The boys soccer team ended its season against Northwest Nov. 3 in the regional semifinals at Montgomery Blair, losing the game 0-1 in overtime.

Northwest used a set play on a corner kick to score the game-winning goal.

“Overall, while it hurts to lose, we were pleased with our accomplishments given our low expectations,” coach Arnold Tarzy said.

Before losing to Northwest, the Bulldogs defeated Wootton Nov. 1 at Wootton in the regional quarterfinals, winning the game 1-0.

Eight minutes into the second half, junior Matt Kramer scored the winning goal off of a free kick taken by Muessle.

The boys also defeated B-CC 2-1 Oct. 27 at home in the first round of playoffs.

In the first half, B-CC scored the first goal off of a corner kick in the twelfth minute of the game. With four minutes remaining in the half, Muessle received a pass from sophomore Nolan Purnell. Muessle dribbled past a few defenders before placing the ball in the far corner of the goal, tying the game 1-1. With seconds remaining in the first half, Purnell scored the final goal of the game assisted by junior Peter Giavatto.

According to Muessle, the team worked hard to keep the lead in the second half with some great saves from senior goalie Eli Lorenzi.

The team is looking forward to next season and hopes to be competitive.

“Next year’s team will be really good,” Muessle said. “We only graduated five seniors and had many underclassman that started or played this year. I think we will be a contender for the state title.”

The girls soccer team fell to B-CC 1-0 in the regional final for the third straight year Nov. 8.  

“With 1:34 left in double overtime B-CC scored,” coach Haroot Hakopian said. “It was a tremendous game and the teams played amazingly. Jackie Lambergman had a great penalty kick during the game, but the B-CC goalie caught it.”

In the playoffs CHS beat Whitman Nov. 1 and Walter Johnson Nov. 3.

CHS beat WJ 1-0 Nov. 3 with a goal from freshman Kate Reese in overtime. Junior goalie Becca Ewel prevented WJ from winning with a save in the last six minutes of the game.

“In the last five minutes of overtime, neither team had scored yet,” Hakopian said. “Zoe Forster passed the ball to Kate Reese who scored the winning goal.”

 In the Whitman game Nov. 1, the Bulldogs won 2-1 in overtime with goals from Reese and senior captain Jenna Cantor.

“A lot was on the line for this particular game so we stepped it up and played with intensity and heart,” senior captain Jackie Lambergman said.  ”Although we were the underdog, we proved that we can stick with any team and not give up no matter what odds are against us.”

The game ended with a score of 1-1 and went into overtime until Cantor scored the winning goal halfway into overtime.

“Whitman has not let in a single goal to an MCPS team all season, and we scored twice on them,” Hakopian said. “We played as a team and worked in harmony.”

CHS defeated Gaithersburg 6-1 Oct. 27 with goals from Cantor, senior Lucy Mangan and sophomore Eleni Boutsikaris. The defense held strong against Gaithersburg offense.

“[Senior] Hanna Taft played her best game this year,” Hakopian said. “The team scored many of its goals because of her work on the field.”

In the regular season CHS beat Einstein Oct. 24 and Wootton Oct. 20.

In the Einstein game, CHS won 4-0 with three goals from Cantor and a goal from senior Colby Ranck.

“Because this game was very insignificant we put players in positions that they do not normally play,” Hakopian said. “Annabelle Phillips played extremely well, and Brogan Plummer did a great job on the field.”

The Bulldogs beat the Wootton Patriots 2-1 with goals from junior Camille Chetrit and Cantor.

“We were becoming discouraged with the outcome of the game after the first half,” Hakopian said. “When Camille scored, she broke the ice in the game and got the team going.”

The team looks forward to next year and hopes to return triumphant.

“We had everything to prove, which is what we did,” Lambergman said. “Playoffs mean no regrets.”

As the end of the season approaches, a 2-1 loss to Walter Johnson Oct. 17 has jeopardized the girls soccer team’s chances of a high seed in the playoffs and dropped the team’s record to 5-3. After the loss, its ranking now depends on the performance of other successful teams including Whitman and B-CC.

“If the teams that are supposed to win win, we won’t get a top four seed in the playoffs,” coach Haroot Hakopian said.

This makes it more likely that the teams CHS has to play in the playoffs are teams it has lost to in the regular season.

The loss to WJ came at a critical point in the season. The Bulldogs were unable to respond to Walter Johnson’s second-half lead, and the score remained the same for much of the second half.

An important Oct. 11 comeback win over B-CC gave the team the success it needed. The victory came after the first two losses of the season for the team, as it heads into the more competitive matches of the late regular season. The game started out with a 2-0 lead in the first half. A penalty kick by Jenna Cantor brought the score to 2-1 heading into the second half. Second half goals by Hanna Taft and Lucy Mangan gave CHS the lead it needed, and the Bulldogs pulled out of a two-goal deficit to seal the win.

