B-CC girls smash into regional final
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls soccer team converted seven of its eight shots on goal in the first half of Friday's Class 3A West Region semifinal against visiting Seneca Valley to secure an 8-0 win.
The top-seeded Barons (14-0-0) will host defending state champion Urbana, a 3-0 winner over No. 2 Damascus Friday, in the regional final. The duel will be a rematch of last year's final, won by Urbana in penalty kicks.
B-CC has won the region four times since 2001 and is looking for its first state title since 2004, second overall.
"For us, Urbana is one of few teams that comes here and beats us," B-CC coach Rob Kurtz said. "The only way to regain that edge is to beat them. And this year, if there was going to be a year, this should be the year we're able to do that…
"I'd be happy to play anyone in the region final, but we're excited for the opportunity to be in the region final, to be at home and to have a good game against a good team."
The Barons, who have outscored their opponents 83-4 this season, have scored in the first 10 minutes of all but one game. Friday was no different. Senior midfielder Hillary Goldman, sidelined for all of '07 with an injury, knocked in a pass from Owyn Manson to give B-CC a 1-0 lead 1 minute into Friday's contest.
Sophomore midfielder Vic Gersh made it 2-0 in the fifth minute with her first of two goals and sophomore midfielder, U-15 U.S. National Team member Alex Doll, scored her first of two goals in the ninth minute to put B-CC ahead, 3-0.
Freshman Kara Klontz scored on a corner kick in the 19th minute to make it 4-0, senior forward Hannah Cooper scored her team-high 26th goal off an assist from Doll in the 33rd minute and Doll scored from Cooper in the 39th minute to give B-CC a 7-0 halftime lead.
"They're just too good," Seneca Valley coach Claude Sayag said. "This B-CC team is a team that could probably beat half the boys teams in Montgomery County. It's always a pleasure to see a team like that play; the talking, the passing. But no matter the outcome, I'm still very proud of my girls."
The Barons had the Screaming Eagles (6-8-0) on their heels from the get-go Friday and Seneca didn't handle it well in the first half. But the Eagles regained their composure in the second half and started to push forward more effectively.
Led by freshman Denise Gatcham and sophomores Mackenzie Bankins and Jasmine Sampson, Seneca had four good looks at a goal in the second half but was unable to capitalize.
Barons junior goalie Francie Jaffe, who tallied three saves in the second half, scored B-CC's final goal on a penalty kick in the 63rd minute.
"I feel like at this point, we're fully prepared for everything," Kurtz said.