CHS transitions into spring sports

Mia Ferraro
CHS Class of 22

(4/2022) After three months of competition, Catoctin winter athletics began winding down in March with the season ending on a high note. The winter teams settle their season after a second-place girls basketball title in the state, the boys indoor track team’s first-ever states title, and other state-level accomplishments. As the weather gets warmer, anticipation surrounding the return of spring sports heats up and the new season greets CHS spring teams with immediate victories.

After facing the redeemable setback of falling to Urbana High School at the CMC Championship on Feb. 22, the CHS girls basketball team pushed even harder through playoffs to qualify for the state championship tournament. The Gambrill Division champions entered the postseason on March 1 with only one regular season loss and 19 wins under their belt. The Cougars hosted their first round of playoffs against the Boonsboro Warriors on March 1, claiming an immediate lead of 30-2 by the second quarter. Their 72-41 victory took them to regionals against the Brunswick Railroaders March 3, where a winning score of 56-27 earned the Cougars the title of 1A West Regional Champions. The team then defeated the Cambridge South Dorchester Vikings in the quarter-finals the following weekend. The Cougars led 47-15 by halftime, and finished 61-21. Senior Emily Williams contributed 18 points at this game, four steals, and four assists. Senior Emma Wivell added 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Freshman Taylor Smith had nine points and four assists.

The team took to Richard Montgomery High School on March 8 to face off against the Fort Hill Sentinels for the semi-finals. The Cougars claimed a 16-10 lead by the end of the first quarter and maintained a six-point deficit by halftime with a lead of 27-21. The Cougars prevailed with a score of 50-40. Williams had 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Wivell had 10 rebounds, and Smith added 14 points and four steals. With this victory, the team earned their spot to compete for the state championship at the University of Maryland Xfinity Center on March 10, facing off against 2019 champions Pikesville Panthers. The Cougars took the lead with 14-11 by the second quarter, and proceeded to widen it to 25-15 by halftime. The Panthers caught up in the next half, however, cutting the deficit to 35-31 by the fourth quarter. Finally the Panthers came up from behind and finished 51-42, placing the CHS team as runner-up in the state of Maryland. With the postseason having ended, the athletic department has begun promoting their Lady Cougar Basketball Camp from June 13 through June 16. "Come join our family and experience a great week at camp with our Lady Cougar players and coaches!" the team’s Facebook page advertised. The registration form can be found on the Catoctin Girls Basketball Facebook account.

Overall, Catoctin sports ended a successful winter season to make way for the spring games to begin. The spring season consists of the following sports: baseball - coached by Mike Franklin; girls lacrosse - coached by David Zentz; softball - coached by Jess Valentine; girls tennis - coached by Dave Gadra; track and field - coached by Dave Lillard (boys) and Lois Strickland (girls); and unified track and field - coached by Charmane Nesbitt. Joining the head coaching staff this season is Chris Doll as head coach of boys lacrosse, and John Koepke as head coach of boys tennis.

Catoctin’s runners have returned to the track after the boys indoor track victory, and the girls’ honorable participation, at states. The CHS track and field teams had their first competition on March 25 at Smithsburg High School for the Charas Heurich Invitational. CHS Junior Brody Buffington took first place out of 28 participants in the 100-meter dash with 10.97 seconds. He placed first again in the long jump out of 25 with 21 feet, 6 inches. In the 400-meter dash, sophomore Furious Trammel finished in second place among 26 competitors with a time of 52.40. Junior Alex Contreras came third of 27 runners in the 800-meter run with a time of two minutes, 8.63 seconds. He then proceeded to place second of 27 participants in the 1600-meter run with 4:37.29. Senior Garrett Sullivan took fourth of 16 in the high jump with a distance of 5-06. Sullivan also came in fifth of 29 in discus with 103-06. Freshman Ethan Robeson took seventh in this event with 100-05, and seventh in shot put out of 27 participants with a distance of 35-11. Senior Wyatt Davis took fourth in shot put with 38-05.75.

CHS senior Jenna Zentz finished in eighth place out of 31 runners in the girls 200-meter dash with 28.86 seconds. She later took fourth place out of 26 in the 400-meter dash with 1:05.18. Sophomore Jenna Conley took second place of 10 in the 3200-meter run with a time of 12:49.08. In the long jump, sophomore Grace Williams finished in fourth place of 18 with 12-09.00, and freshman Kylie Foster took eighth with 11-10.00. The teams would then go on to compete at their next invitational at Mountain Ridge High School on March 31. The unified track and field team would participate in their first meet of the season at home one day prior against Brunswick, Governor Thomas Johnson, Linganore, and Tuscarora High School.

The CHS baseball team has also returned for another successful season. Last year, the team had made their way to the Class 1A State Championships for the fifth time in CHS history, and brought home the gold for the second time. Now they’re back and prepared for another chance at the title. The baseball team began their competitions on March 21 at home against the Frederick Scott Key Eagles. At this game, seniors Dalton Williams and Noland Kinna together had a two-hitter. Williams had six strikeouts in four innings at the mound. At the plate, juniors Connor Crum and Joey McMannis contributed three hits and a homerun each. The game ended with the Cougars’ first victory of the season, 14-0. The team proceeded to win their next game against the Lions at Liberty High School 9-5 with a three-run home run from Kinna and a double from McMannis. Three days later the team hosted the Middletown Knights, and prevailed 2-0. McMannis and Williams contributed together a shutout with only one hit, with McMannis fanning 12 in five innings. The 2021 champions would then go on to compete against hosts Brunswick Railroaders on March 30 for their last game of the month.

With spring sports in full swing, fans won’t want to miss out on the action--make sure to take advantage of Seasonal All-Sports Passes. These passes give fans access to all regular season (non-playoff, non-tournament) competitions held at home this season. At this time, Adult Spring All-Sports Season Passes are offered for the 2022 season for $25. These passes, along with individual game tickets, can be purchased on the Ticket Spicket app as well as the Ticket Spicket website at https://spicket.events/catoctin.