Cecil County Sports Weekly Vol 2 Issue 40

Maryland 5 Star brings top talent, championship feel to Cecil County

By Victor Hensley

FAIR HILL - The sprawling, 5,613-acre grounds at Fair Hill leaves little to be desired and everything to be soaked in.

Whether it’s the village of pop-up shops selling everything from horse saddles to miniature dog coats, the miles-long stretch

of tailgating tents bringing together equestrian novices and veterans alike, or the high-level competition taking place over the span of four action-packed days, there’s something for everyone at Fair Hill.

Over the weekend, Fair Hill was the focal point of the equestrian world when it hosted the sec-

ond-ever MARS Maryland

5 Star, a four-day equestrian eventing competition at the sport’s highest level, consisting of a mixture of dressage, cross-country riding and show jumping, with nearly 25,000 people in attendance.

The Maryland 5 Star

– labeled a CCI5* event by Fédération Equestre Inter-

INDIANS WIN!! SEE PAGE

A-8

nationale (FEI), the sport’s highest distinction – is one of only two events of its kind in the country, and one of seven in the entire world. It attracts some of the sport’s biggest names, including New Zealand’s Tim Price, ranked the No. 1 rider in the world, who took home the crown at this year’s competition with a total score

of 28.2 after finishing No. 1 in both cross-country riding and show jumping.

But for many, making the trip to Fair Hill is less about the competition’s final results and more about the spectacle of it all – the atmosphere, experience and, of course, the view.

“It’s pretty wild,” said Barry Morrison, a Cecil

County resident who attended the cross-country portion of the competition on Saturday with his wife – a Fair Hill veteran – and kids. “The kids love it because they see the animals, the vendors are great and it’s a beautiful course. … Last year was awesome. We had continued on D-2

‘Our line was churning’: Tigers stun Eagles behind Russell’s 227 rushing yards, 3 TDs

By Victor Hensley

As the saying goes:

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That decades-old idiom can be applied to a plethora of situations, but last Friday night, it perfectly described Rising Sun’s lategame offensive strategy. The Rising Sun Tigers (5-2) earned a comefrom-behind victory over the Bo Manor Eagles (5-2), 20-13, on the legs of senior quarterback Gannon Russell, who carried both the rock and his team to its

fourth win in a row.

“Our line was churning and churning,” said Clem Vaughan, the Tigers’ head coach, of his team’s performance on the ground. “And we knew how they were lining up that there was something we could expose there a little bit.”

Russell, who has undoubtedly cemented himself as one of the county’s top players, carried the ball a whopping 36 times in the Tigers’ comeback win, finding the end zone three times on the ground in the pro-

cess. That includes the game-winning score, which came on a 17-yard run with 6:37 to play in the fourth quarter as Russell ran up the middle, juked by a pair of Eagles defenders and strolled, a little off-balance, into the end zone to give the Tigers a 20-13 advantage they’d never relinquish.

“I just know that I’ve got to put my team on my back and do whatever we’ve got to do to win,” Rus-

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MANAGING EDITOR/ SPORTS EDITOR: Sam Dixon cecilcountysportsblog@gmail.com

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WRITERS: Andrew Barbin

Heather Dotson Karina Serio

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Megan Steimer

Sam Dixon

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Victor Hensley

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MAILING

NORTH EAST VOLLEYBALL TEAM

Through

SPORTS STANDINGS SPONSORED BY:

High School Varsity Football Standings

SPORTS SCHEDULE

VOLLEYBALL

Milton Wright

C Dutterer 5 kills K. Waters 5 kills M. Weil 4 aces, 10 assists, 5 digs, 3 kills B. Brumfield 6 digs M. Norman-Wilson 10 assists, 4 digs

