Huntingtown claims state championship
CATONSVILLE – Huntingtown sophomore Tori Bellucci and
several of her Hurricanes teammates had a big weekend planned, heading down to
take part in a College Soccer Showcase in North Carolina. Bellucci helped to
make sure the trip down was a pleasant one.
The sophomore striker scored in the 17th minute
of Thursday night’s 3A championship game at UMBC to lift Huntingtown to a 1-0
win over the Urbana Hawks and with it, the program’s first-ever state
championship. Huntingtown, which fell in
the state final a year ago, also earned the distinction of being the first
Calvert County soccer program to win a state championship.
“To be back here is a thrill. To finish this way is even
more of a thrill,” Huntingtown coach Jill Twetten said. “I never took for
granted that we would be back here even though I knew I had a team that could
make it back here. It’s a long road and I’m so proud of them.”
Huntingtown (18-1) received all the scoring it would need
when Bellucci took a feed from Micaela Antzoulatos , streaked in Urbana
goalkeeper Natasja Hirabayashi and deposited a shot in the lower right side of
the goal. The same two Hurricanes combined to produce the game-winning goal in
the team’s 1-0 semifinal win against Reservoir, last year’s state champion.
“[Antzoulatos] sent me a through ball,” Bellucci said. “I
knew that we weren’t going to have tons of opportunities. I just capitalized on
the great ball that she fed me. I tried to place it in the corner, nice and
easy.”
Urbana (14-4-2) had earned its spot in the state final with
a 1-0 win over C.M. Wright. Roles were reversed in the state final.
“Actually in that match it came down to one mistake,” Urbana
coach Chuck Nichols said. “C.M Wright made a mistake and we capitalized.
Unfortunately the tables were turned.
“After that first goal I thought we did a great job. Unfortunately
we made a tactical error.”
Bellucci’s tally proved to be the game’s only goal, but it
was not for lack of opportunity. Following the score, Urbana dominated
possession time and generated the bulk of the scoring opportunities. But time
and again, Huntingtown goalkeeper Shelby Taylor and her defensive cohorts
repelled the Hawks’ attacks.
“They were massive in the back,” Nichols said. “They were
like the Great Wall of China. I thought they did a great job. “
Including the state final, Huntingtown surrendered just five
goals in 19 games – and three of those came in just the third game of the
season.
“We have a killer defense and killer goalie,” Twetten said. “I
knew if they played strong we could keep them scoreless. And we have a killer
striker that seems to find the net almost every game.”
A year ago Huntingtown reached the state final with a
relatively young team, with just two seniors on the roster. With 10 seniors
back for the return trip, Thursday night’s win was a fitting conclusion.
“To win in my senior year is amazing. Last year when we lost
it really hurt. It was the worst feeling ever,” said Taylor Morton, one of the
team’s defensive standouts. “We won it, and it’s the best feeling ever.”
Huntingtown 1, Urbana 0
H 1 0
U 0 0
Goals: Bellucci (H)
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