

After finishing as a runner-up at the past two Class 2A/1A state tournaments, Owen finished his high school career on top by capturing his first state crown and finishing 32-2. Ranked No. 2 in the state by Legacy Wrestling, Owen, who helped lead the Cavaliers to their fourth straight Class 1A state dual meet crown, finished his career with a 160-16 record and is headed to Washington and Lee University.

JoJo Gigliotti, South Carroll, junior, 144 pounds

One of the most accomplished juniors in the state, Gigliotti won his third straight state title this year and went 42-1, with his only loss coming against Northern-Calvert’s Class 4A/3A state champion Drew Montgomery. Ranked No. 2 in the state by Legacy Wrestling, Gigliotti enters his season year eyeing a fourth state title and owning a career 144-4 record.

Calvin Kraisser, Centennial, senior, 150 pounds

Kraisser capped his high school career by making history, becoming the ninth overall and the third Kraisser brother to win four Maryland public school state titles. He went 43-1 to cap his career with a 140-14 record with 114 pins. Kraisser, who won two Class 4A/3A and two Class 2A/1A state titles and ended the year ranked No. 2 in the state by Legacy Wrestling, will wrestle at Frostburg.

John Jurkovic, Gilman, senior, 157 pounds

Jurkovic saved his best for last, winning the MIAA Tournament and going 39-10 to end his career with a 92-31 mark. Also a two-time MIS Tournament runner-up, he was a win away from placing at National Preps and ended the year ranked second in the state by Legacy Wrestling. Jurkovic is committed to Air Force.

Linx Lawless, Broadneck, senior, 165 pounds

After finishing fourth at the Class 4A/3A state tournament last season, Lawless caught fire this year and captured his first state title. He went 40-3 this past season and 83-7 in his two years at Broadneck and was also an Anne Arundel County and Class 4A/3A East Region champion. He ended the year ranked third in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Arthur Konshak, Gilman, sophomore, 175 pounds

Konshak had a stellar 38-7 record, winning the MIAA Tournament title with two pins and two technical falls before placing second at the MIS Tournament. He owns a 63-21 record through two seasons and ended the year ranked third in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Emmitt Sherlock, Gilman, senior, 190 pounds

Last year’s All-Metro Wrestler of the Year, Sherlock closed out his stellar career by dominating local competition and standing toe-to-toe with the country’s best. He went 50-4 this season, pinning his way to the MIS Tournament title while earning three first-period falls and a 1-0 decision in the MIAA Tournament before taking second at National Preps. The Virginia commit who owns a 160-23 career record ended the year ranked No. 1 in the state by Legacy Wrestling and fourth in the country by SI.com. 

Isaiah Trusty, Gilman, junior, 215 pounds

Trusty had a knack for earning big, important wins at just the right time for the Greyhounds. Quick on his feet, he amassed a 25-4 record and finished second at the MIAA Tournament and third in the MIS Tournament. He ended the year ranked No. 7 in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Amory Hills, Milford Mill, senior, 285 pounds

Hills went a perfect 31-0 on his way to winning the Class 2A/1A state title after finishing third a year ago. The first Miller to win a state title since 2009, he finished his career with 94 career wins. Hills, ranked second in the state by Legacy Wrestling, will play football next year at Maryland.

Luke Randazzo, Loyola, senior, 285 pounds

One of the top heavyweights over the past few seasons, Randazzo won the MIAA and MIS tournament titles before taking fifth at National Preps. The two-time All-American went 121-27 in his career with 94 pins and ended the year ranked No. 1 in the state by Legacy Wrestling.