A. Boulden 10 assists G. Bradfield 4 aces, 10 kills L. Cronin 1 ace, 7 digs

E. Graziosi (1), S. Yzerbashi (1), M. Fernandez (1), G. Valdez (1), L. Gutierrez (1), A. Ramstad (1)

I. Campasano (1), I. Buenacasa (1), M. Fernandez (1), S. Yzerbashi (1). G. Valdez

BOYS

K. Waters 2 aces, 6 kills

Weil 12 assists, 6 digs G. Herron 8 digs

P: M. Unruh 7 aces, 8 kills A. Rash 8 aces, 18 assists, 3 kills B. Coleman 1 ace, 1 block, 5 digs Tri-State 3

Grove 1 TS: J. Harris 8 kills H. Pfadt 3 aces, 7 kills B. Thomas 5 aces, 23 digs, 5 kills S. Henry 13 assists, 12 digs T. Davis 14 digs E. Harris 1 block, 5 kills

SIMMONS 410-398-1000

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C.M. Wright finds passing success late to beat Golden Elks at home

By Victor Hensley

ELKTON - Before they stepped on the field last Friday night, the Elkton Golden Elks knew they were in for a backyard brawl.

Over its previous two games, C. Milton Wright had given up 13 total points – and scored just seven of their own.

Yet, the Mustangs (4-3) found a way out of their offensive slump late in the game against the Golden Elks (4-3), scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter en route to a 20-14 victory.

“We thought we could keep them right around 20 (points) if everything went well, we just needed to figure it out on the offensive side and came up a little short,” said Matt Feeney, the Golden Elks’ head coach. “They’re just your typical C.M. Wright football team. Big, strong kids, man. … Regardless, we just needed to find a way to get it going offensively and that didn't really happen until the second half and it was a little too late.”

To say that C. Milton Wright’s offense was struggling entering its contest with the Golden Elks would be an understatement.

In its last four games – against Edgewood, Bel Air, Harford Tech

and Bo Manor – the Mustangs scored just seven total points, suffering shut-out losses in three of those games. While the Mustangs managed to get on the board in the first half with a field goal – giving them a 3-0 advantage at the break – the Golden Elks were able to contain them for most of the game. That is, until the third quarter, when C. Milton Wright scored two touchdowns on big passing plays – one that gave the Mustangs a 10-0 lead, another that acted as the go-ahead touchdown to make it 17-14 after the Golden Elks had stormed back to take the lead earlier in the quarter.

In both situations, the Mustangs found a receiver all alone on the back end for an easy touchdown, building the confidence of an offense that hadn’t found the end zone more than once in over a month.

“The breakdown in the secondary, they played outstanding all game, but it’s just one play where you get a little confused and it happens,” Feeney said. “We’ve got sophomores all over the place out there. It’s growing pains.”

Prior to the Mustangs’ go-ahead TD, however, was the emergence of the Golden Elks’ own passing attack, which saw senior quarter-

back Eli Latshaw throw a pair of dime passes to senior Isaiah Huffstutler and junior Kyle Jackson to give Elkton a 14-10 lead as part of his 180-yard (14-of-21) performance. After sitting for most of the first half while Elkton worked in quarterback Patience Richmond, Latshaw got a shot in the third quarter and made the most of it, leading to praise from his head coach.

“Eli Latshaw did a good job,” Feeney said. “We’re still rotating quarterbacks and tinkering with things and we took him out after the first drive … then we brought Eli back out in the second half and he threw two touchdowns, so that was encouraging. I just really appreciate the guts that kid has.”

The Golden Elks would be unable to muster a single point in the fourth quarter, though, as the Mustangs’ defense tightened up and refused to let anything by them, leading to the 20-14 victory for C. Milton Wright. With just two games left in the regular season, Elkton has a tough test against the Bel Air Bobcats (70) this Thursday, while C. Milton Wright hosts the Richard Wright Public Charter School Spartans (1-6) on Friday.

RISING SUN TIGERS FOOTBALL

BOHEMIA MANOR EAGLES FOOTBALL

sell said after the victory. “I want to win, and that’s what I’m here to do.”

The Tigers’ offense – as it typically does – ran through Russell.

