Harford Tech girls soccer has rarely experienced the kind of postseason success Alayna Weaver helped it achieve this year.
It had been 16 years since the Cobras reached a state final, and that was their only time ever advancing beyond the state quarterfinal in the 36 year history of the MPSSAA girls soccer tournament.
Weaver knew that. It fueled her motivation to become one of the area’s best players this season, a season she caps with The Aegis 2025 high school girls soccer player of the year honor.
“I put in extra work this year,” Weaver said. “As a team, we really came together. We all just wanted to make it to the state final.”
Weaver said she started wanting to “take soccer seriously” in second grade. Since then, she’s played on numerous club teams and still does over the high school offseason. This year, the junior forward, also voted to the all-Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference first team by coaches, led Harford Tech to 9-2-1 regular season record. The Cobras didn’t allow a goal during their playoff run until the state semifinals, outscoring opponents 16-0 along the way. A double-overtime victory pushed them to the championship, where they came up just short in a loss to South Carroll.
“She is such a gifted player,” a rival Harford County girls soccer coach said. “She’s so dangerous.”
That defeat has had a two-fold effect on Weaver in the weeks since. One on hand, it was a magical run that she’ll remember forever and was an integral part of. But getting that far with no trophy to show for it left a sour taste in returning players’ mouths that Weaver predicts will drive Harford Tech in 2026.
“We all want to come back and be in the same position,” Weaver said. “I was obviously devastated we didn’t win. But it was also just unreal to ever make it that far. It didn’t seem real.”
Coach of the year
Chuck Travis, North Harford
Travis led the Hawks to a region championship and state quarterfinal appearance this season, one year after winning just two games. The Hawks more than tripled their win total in 2025 and toppled Bel Air and C. Milton Wright on their unexpected postseason run.
After a 5-6-1 regular season, North Harford entered the Class 2A playoffs as the fifth seed of six in their region. That didn’t prevent the Hawks, who were starting four freshmen, from beating fourth-seed North East, first-seed Bel Air in penalty kicks and second-seed C. Milton Wright in double overtime on their way to a state quarterfinal. Senior Mia Honig was the hero in both contests, scoring the game-winners in each storybook win. Honig is joined by goalkeeper Savannah Picha and defender Zoey Shum on The Aegis’ All-County team.
All-County girls soccer team
Abby Downes, Harford Tech, sophomore, forward
Mia Honig, North Harford, senior, forward
Eve Krout, Bel Air, junior, forward
Ruby Reddel, Fallston, senior, forward
Samantha Wright, Patterson Mill, sophomore, forward
Addison Bullinger, Bel Air, junior, midfield
Cali Friedel, John Carroll, senior, midfield
Emma Fuchs, John Carroll, senior, midfield
Sophia Hodges, C. Milton Wright, senior, midfield
Audrey Lucas, Bel Air, junior, midfield
Sophia O’Hagan, Fallston, sophomore, midfield
Brooke Pollack, Harford Tech, sophomore, midfield
Eliza Baldwin, Patterson Mill, sophomore, defense
Kendall Brown, Patterson Mill, junior, defense
Victoria Goad, Fallston, senior, defense
Nani Milich, C. Milton Wright, junior, defense
Zoey Shum, North Harford, senior, defense
Emily Stillwagon, Bel Air, junior, defense
Kylie Benner, Joppatowne, sophomore, goalkeeper
Savannah Picha, North Harford, senior, goalkeeper
Anna Tackett, Bel Air, senior, goalkeeper
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