Second team

Tyler Verceles, Loyola, freshman, 106 pounds

Grayson Barnhill, South Carroll, junior, 113 pounds

Eli Chesla, Spalding, junior, 113 pounds

Jayden Jackson, Loyola, junior, 120 pounds

Jake Tamai, Mount Saint Joseph, junior, 126 pounds

Christian Manley, Mount Carmel, senior, 132 pounds

Tyler Stephens, Mount Saint Joseph, sophomore, 138 pounds

Brooklyn Pickett, Mount Saint Joseph, freshman, 144 pounds

Braxton McAvey, St. Frances, senior, 150 pounds

Chase Carpentieri, St. Frances, senior, 157 pounds

Chris Gaeng, Winters Mill, senior, 165 pounds

Jonah Obitz, Marriotts Ridge, senior, 175 pounds

Landon Hamper, South Carroll, junior, 190 pounds

Elijah Josey, St. Frances, senior, 190 pounds

Douglas Johnson, St. Frances, senior, 215 pounds

Busayo Balogun, South River, senior, 285 pounds

Final Top 15 poll

Rank, team, record, previous rank

1. Gilman (15-1) 1

2. Spalding (7-2) 2

3. South Carroll (22-1) 3

4. Mount Saint Joseph (15-2) 4

5. Chesapeake-AA (38-0) 6

6. Loyola Blakefield (18-4) 5

7. McDonogh (21-7) 7

8. Manchester Valley (41-4) 8

9. St. Frances (7-6) 9

10. South River (27-6) 10

11. Arundel (12-3) 11

12. C. Milton Wright (17-7) 12

13. Harford Tech (19-5) 14

14. Annapolis (15-4) —

15. Perry Hall (17-1) —

Others considered: Crofton (27-8), Francis Scott Key (15-8), Glenelg (20-9), Liberty (22-10), Marriotts Ridge (27-9)

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13.

South Carroll used a complete game from Freshman pitcher Maci Bell, 12 base hits and a Sophia Pugliese home run to defeat the host Eagles, 12-4. FSK had won 28 straight regular-season county game dating back to May 2, 2022, when South Carroll was the last county team to beat the Eagles.

“I’ve played them since my sophomore year, and it’s always been a tough game,” Pugliese said. “We’ve been beaten by a lot of runs by them, and it feels good my senior year to come here and beat them.”

The Cavaliers (5-1, 4-0 Carroll County) celebrated their victory in right field with a mob scene, after right fielder Addy Rodrigues caught the final out.

Bell was complimentary of her teammates and her battery mate in the victory.

“Skyla [Edmands] did a great job behind the plate and that really helped me,” Bell said. “We played well today as a team and I think that’s why we won.”

“This is really sweet for our girls,” South Carroll coach Lyndzie Hoff said. “We’ve had a couple tough years up here and haven’t had too many wins. The girls played with patience [at the plate] and it really showed.”

The Cavs did a great job of getting to FSK starting pitcher Jasmine Kline. The senior, who will attend Quinnipiac University and play softball next season, gave up six hits and eight runs before being relieved after 4 1/3 innings by Madi Rill.

Already leading 3-1, the Cavaliers blew the game open with seven runs in the fifth. South Carroll got walks by Rodrigues and Lyla York to start the inning. In the next at bat, Gabby Pittinger singled to score York for a 4-1 lead. Next, Myla Bell singled to score Rodrigues to make it 5-1.

After Kline struck out Alayna Enoff for the first out, the next batter would prove to be her undoing. Pugliese got a hold of a pitch over the middle of the plate and deposited it over the center field fence for a three-run homer. That forced FSK coach Stephen Turner to make the pitching change. The Cavs scored two more runs before the inning ended at 10-1 lead. The Eagles never recovered.

“We’re all going to have those days,” Kline said of her effort. “Madi did a great job of coming in in relief. If we had to lose to end the streak, they’re a great school to lose the streak to. They’re competitive and have great players on their team.”

Turner tried to view the loss in a philosophical way.

“It [stinks] for it to be over but a part of me is glad it’s done, and that pressure is gone,” Turner said of the streak. “Now we can focus on our ultimate goal, which is the state tournament. They had timely hits that fell. I think we hit the ball very well, but a lot of ours were right at them.”

South Carroll 12, Francis Scott Key 4

SC  100 272 0 – 12 11 1

FSK 100 011 1 – 4  10 1

WP: Ma. Bell

LP: Kline

Home run: SC – Pugliese

Double: SC – York; FSK – Kline, Jackman