Early on, Rising Sun struggled to move the ball offensively, scoring on just one possession in the entirety of the first half. But, it didn’t take long for the Tigers to discover their not-so-secret weapon: Russell.

Overall, Russell ran the ball 36 times for 227 yards, earning 6.3 yards per carry as the Tigers had a strategy that was clearly working. And if it’s successful, averaging more than a first down every two plays, why would the Tigers decide to switch it up?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

“We’re really conditioned and I felt like they were tired,” Russell said. “So we just kept running the same play nine times in a row.”

The Eagles were playing without star starting quarterback Angel Granado, who was nursing a shoulder injury he suffered in the close win over C. Milton Wright the week before.

In place of Granado was quarterback Drew Lenz, who was not only getting his first career start, but his first career game action. And he made the most of it.

In the first half, Bo Manor’s lone offensive points came on a 25-yard field goal by Tucker Auer on the Eagles’ first possession following a Russell interception. Then, with little time to spare late in the second quarter, the Eagles blocked a punt, which sailed out of the back of the end zone for

a safety, amounting to the 6-5 halftime lead for Rising Sun.

On the opening drive of the second half, however, with the Eagles trailing, 6-5, Lenz led a nine-play drive lasting nearly five minutes that ended with him scoring on a hard-fought, 11-yard touchdown run as he ran through a Tigers defender on the goal line to give his team a 13-6 lead.

“The kid threw a nice ball,” Vaughan said of Lenz. “I give him some credit for coming in for the week and, really, he’s the thirdstring quarterback. … To come in and do that and play in the game and score the go-ahead touchdown, it’s ballsy. It’s good stuff, so good for him. The future’s bright with that kid.”

Though, despite Lenz’s impressive debut, the Eagles failed to muster much offense throughout the game, with his touchdown run acting as the last time they’d see the end zone for the rest of the night.

Defensively, the Eagles simply couldn’t contain the Tigers’ rushing attack late as Rising Sun went up-tempo for much of the second half, making it difficult for Bo Manor to catch its breath.

“I’ll tell you, we knew kind of going in that we could get some tempo on them a little bit,”: Vaughan said. “And because nobody’s seen it with us – you don’t really see it on film because it’s constantly stopping and going. … We got it going pretty good in the second half, making the right calls and knew what we could do with it. So, it helped.”

The Eagles had an opportunity to get the ball back and tie it, but went three-and-out on their ensuing possession, punting the ball right back to the Tigers.

Rising Sun proceeded to bleed the last 4:55 from the game clock, with Russell getting carry-after-carry as the time slowly ticked all the way down without the Eagles getting another crack at a game-tying drive.

“We got into what I would call a ‘dogfight’ tonight and we came out on the wrong side of it, and last week, we got into a dogfight and came out on the right side of it,” said Vincent Ricci, the Eagles’ head coach. “So, we can build from both of these (games). … You can’t knock these kids because, I mean, they came in and fought. We’re always undersized and we don’t have as many players as everybody else does, but these kids fight and they’ll be ready to go on Monday.”

Rising Sun looks to build upon its four-game winning streak when it visits the Joppatowne Mariners (6-1) this week, while Bo Manor hosts the Fallston Cougars (3-4) on Thursday.

‘Our line was churning’:

Panthers fall just short of upset vs. Patterson Mill as mistakes loom large

By Victor Hensley

PERRYVILLE - The Perryville

Panthers have been on the precipice of shocking the world the last couple of weeks. But, each time, they’ve fallen just short.

Perryville (3-4) had its chances against the Patterson Mill Huskies (6-1) last Friday night, but small mistakes and costly turnovers stunted the Panthers’ offense when they needed it most, resulting in a close, 14-10 loss.

“You just can’t (make mistakes) against good football teams and expect to win,” said Sean Sandora, the Panthers’ head coach. “It’s just kind of been our M.O. all year long. I told the kids after the game, ‘I’m proud of your effort, I’m proud that you fought the whole time, but the best team didn’t win tonight.’ The only team that beats us is us and that’s what we’ve done in three of our four losses.”

