Soccer Championship: Severna Park Comes up Short in Penalty Kicks

CATONSVILLE, MD – Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School won their fourth straight 4A State Championship Friday night at UMBC Stadium with a 3-2 advantage in penalty kicks following a 0-0 draw against Severna Park.

In penalty kicks, Bethesda-Chevy Chase took a 2-1 advantage after Severna Park’s Kendal Steele hit the cross bar but Falcon goalkeeper Rachel Vander Kolk made back to-back saves while Abby Thomas tied the best-of-five shootout with a shot that bounced off Baron goalkeeper Angela White. 

But White made up for the misplay and after Zoe Mesirow converted a third penalty kick she dove left to stop Severna Park’s star midfielder Gabby Moreno’s shot, clinching the team’s fourth straight state title.

“Four years in a row, looking at this season I feel like this year is definitely the most special out of any of them because I feel like we were kind of the under dogs this season,” senior defender Kara Klontz said. “I’m so proud of how everybody stepped up. It’s just been like a dream come true to pull it out for four straight years.”

Despite being two teams with some of the best scorers in the state, it should not have been a surprise to see Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Severna Park locked into a defensive battle. Going into the game, Bethesda-Chevy Chase allowed only eight goals in 16 games while Severna Park shut out 13 of their last 17 opponents, allowing only six goals in that span.

Both teams were able to create scoring opportunities throughout the game but finishing them was a different story. Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s sophomore midfielder Eliza Doll found herself in space several times in the first half but completing the passes to her teammates was a different story. Each time the ball left her foot the Severna Park defense closed in and took possession of the ball before another teammate could get a touch.

The story was the same for Severna Park. Moreno, who led Severna Park with 15 goals and eight assists going into the game, was able to find space in the game but struggled to find her teammates with passes to complete the possessions.

It was almost as if the two teams were playing a game to see who was better, Doll or Moreno, by focusing their attention on their teammates, forcing the two individuals to carry their teams.

“We were just trying to stand her [Moreno] up,” Bethesda-Chevy Chase coach Rob Kurtz said.  “We felt like she’s really dangerous when she gets behind your midfielders and finds the forwards so we were just trying to stand in front of her.”

Going into the game, Severna Park appeared to have the advantage with Bethesda-Chevy Chase having to play without their leading goal scorer, Hannah Levin, for a second-straight game since suffering an injury in overtime on the game-winning goal against Churchhill in the state quarterfinals. Severna Park did show an offensive advantage by out-shooting the Barons 19-6, but White made 10 saves for her eighth shutout and fifth-straight to end the season.

“My philosophy for every game is to do my job; just to be there, save it and do my best to save the balls I can,” White said.

While the season did not end the way they had hoped, Severna Park finished the year with a 15-4-1 record.

“We played a really great team tonight and in our hearts I know we all wanted this game,” said Moreno, a First Team All-State player who has committed to play her collegiate soccer career at Rutgers. “They were a great opponent and it could have gone to either team ... I believe throughout the game we were dominating and showed a lot of heart today and I couldn’t be prouder of [my teammates].”