C. Milton Wright girls soccer players say they’ll remember the connections, friendships and people who were a part of their run to the state championship game the most. But, they added, a loss will perhaps linger even longer.
The Mustangs’ postseason run ended Saturday at Loyola Maryland with a 2-0 loss to Queen Anne’s in the 2A state title game. But this was a continuation of a program on the rise nonetheless. It was their first time back in the title game since 2012. A win would have been their first crown since 2005.
Despite the unfavorable result, there are positives to take away. They’re confident this is the start of their rise rather than a one-year return to the top.
“It’s frustrating not being able to connect,” senior forward Emma Jankowiak said. “One of the last games we’re going to play, and just knowing that we could have done something better. Today, we fell short.”
C. Milton Wright was mired by an offense that never broke through. The Mustangs were unsuccessful on each of their five corner opportunities and struggled to maintain possession and move the ball against a stout Queen Anne’s back line.
“Usually we’re connecting passes, we’re putting balls into dangerous areas, we’re creating opportunities that way,” coach Andrew Harrell said. “It just wasn’t there today.”
A defensive-dominated first half finished with C. Milton Wright down one. Queen Anne’s scored the game’s first goal in the 26th minute on a tap-in by sophomore Kara Ringold from just in front of the net on an assist from senior Morgan Scott, putting the Harford County squad in an early hole.
The Lions doubled their lead in the 54th minute with another goal by Ringold. C. Milton Wright never got closer.
“All toward the end of the season, we struggled with finishing,” senior midfielder Delainey Proctor said. “We can get the ball up there, but we can’t get it in the back of the net.”
The Mustangs advanced to Saturday’s title game with a drama-filled victory over Sparrows Point in the semifinals. It reached double overtime in a scoreless tie that sophomore Lilly Budelis, who began the year on junior varsity, broke with a game-winning goal with two minutes to go in the second extra period.
Saturday’s title game, another offensive struggle, featured no such heroics.
C. Milton Wright has a chance to bounce back and leave Loyola with one 2A soccer title. Its boys squad, making its sixth state title game appearance and hoping to win its third of the past decade, takes the field immediately after the girls’ contest.
But for Harrell’s squad, 2024 ends as another step in the right direction in the coach’s fifth season. A state semifinal appearance last year paved the way for a championship game this season. Is the final progression in store for next season?
“We have a returning group that will be back,” Harrell said. “We brought a lot of younger players along this journey, so they now have the experience. We’ll go back to the grindstone. We’ll figure it out. We’ll be back.”
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