This was the second-straight game in which the Panthers lost by one score to one of Harford County’s best teams, having fallen in overtime, 19-16, to the previously unbeaten Edgewood Rams (6-1) a week earlier.

The killer for the Panthers was their three turnovers in the red zone, including two interceptions and a fumble lost. Having lost by just four points, those turnovers loomed large in the defeat for Sandora.

“We turned the ball over three times in the red zone and, at worst, we were going to kick three field goals,” Sandora said, “and if Zack Ayers makes all three or even two out of three, we win the game.”

Perryville led 7-0 in the first half after capitalizing on an interception and getting into the end zone on the ground with running back Ethen Gunter, who carried the ball 24 times for 138 yards and a score on an impressive day for the junior.

But, a late-second-quarter interception gave the Huskies an opportunity to score just before the half, which they did, taking an 8-7 lead on a momentum-destroying drive for the Panthers.

In the second half, however, Perryville managed to get a field goal to take a 10-8 lead over the Huskies, but then came the straw that broke the Panthers’ back.

After Patterson Mill got a short field on a nice return, Perryville had an opportunity to shatter any Huskies momentum when the ball was snapped well over the head of quarterback Thomas Rohl. But, in a wacky turn of events, Rohl recovered the ball and tossed it to wide receiver Samir Manning, who was standing a few feet away, wide open. Manning proceeded to turn upfield and take it 27 yards for the go-ahead score, making it 1410 in favor of the Huskies.

“They’re a good team and they don’t beat themselves, which is what good teams do,” Sandora said with a disappointed laugh. “It’s very frustrating.” For the rest of the game, both teams’ offenses stalled, resulting in the 14-10 final score as Patterson Mill eked out its fifth win in a row.

Perryville will have the opportunity to get back to .500 when it hosts the Havre de Grace Warriors (07) for the annual Susky Bowl this week, while Patterson Mill has a date with the North East Indians (1-6).

After the game players from Patterson Mill joined Perryville Players on the field for a prayer for Perryville Freshman #34 Jayden Byard who had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. We have since learned Jayden suffered a concussion and will be recovering.

HAVRE DE GRACE WARRIORS FOOTBALL

2022 Season Record: 0-7

‘The boys were fired up’: Rivera scores 2 TDs on senior night as Indians earn 1st win

By Victor Hensley

NORTH EAST - The longer the wait, the sweeter the celebration.

Just ask the North East Indians (16), who earned their long-awaited first win of the season last Friday night against the Havre de Grace Warriors (0-7), a victory made even sweeter by a loud-and-proud senior-night crowd that cheered them on the entire way.

“The energy was great, it was great all night and the boys were fired up,” said Taylor Slaughenhoupt, the Indians’ head coach. “Our big thing this week was, being that it was senior night, leaving a memory out on the field and leaving everything you had out there. Not even just the seniors, but everybody, upperclassmen on down.”

It didn’t take long for the Indians to electrify the crowd.

After a scoreless first quarter on both sides, North East junior kicker Evan England nailed a 46-yard field goal to give the Indians an early 3-0 lead, a kick that

Slaughenhoupt said “had to be a school record.”

The story of the game, however, was the Keefer-to-Rivera connection, which was scalding hot for most of the night.

Luke Keefer, the Indians’ senior starting quarterback, threw for 173 yards (and ran for another 43 with a touchdown), with 131 of them going to senior wide receiver Marcus Rivera on just three catches, including both of Keefer’s touchdown throws.

The play of the night came in the third quarter, when Keefer found Rivera streaking down the right sideline, dialed up a beautiful pass, hit him in stride and Rivera did the rest, blazing to the end zone untouched as the Indians took a 24-6 lead.

“The connection with Luke and really all of the receivers, that’s something they’ve been working on is really building the connection, building the time and it paid off on Friday,” Slaughenhoupt said. “I was happy to see (Rivera) have a night like that.”

