Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007
In the past, an early deficit sent the Rockville High girls soccer team into panic mode. But, when Richard Montgomery senior Shayna Stern scored 25 minutes into the Rams’ 1-0 loss to the Rockets at home Thursday, they didn’t unravel.
Rather they maintained their composure, were poised and continually pushed forward throughout the 80-minute contest to create scoring chances. And though they ultimately fell to Class 4A Rockets – The Rams are a 2A school - their fearless feistiness was symptomatic of this season’s resurgence.
Thursday was Rockville’s first defeat since its 8-0 loss to Whitman (also 4A) Sept. 4. The Rams (7-2-2 overall, 4-0-1 in the Montgomery 3A⁄2A⁄1A West Division) are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and have clinched their first division title since 1999. And they’ve clinched their first winning season since 2000.
‘‘Before if we got down, we used to lose momentum,” said senior Emily Owen, who along with junior Michelle Carter, leads the team with five goals each. ‘‘Now we keep trying. We know we have a solid team. We’re strong all over the field. We used to go into games just trying to compete, now we go into games expecting to win.”
Rebuilding a program, as three-year Rockville coach Mike Hayes has done, takes time; it’s a process. The Rams’ stellar 2007 is the result of a steady three-year climb — they won three games in 2005, five in 2006 and at least seven this year. Several factors have fed into Rockville’s rise: cohesion, increased soccer knowledge and balance, among others.
What’s been so impressive about this year’s run is Rockville lost eight seniors from last year’s squad, including four-year starter Mel Turner, who led the team in scoring three years.
But without one person to lean on, the Rams have relied on a more balanced attack in 2007. Several players, including Owen and Carter, and senior defender Mary Gorman, have stepped into more prominent roles. It seems everyone is contributing.
And with that the Rams have learned what to do in various game situations and how to adapt quickly to adversity. They’ve become a cohesive bunch, learned each other’s tendencies and how to play to them. And they’re more organized, everyone is aware of her position and role.
‘‘The biggest change is we’ve really been playing as a team,” senior Katey Webber said. ‘‘Last year we had that one star player. Now we’ve learned to pass more and work together as a team.”
Winning is an acquired skill. In addition to talent, it stems from confidence and belief. And the Rams, with good overall team speed, have learned to believe late in games and close out tight victories. And success breeds success. As Rockville’s piled up wins, it’s created something to fall back on in adversity.
Six of the Rams’ wins have been 1-0. They’ve been able to come through in the clutch and that’s not something they’ve done in the past.
‘‘The girls are much happier now, you can see it,” Hayes said. ‘‘They believe that what we’re doing is right and that’s hard after so many years of losing. But they have that belief in the system now and it’s working well. Now there’s an urgency to practice and get stuff done rather than just look at the big picture and say, ‘Hey, we tried.’”
This year’s success could be the start of a new era for Rockville girls soccer. Though Owen, Webber and Gorman are graduating, the Rams have several contributing underclassmen, including Carter and junior Jen Civick, who’s scored a goal.
There’s a new air in Rockville, a more positive one. It’s already drawn more interest to the program. Hayes hopes more players will come out for the team next year. And several of his players have already joined elite travel teams and are playing soccer outside high school. And that’s the first step toward becoming a county power.
‘‘Freshman year we were a totally different team, I never thought we could be division champion,” Gorman said. ‘‘It feels great. Everyone at school is now coming up to us and asking how we’re doing, when the game is. People are recognizing us as a team.”
