HCPSS Athletics Weekly Update - Fall Season Recaps and more...

Girls’ Soccer ⚽

Howard County brought home one girls’ soccer state championship and three regional winners this year. Mt. Hebron dominated the 2A soccer bracket and won it all. Atholton and Marriotts Ridge won their respective regional championships.

Here are CSZ's awards for the best of the county's fall season:

Team of the Year - Atholton Raiders

Yes, Atholton did not win a championship this year, unlike Mt. Hebron. The Raiders get this award because of how they reached their 13 wins in comparison to the Vikings. Atholton won every game where they scored. The Raiders took off in October, winning all nine of their games, including three in the playoffs.

Mt. Hebron played exceptional defense all season and earned their title in commanding fashion. They also had a 6-1 record in one-goal games, which was the best in the county by multiple games. These two teams played near identical defense, with Atholton allowing 10 goals and Mt. Hebron allowing nine this season.

While it is an incredibly close call, Atholton’s combination of offense and defense stood out all year in a way that their playoff exit should not diminish.

Most Improved Team - Glenelg Gladiators

Glenelg returned to a winning record this season and finished the regular season with an 8-3-3 record.

After a 4-10 2024 season, the Gladiators had work to do if they wanted to climb into the county’s upper echelon. The season did not start as they had hoped. Glenelg lost two of its first three games and had five road games waiting in its next six matchups.

The Gladiators fought to keep their season alive with a three-game winning streak and then three consecutive 1-1 ties to close out the six-game stretch. They won a season-high four games in a row to close out the year and cement their place in the county’s top five teams.

A quick playoff exit to Walkersville did not provide the storybook ending for Glenelg’s return to contention. Regardless, the Gladiators should still be a team to watch next year.

Boys’ Soccer ⚽

Howard County brought home one boys’ soccer state championship and three regional winners this year. Glenelg powered its way to an undefeated record and the 2A championship. Centennial and Wilde Lake made it to the state bracket.

Here are CSZ's awards for the best of the county's fall season:

Team of the Year - Glenelg Gladiators

Glenelg fired on all cylinders throughout the regular season and the postseason. They won their first championship since 2022 with an undefeated signature season. The Gladiators allowed one goal across five playoff games. In the last two years, Glenelg has only lost one game.

The team’s offense stood out as a juggernaut that no team could stifle. Glenelg scored multiple goals in all 17 of its games this year. They had at least three in 15 of those games. The Gladiators saved their best for the home crowd. They allowed six goals at home all season and outscored opponents by a +35 goal margin.

Most Improved Team - Oakland Mills Scorpions

Oakland Mills boosted its record by six wins this year, turning the page after a winless 2024.

The Scorpions won their first three games of the season. They played spoiler early against top teams like Reservoir and Howard. However, they faltered down the stretch and closed the regular season with a 1-7-1 record.

With all momentum going against them, the Scorpions battled back. They picked up two playoff wins, knocking out Atholton and Reservoir. Oakland Mills finished with their most wins since 2019 and have meaningful momentum to make a deeper push next season.

Volleyball 🏐

Two Howard County volleyball teams won state championships and three total regional winners this year. Howard took the 3A title and Glenelg finished with the 2A trophy. Reservoir also won their regional bracket.

Here are CSZ's awards for the best of the county's fall season:

Team of the Year - Howard Lions

Describing Howard’s dominance is a difficult task because of the many ways there are to do it. Perhaps their undefeated 20-0 record is the highlight. Maybe it is the fact that they won 60 of their 62 sets played this year. Snapping a 45-year championship drought, which had been the longest among all county teams with at least one title?

The best way to describe Howard is through their remarkable consistency. The Lions steamrolled the regular season and still discovered another higher level of play for the postseason. Their championship stat line, facing a then-unbeaten North Hagerstown High School team, sounded like it would have come from a rout in September.

Howard authored a season for the school history books and they fully stood alone in 2025.

Most Improved Team - Guilford Park Panthers

Guilford Park finished its season with a winning record for the first time in program history. The Panthers finished with a 9-5 regular season record and secured their first-ever playoff win.

Guilford Park debuted last year with a 5-8 record. A challenging start sank their season early, as they opened with one win in their first eight games. Optimism for 2025 did grow after four wins in the final five games, including two wins against out-of-county competition.

The Panthers followed a similar script this season. A 2-3 start proved concerning, but the team showed a similar level of grit to bounce back. They swept seven of their ten games in October, with one of those against Mt. Hebron in the playoffs.

Coach Karen Kart has already brought Guilford Park to double-digit wins in her second season and, if they can get off to a strong start, the Panthers should be a top-three contender in 2026.

Field Hockey 🏑

Howard County boasted another field hockey state championship and three regional winners this year. Glenelg went all the way again this year and two others, Long Reach and Marriotts Ridge, made it to the state bracket.

The Gladiators and Lightning raced all season to take the county crown, making for a thrilling rivalry. The title came all the way down to the last game of the season. Facing then 8-5 Mt. Hebron, Glenelg needed a win to outright secure first place in the county. They took the Vikings down 6-0 and have now finished first in each of the last three seasons.

Here are CSZ's awards for the best of the county's fall season:

Team of the Year - Glenelg Gladiators

Glenelg fired on all cylinders throughout the regular season and the postseason. The Gladiators finished the regular season with a +88 goal differential and played elite defense across five playoff games. They won their last three games by one goal and saved their best for last in the championship.

In the last three seasons, including each postseason, Manchester Valley has only allowed 16 goals in 49 games. Glenelg has been their defense’s kryptonite in that stretch as the Gladiators scored seven of those goals in only three games. In overtime and tied 1-1, Glenelg found its hero in Lakshmi Almli ‘28, who scored the game-winning goal.

Most Improved Team - Atholton

Atholton boosted its record by two wins this year and finished the regular season at 7-5.

The Raiders won their first three games of the season in a start that got the county’s attention. Atholton finished above .500 for the first time since 2021. They battled through a mid-season stretch against the county’s best teams and earned a playoff win against Guilford Park. The offense helped the team finish undefeated after scoring two goals.

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