As has been the case all season, the Indians’ defense came to play against the Warriors, too, limiting them to just six points and forcing three turnovers in the process, with senior linebacker RJ Boyd getting credit for two fumble recoveries and senior linebacker

Raheam Hart notching an interception in the win.

“We just really made some plays on Friday,” Slaughenhoupt said. “And that’s what we’ve been missing the whole year.”

North East looks to earn its second win in a row with a tough matchup against the Patterson Mill Huskies (6-1) this Friday, while Havre de Grace visits the Perryville Panthers (3-4) for the Susky Bowl.

“This week, we’ll come out and focus on having a good week of practice and preparing for Patterson Mill,” Slaughenhoupt said, “just building off of the momentum and the good things that we did on Friday in order to come out and give those guys a game.”

CECIL COUNTY

SPORTS

TRI-STATE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY LADY CRUSADERS DEFEAT FCA 3-0

‘We always fight’: Resilient Panthers fall short in loss to Fallston

By Victor Hensley

PERRYVILLE - Five weeks

into the season, the Perryville Panthers are still searching for their first win.

But, despite a season full of close losses, they haven’t once let their record define them.

The scrappy, never-say-die Panthers (0-11) have played much better than their record implies, as illustrated by last Thursday’s match against the Fallston Cougars (8-4), who earned a sweeping 3-0 victory over a Perryville team that refused to lie down and give up.

“This team has a lot of fight,” said Panthers

senior Riley Jackson following her team’s loss to the Cougars. “We always try to win, there’s never a time when we feel like we’re out of it. And even when we are down, we always fight our way back. … There’s a lot of resilience in this team.”

Spend any time watching them and you’ll realize, the Panthers aren’t your typical winless squad.

This season, they’ve lost just four games by a 3-0 score, with all four coming against Patterson Mill (9-3) and Fallston – who they also lost to on the road on Sept. 16 – two of the top teams in Harford County.

They’ve had highlights like the narrow 3-2

loss to Rising Sun, which saw the Panthers storm back from down 2-0 to force a back-and-forth fifth set, along with their match against the near-perfect Bel Air Bobcats (9-1), whom they still managed to win a set against despite the Bobcats’ status as one of the most dominant teams in the region.

And, despite the seemingly lopsided 3-0 score from last Thursday, the Panthers showed their teeth again as the Cougars had to fight for each and every point.

Fallston’s best set came at the start, when it continued on B-3

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Cecil Battles Conference Foe Allegany, Loses Set Five Heartbreaker

By Megan Steimer

NORTH EAST - The Cecil Seahawks hosted the Allegany Trojans on Tuesday evening in what would be a thrilling conference match up. It was not the result Cecil was hoping for, falling 28-30, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 12-15 but the grit and determination the Seahawks showcased in the loss was quite noteworthy. In set one, Cecil took a comfortable 8-1 lead as setter Skylar Klinger found all front row hitters for points. The Trojans discovered some open court on Cecil’s side however, marching back to tie the game at seventeen. Both teams battled until the end and then some, as Allegany was able to finally take set one 30-28 despite five different Seahawks recording kills. There was more back

and forth in set two when Amanda Wagner knocked in back-to-back aces for a 15-12 lead. One point away from a game two win, the pesky Trojans battled back 23-24 to give the Seahawks a scare but an Allegany setting error closed things out for a Cecil win, tying the match 1-1.

Cecil again led early in game three before a series of errors put the Trojans ahead 12-8. Nonetheless, the Seahawks forged ahead behind a kill from middle Micaela Rogers and outside hitter Lydia Davis to tie the game up at thirteen. With the game on the line, Cecil trailed 20-24 but middle Crystal Lenk put up a big defensive block to save the game. She then rotated to the back and knocked in an ace to bring Cecil within one, but a hitting error gave

Allegany the winning point to go up 2-1 in the match.

