[Baltimore Sun] Harford County playoff roundup: Nine area teams advance to state quarterfinals

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The MPSSAA state quarterfinals for boys and girls soccer and field hockey begin this week, and nine area teams captured regional titles and are still alive in their pursuit of a state championship.

Perryville will send three teams to the quarterfinals, while C. Milton Wright and Harford Tech both have a pair of squads still going.

The field hockey quarterfinals begin Thursday, while the boys and girls soccer matches start Friday and are hosted by the higher seed.

Here’s how the remaining area teams got here and the roads they have ahead.

Clean sweep for Perryville

Perryville boys and girls soccer and field hockey all hosted regional final contests Tuesday. They all won.

Boys and girls soccer both used three-goal victories in their respective games to advance, while field hockey won a narrow 1-0 game over North East to move on.

“Perryville High School right now has a great vibe from top to bottom,” field hockey coach Janet Candy said. “We might be a small town, but we’re really doing really well across the board in a lot of sports.”

Candy’s team will host Francis Scott Key on Friday, while boys and girls soccer are set to see Harford Tech and Liberty, respectively.

C. Milton Wright boys soccer continues impressive run

With a 1-0 win over Rising Sun, C. Milton Wright is one step closer to the goal the Mustangs have chased throughout their 12-2 campaign. They opened the season 7-0, closed the regular season with four consecutive wins and haven’t allowed a goal through two playoff victories.

On Tuesday, Owen Davis scored his team’s only goal and just his second of the season. Coach Eric Riedlbauer moved the sophomore from his typical center back position to a forward spot. Davis backed up the belief his coach had in the move.

“He’s a star at whatever position you play him,” Riedlbauer said. “Very versatile.”

Two other Harford County boys soccer teams battled for the right to play on. Harford Tech, the defending 1A state champion, beat Patterson Mill, 4-2, in an intra-county regional final and will see Perryville in the quarterfinals.

Bel Air girls soccer stays alive with big test ahead

It needed overtime, but Bel Air earned a 1-0 victory over Poly on Tuesday to advance to the 3A quarterfinals. Senior Ally Mace scored the game winner on a boot from 20 yards out with an assist from Alyssa Foote.

But Bel Air’s path doesn’t soften — No. 1 seed and defending state champion Severna Park is next.

“Sometimes your best players make a play,” coach Mike Friskey said. “You lose in that situation, your season’s over. So it’s really exciting and nervous all at the same time.”

Elsewhere, the girls’ results mirrored the boys’. C. Milton Wright used a 1-0 win to reach the quarterfinals, while Harford Tech beat Patterson Mill behind two goals from Ashley Shelton. They’ll play in the 2A and 1A quarterfinals on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Fallston field hockey cruises on

The Cougars beat Patterson Mill, 5-0, behind two goals and an assist from sophomore standout Layla King, who also stars for the USA Field Hockey U-16 Nexus program.

“We feel solidified in the fact that we are worthy of being in the state tournament again,” coach Jackie Cummings said. “We’re hoping to continue that momentum.”

In the lopsided win, Fallston emptied its bench and played both goalies, giving starters valuable rest ahead of their state quarterfinals opponent. There, the Cougars will see a familiar foe in Sparrows Point, which they beat in the regular season in a come-from-behind, double-overtime shootout.

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