Severna Park U9 Storm Girls Win League, Tournament Titles

The Severna Park 9U Storm girls soccer team paired its first-place finish in league play with a tournament championship this fall.

The Storm went undefeated at 7-0-1 in the top 9U division of the Central Maryland Short Sided League to finish in first place.

In addition, the team captured the Discovery Cup championship trophy with a dominant tournament performance at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, Maryland, in October.

The team of Cate Gage, Ashlyn Ensor, Meghal Spencer, Ella Hartman, Brynn Houghton, Presley Davis, Macie Rice, Alex Murray, Lily Habashi, Finley Silk and Caroline Mosher outscored the opposition by a combine 20-5 mark in four victories, winning the Cup in the 9U Red Elite division with a 4-0 record.

Eight of the team’s 11 players scored in the tournament. Gage sparked the Storm’s tournament assault with a goal in the first 24 seconds of the team’s opening match against McLean 2010 Green (VA). Goals by midfielders Ensor and Spencer followed, as did a second goal by Gage, as Severna Park won 4-1.

Storm won its second game 7-0 against Pittsburgh SCS United Black with goals by Hartman, Houghton, Spencer, Gage, Davis, Rice and Murray.

On Sunday, October 7, the Storm defeated the Manhattan SC Spurs ’10 of New York City behind a brace by Hartman and goals by Spencer and Gage.

Severna Park captured the championship later in the day with a hard-fought 5-4 win over Potomac Blue ’10 of Maryland. Lead defender Murray put the Storm on the scoreboard with a rocket shot from half field that sailed into Potomac’s net. A single goal followed by Davis and two by Hartman with Potomac answering in turn. With less than thirty seconds left on the clock, Hartman broke a 4-4 tie with her third goal of the game, ending Potomac’s hope for a penalty kick tiebreaker and clinching Severna Park’s tourney championship.

Starting fullback Habashi provided stout defense throughout the weekend, complemented by the defensive work outside middie and versatile playmaker Silk. Mosher, the team’s primary goalkeeper, anchored the defense with excellent goalkeeping, including an array of critical saves in the championship against Potomac.

The Storm, who are coached by Dan Gage, Jen Habashi, Melissa Murray and Brian Ensor and trained weekly through Coerver United by Amanda Novy, finished the season by competing in the top division of the 25th Annual Fallston Cup. The team made another strong tournament showing, reaching the Fallson Cup final before falling in the championship match, 1-0.