Allegany and Cecil tied the game nine times in set four. The Seahawks needed to take this game to stay in the match. Davis knocked a kill in to begin the set followed by a kill from Lenk and offside hitter Natalie Diamond to go up 6-4 on the Trojans. Wagner then served two aces in a row to go up 9-8, forcing Allegany to take a timeout. A few moments later, Cecil found themselves tied at twenty-two, needing just three points to win. Fortunately, a couple of unforced errors by the Trojans secured a fourth set victory for the Seahawks to take the match to a fifth and final set.

It was looking like Cecil would pull off the win. Wagner again had back-toback aces to put the Sea-

hawks up 8-4, resulting in an Allegany timeout. Cecil let the Trojans hang around however, as the visitors came back to tie the game at ten. The two teams would exchange point after point until Allegany was able to pull away and win a hardfought set five. Wagner finished the night with six aces, 22 digs, and seven kills while fellow outside hitter Davis led the offense with 13 kills and 23 digs. Setter Skylar Klinger dished out 36 assists and 16 digs while libero Lily Landis led the defense with 24 digs. The Seahawks are on the road for the next three of four remaining matches in the regular season, including a divisional game at Northern Virginia.

‘We always fight’: Resilient Panthers fall short in loss to Fallston

hopped out to an early 9-3 advantage in the opening set.

Throughout the set – and the evening – Perryville struggled to contain Fallston’s outside hitters, namely senior Ellery Thompson and junior Kyra Douglass, who had no shortage of powerful kills in the Cougars’ win.

“(Thompson) is a very consistent player and consistency means a lot,” said Layna Douglass, the Cougars’ head coach, after the victory. “She’s been playing a long time. She’s played club for five or six years, so she has the experience being on the court. … She’s just one of our rock players.”

While the Panthers aimed to come back from the early deficit in the first set, the Cougars made it nearly impossible, rattling off strong hit after strong hit to eventually take the set, 25-15.

However, as has been the trend all season, Perryville refused to go down without a fight.

In the second set, the Cougars were able to take control of a similar 13-7 lead on a kill by Kyra Douglass, but the Panthers went on a small run – capped off by a block at the net by Perryville junior Ryleigh Racine, who had a stand-out performance of her own – to cut their deficit to four points, 14-10.

The Cougars managed to pull away slightly from there, but a pair of strong plays by Jackson –including a kill that narrowly fell into the back-right corner of the floor – kept the Panthers in it.

Though for just about the rest of the set, the two squads traded serves back-and-forth until the Cougars eventually won, 25-19, a slight improvement from the first set on the Panthers’ part.

Nursing a 2-0 lead, Fallston was just one set

away from clinching the sweep. But Perryville had other plans.

The Panthers managed to keep it close with the Cougars in a set that featured three lead changes and four ties, including the set being knotted at 9-9 after a service error on Fallston.

Despite Perryville’s best efforts, however, Fallston was eventually able to pull away late in the set, leading by as many as seven points, 20-13, as attack errors plagued the Panthers down the stretch.

The Cougars went on to win the third set, 2518, to seal the 3-0 match win.

Even though Fallston pulled off the sweep, Layna Douglass felt the need to tip her cap to Perryville for making the Cougars work for it.

“Perryville, I think they’ve been struggling all year,” she said, “but they have a lot of potential and

we didn’t want to come out here and take anything for granted.”

While the Panthers haven’t yet found the win column, Jackson said she’s proud of her team for having improved as the year’s gone on.

“It’s kind of hard to label just one person with ‘Most Improved’ because I just feel like there’s been so much improvement in so many ways,” Jackson said. “The middles have gotten so much stronger at blocking, the back row has gotten so much better at digging and the hitters are keeping their hits in and hitting spots. … It’s just been an all-around improvement from everybody.”