The Oct. 5 loss to Whitman hurt the team’s record, but Hakopian did not feel it was a critical one.

The game was scoreless until late in the first half, when a shot taken by Whitman was ruled a goal.

“[That] was a questionable goal,” Hakopian said. “We thought the goalie had possession of the ball, but the refs disagreed.”

If the goalie had been in possession of the ball, the result would have been a turnover in favor of CHS. Whitman went on to score again in the second half, making the final score 2-0.

The Sept. 27 loss to Blair was the first loss of the season for the Bulldogs. After a goal by each team in regulation, the game went into overtime. A goal by Blair gave them the win over a worn-out CHS team.

“We were 4-0 at that point, including a win against Quince Orchard, [Sept. 26] who we’ve never beaten,” Hakopian said. “Two good opponents on back-to-back nights is hard to do.”

Still, the team is confident about its playoff chances.

“The school has never won a regional championship,” Hakopian said. “So our goal is to make it to the regional finals and win the school’s first title.”

The boys soccer team’s impressive undefeated run came to an end Oct. 5 at the hands of Whitman in a painful loss which saw the boys concede a goal in the last two minutes of overtime, losing 0-1 to the Vikings. The game was followed by another 1-2 loss to B-CC Oct. 11 and a thrilling 1-1 draw against WJ Oct. 17.

The Bulldogs, now 8-2-1, will look ahead to the season after a three-game winless streak.

According to senior Dylan Regan, the Whitman game brought the team back to reality after such a successful run.

“It’s hard not to be confident when you’re undefeated,” Regan said.

The team defended resolutely under pressure from a persistent Whitman attack, which initially did not seem to pose as much of a threat to the Bulldogs but took advantage of a weakened midfield which gave away possession carelessly. While the CHS offense grinded out decent shots when they picked up the ball and developed plays, they were too few and far between to make a significant impact in the first half.

“We deserved to win,” coach Arnold Tarzy said. “We were a bit unlucky; there’s nothing to be sad about or to celebrate.”

The team came out in the second half with a greater sense of urgency, but was ultimately unable to break the deadlock after 90 minutes of exhaustion and frustration. While the boys refused to give up pressing forward and continued to defend with a toughness Whitman was having trouble breaking down, the missed chances eventually came back to hurt the Bulldogs.

“We needed it; we were getting sloppy,” senior captain Eric Ossola said. “It will help us work harder.”

Over a week later, the Bulldogs entertained the undefeated Wildcats at home in an enthralling draw which saw Regan and Tarzy red-carded and three other players yellow-carded. The team created numerous chances in an energetic first half but spent the later part of the match playing recklessly, albeit with heart.

After going a goal down in the second half, Ossola powered a long-range shot straight at the goalkeeper who couldn’t keep it out. Despite the rejuvenated atmosphere that gripped the stadium, the fatigue caught up with the players who couldn’t keep enough composure to score again.

“One of our greatest attributes is they have a tremendous desire to play hard in the game,” Tarzy said. “The team’s personality is very tough. They’re a tough, tough team to beat. They fight very hard.”

The game, like others this season, was a reflection on the spirit of the players, who worked hard for each other and tracked back when needed to defend. The team is much more of a cohesive unit this year than in the past, according to Ossola.

According to senior captain Jack Butler, the team has meshed well with players in different areas. Juniors Crispin Muessle and Barth Mouafo have dominated scoring and possession respectively, and senior goalie Eli Lorenzi has defended consistently well.

One of the focuses of this season will be making sure defense stays unforgiving.

“One consistent theme is clean sheets—nothing bad can happen if you give up no goals,” Tarzy said. “Being strong in defense will help on offense.”

The backline will also be a source of leadership for the team, as four of the five returning seniors play in defensive positions.

“We’re developing our ideas; we’re possessing a lot—we have a natural drive to score,” Ossola said. “Me and Jack keep everyone doing what we’re supposed to.”

The younger boys, who make up the majority of the team, have responded well to the leadership and example set by the seniors.

“We’re closer this year than last year,” junior Peter Giavotto said. “It’s a connection. Eric can keep us together. He gets us pumped and makes us want each game—and keeps the connection.”

For most of the players, though, the overarching goal is to reach state finals, something the Bulldogs haven’t done since 2002, nearly a decade ago.

“We are one of the best in the state,” Giavotto said. “Skillfully, we may not be one of the greatest, but mentally we are the best. We can win every game—and that’s what gets us through every time.”

Akinola Lake’s addition to the soccer program is definitely a pleasant surprise. With his will to win and his love for the game, CHS’s newest boys JV soccer coach has big plans for his players this year.

