The Severna Park High School field hockey team, along with girls and boys soccer will begin playoff play this week.
The defending 4A state champion field hockey team earned a first round bye in the MPSSAA playoffs and a No. 4 seed. The team will face No. 5 Arundel on Thursday in Severna Park.
The Falcon field hockey team suffered losses this season to Broadneck on Sept. 4 and two losses to South River on Oct. 2 and Oct. 17. This is the first time in 37 seasons the Falcons will enter post-season play without 20-time state champion coach Lil Shelton.
In the beginning of the season, new coach Ann Andrews said she felt as though the pressure for state title falls heavily on the girls. And senior Taylor Anspach said a championship was still on their minds.
“We are hoping to go all the way,” Anspach told Patch in September. “It would be really nice, especially with having a new coach, and it be nice to show Shelton we can still do it.”
If Severna Park beats Arundel on Thursday, they will play the winner of Leonardtown and Chesapeake.
Girls Soccer
Last year, the Severna Park girls soccer team made it all the way to the Maryland 4A Final—only to fall to Bethesda-Chevy Chase in penalty kicks.
After losing 17 players from last season, the Falcons struggled some this year and ended the season with a record of 6-8.
Severna Park earned a No. 10 seed in the MPSSAA playoffs and will travel to No. 7 Meade on Friday.
With about a third of the season to go, coach Todd Clark said the young team was looking towards the playoffs and making progress in every game.
"At the beginning of the season I set goals more along the lines of process and then the end result takes care of itself if you focus on the process,” Clark said. “Heading into the tournament, we want to make sure our technical skills are where they need to be so we can play the game effectively.”
Boys Soccer
After finishing the season with a perfect record of 14-0, the Severna Park boys soccer team earned a No. 1 seed in the MPSSAA playoffs and received a first-round bye.
The Falcons will play the winner of No. 8 Great Mills and No. 9 Broadneck on Tuesday, Oct. 30.