At just 22 years old, Coach Lake has already proven to the CHS community that he is more than capable of being the boys JV soccer head coach. Originally from Sierra Leone and raised in England, he came to America looking for coaching opportunities. His love of “fútbol,” as he calls it, is what has taken him to where he is today.

“I just love the game,” Lake said. “[Coaching] is what I’m supposed to do. I just want to help players achieve their dreams.”

Lake received a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, but soon realized that soccer was his passion. He moved away from everything he knew to follow his dreams of coaching. He now wants to help the soccer team make their dreams come true as well.

“I want the team to appreciate how privileged they are to be a part of this beautiful game,” Lake said. “I want them to do their best to play beautiful, creative, and inspirational soccer at all times.”

Sophomore Nikhil Perincherry has taken Lake’s message to heart.

“I think I can speak for pretty much the whole JV soccer team when I say that Coach Lake has improved our game in the couple weeks he’s had with us more than most coaches could improve us in a whole season,” Perincherry said. “He’s great because he addresses all of our personal issues and works on them individually with us.”

Lake also wants the players to understand that they are all different people but their team objective is the same.

Freshman Joey Strawn definitely understands what Lake is asking for.

“Coach Lake has made an impact on not only on my soccer mentality but on the mentality of my teammates,” Strawn said. “He has taught us the fundamental skills to become a team player.”

Lake’s coaching philosophy involves creating a positive and enjoyable environment for players to learn and express themselves on and off the field at all times.

“Coach Lake is always motivating us to be the best person that we can be, both on and off the field,” Perincherry said. “Coach is always willing to help us with any issues we have, whether it be soccer related or not.”

Athletic Director David Kelley agrees that Lake’s addition as coach is beneficial to the soccer program.

“[Coach Lake] is a welcome addition to the Winston Churchill coaching staff,” Kelley said. “His youthful exuberance and experience with soccer has made an immediate impact on the members of the team.”

Lake admires the team’s will to learn, its love of the game and its team spirit. When it came to the team’s weaknesses, he was at a loss for words.

“I think this team has a bright future,” Lake said. “I think in the next two years we’ll probably do something special.”

In previous years, the CHS boys soccer team has been strong and has performed well in many games. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather, many of its games have been postponed or rescheduled. However, the team won 2-1 against Paul VI Catholic, 6-1 against Mt. St. Joseph, 2-1 against Urbana and 3-0 against Clarksburg.

In the game against Clarksburg, Sept. 19, the Bulldogs started out slow in the first half, as the strong Clarksburg offense moved the ball well and had many shots on goal. However, senior Felipe Ros scored a goal in a fast counterattack.

“I thought we played poorly in the first half,” head coach Arnold Tarzy said. “However, we were extremely fortunate to have a one goal lead.”

In the second half, the Bulldogs came out strong and pressed offensively, as senior Dylan Regan scored, followed by another goal from Ros. With a strong start, the team is heading for ambitious goals.

“[Our goal] is to re-establish ourselves as a power in 4A Maryland state soccer,” Tarzy said.

As with all sports, the loss of the seniors hurt the team, but that has not stunted the team’s strong start, as talented new players, such as juniors Peter Giavotto, Eli Tobias and Matt Kramer, have filled the open holes left by the seniors.

“[The seniors] played well last year, but we have good new players to fill in the gaps,” senior captain Jack Butler said.

These new players have also filled other spots on the team left by players who didn’t join the team this year. According to senior captain Eric Ossola, the team not only lost seniors, but a lot of other starters from last year, including juniors Patrick Tshiani and Sander Yu.

However, they are still training hard and working on the aspects of soccer that will make the team that much better. According to Tarzy, the team has been working a lot on “defending as a team,” and on speed of play.

Just as in past years, the team continues to show its strength on the offensive end.

“We’re proven to be a pretty proficient attacking team,” Tarzy said.

The team not only will be physically and mentally ready for the season, but it will also be more unified and coordinated in the fall season.

“This year and last year we’ve had good team chemistry,” Ossola said.

According to Butler, the team goes to Ocean City each year, which brings the players together and helps them work better as a unified team.

All in all, CHS can look forward to a good season in boys’ soccer, as the team has stepped up and worked hard to try to be one of the best teams in the division.

Prior to that, the Bulldogs started their season with a 9-0 blowout win against Watkins Mill.

Six different Bulldogs found the net in the Sept. 15 match. Senior Jenna Cantor led the team with three goals, junior Suzanne Johnson had two and seniors Colby Ranck, Hanna Taft and Lucy Mangan and junior Zoe Forester each added one.

After the loss of 15 seniors, nearly half its team, the Bulldogs head in to a new era as the 2011 season gets underway. With a roster laden with young talent, the team begins its season quite unsure about the future, yet hopeful that it will return as strong as it’s ever been. The win was a great start for the Bulldogs, who started off with an average performance at a play day at Glenelg High School followed by two wins in scrimmages against St. Andrews and Damascus and a tie with Tuscarora.

“This will be a different year,” senior captain Jackie Lambergman said. “There’s no difference between our players that start and our players that sub.”

With the loss of such talent as 2011 alumna Alexis Shay, who went on to play Division I soccer at High Point University, and Rachel Marincola, who was named 1st team All Met by the Washington Post following the 2010 season, the Lady Bulldogs were left with a major void to fill.

However, with the addition of six new freshmen to the team, as well as seasoned leadership from captains Lambergman, senior Jenna Cantor (verbally committed to Cornell University), and senior Emily Petti and junior Zoe Forster, the team is hoping to pick up right where it left off. Another asset will be junior goalie and Gazette Player to Watch Becca Ewel, who will start this year with the graduation of Krista Quicker.

The Bulldogs face off against Blair Sept. 27 and Holy Cross Oct. 3.

Congratulations to senior Maddie Ulanow for committing to play softball at Carleton College of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Ulanow, a four-year varsity starter and two-year captain, is the only Bulldog softball player announced to be playing
for a college next year.

The Hurricanes are an indoor rec soccer team comprised primarily of CHS students. The team includes seniors JP Bouquet, Matt Brothers, Ben Culleen, Maddy Jacobs, Bret Johnson, Mark Kato, Rachel Marincola, Adela Miller, Krista Quicker, Vinay Rao, Justin Settlage and Andrew Shebest.

The team was formed in the elementary school days when a couple  of players decided to gather some friends and join a rec soccer league. Original members of the Hurricanes have left since the team’s first season several years ago, but the replacement players have filled in seamlessly, all the while contributing to the laid back atmosphere of rec soccer.

“There is no pressure to win, only to have fun,” Johnson said. “We have been playing together since elementary school, and we just mess around.”

Although the team’s overall record was less than impressive, the players focus less on the result of the games and more on the camaraderie that they have developed throughout the seasons.

“No matter how bad or good we played, we were always cheering for each other,” said Miller, who played defense on the CHS girls varsity soccer team. “We lost the majority of our games, but at every game we rooted for each other like we were the best team that ever played.”

Certainly, a positive attitude is preferable when it comes to recreational competition. No one appreciates someone who takes it too seriously and slide tackles others for no reason. In fact, being laid back allows members of the Hurricanes to create lasting memories.

For Rao, the best memory of the season was going to IHOP after losing to a team 16-2. He didn’t mind the defeat because he was able to enjoy a moral victory with his teammates in style.
Even though the season ended in mid-March, Hurricanes players are still representing the team they love. Around the halls of CHS, the proud players wear the red and black Hurricane sweatshirts and purple Hurricane t-shirts.

“Sometimes we coordinated sweatshirts on game days,” Johnson said. “Now, we just wear them like normal clothes.”

Overall, the indoor soccer season was an unusual success for the Hurricanes. Performance is not the point of rec sports. The purity lies within the experiences shared between teammates and the bond formed when a team of seniors plays for the fun of it.

Perhaps the Hurricanes will act as a model for future CHS rec teams. Gather a group of friends who don’t take themselves too seriously and the result is a memorable experience.

“Our goal is to have a field donated by CHS and hopefully do so by the end of next year,” club president Bruno said.

As an organization, Love.Futbol was founded to get kids off the streets in impoverished countries and enroll them in a safe and healthy community activity.

According to the Love.Futbol website, soccer is a catalyst for hope and inspiration, as well as youth development.

“When I play soccer, I know that if I work hard I can improve on myself, friendships, as well as my community,” Bruno said. “Soccer has had a positive influence on me and I know it will on others.”

Although the club is new, its founders hope to inspire a large and active membership. Along with hosting donut and pizza sales in the Bulldog lobby, the club is creating public service announcements and selling t-shirts anyone can purchase for $15 with proceeds benefitting the field.

“One field costs $5, 000,” vice president Shapiro said. “We hope that we can buy one field initially, and than as the club grows so will the number of fields.”

Though the field will be in Guatemala, students will still be able to track its progress.

“We will be sent pictures of the field during construction and after,” Bruno said. “Also, it is even more gratifying to receive letters from children who use the field. The letters are in broken English and Spanish and are really cute.”

According to club member junior Hannah Cooper, this is a great opportunity for students to see that not all kids have a safe place to play sports, and that needs to change.

“We hope that we can get a lot of support and meet our goal: a Churchill sponsored field in Guatemala,” Bruno said.