Perryville continues its search for its first win this week against the Bohemia Manor Eagles (8-4), while Fallston looks to earn its second-straight win versus the North Harford Hawks (38).

continued from B-1

NORTH EAST VOLLEYBALL DIG PINK GAME BIG SUCCESS

By Megan Steimer

NORTH EAST - The North East volleyball program held its annual Dig Pink game Monday evening, hosting the Perryville Panthers in front a large crowd donning all things pink for October’s breast cancer awareness month. Through various fundraisers, including the game itself, the Indians were able to raise just under $6,000 that will go directly to the Christiana Care Cancer Center. Adding to the excitement, spectators were treated to a fantastic game between the two teams as North East took down the visiting Panthers 25-18, 1025, 25-21, 25-22 to capture their fourth win of the season. There was a lot of back and forth in set one with several lead changes. Midway through, Perryville setter Alyxia Green generated four service points to tie the game at fifteen— she was also busy dishing out sets to hitters Riley Jackson and Ryleigh Racine. Both players recorded several kills before a couple of errors gave the Indians’ continuous ball possession. Libero Alex Schaible took advantage, knocking in five service points, including two

aces to help North East to an eventual set one win.

The Panthers came out with vengeance in set two, jumping to a healthy 12-3 lead and forcing the Indians to call their first timeout. North East’s offside hitter Alanna Gregson found success with a couple of kills scattered throughout the game, but the Panthers did not waiver. Racine knocked in back-to-back kills to secure a convincing game two win for Perryville. “This was a really great game for our front row,” Racine said, “our sets and hits were really working for us.”

With the match tied, it was truly anyone’s game and both teams were in it for the long haul. There more back and forth early in set three when Mullins found middle Ginny Coker for a kill followed by an offside block from both players, putting North East on top 8-7. Mullins again found Coker for another kill as the gym erupted, giving the Indians a boost of confidence. “Our motto is always first to five, first to ten. You just have so much more energy when you break it up a bit” Mullins said. It was neck and neck for the next several points before North East started to pull away. Racine and

Jackson did their best to keep Perryville in the game, knocking in a couple more kills to come within three but the Panthers remained stuck in serve receive, gaining possession of the ball just to give it right back. Trailing by two, Perryville again called a timeout in hopes of regaining momentum, but North East never let them back in, taking set three to go up 2-1 in the match. “We struggle with getting in our own heads” Green remarked of the Panthers, “sometimes we play like we need to be perfect and then we end up all over the place, playing franticly.” Set four began like the previous three, with a lot of lead changes. Both squads began to place the ball on empty court, picking out flaws in their opponent’s defense to grab points. Mullins continued to mix up her sets for the Indians, utilizing all three hitters and throwing off the Perryville block. Gregson, Coker, and outside hitter Ashley Ungarten all recorded kills to collectively give North East a 2014 lead, forcing the Panthers to take a timeout. The very next play, Green found Racine for a kill to give Perryville’s Emily Burchett the ball at the service line. Bur-

chett stayed consistent and knocked in five points to tie the game a twenty. Despite a last-ditch effort kill from Racine, the Mullins/Coker duo struck again and secured the win for North East. “We did well tonight because of the energy we brought as a team. We matched the energy Perryville had and then some, which allowed us to come out on top” Coker said. Mullins agreed, “the passes were up, and the kills were down, we executed tonight.” Mullins logged a game high 20 assists along with three blocks while Coker nabbed two aces, six kills, and a game high five blocks. Gregson led the offense with eight kills as Ungarten recorded five kills. On the Panther’s side, Emily Burchett led the defense with 12 digs while offensively, Alyxia Green dished out 15 assists. Riley Jackson recorded eight kills and six digs as Ryleigh Racine had a busy night knocking in a game high 12 kills. The Panthers finish out the week with tough competition against North Harford and Fallston while the Indians head to Harford Tech in search of a third straight win.

Providence Comes Back to Win on the Road, Downs West Nottingham 3-1

By Megan Steimer

COLORA, MD - The Providence Griffins went on the road to face county rival West Nottingham Rams in Mid-Atlantic Independent League action this past Tuesday, coming away with a 20-25, 25-11, 25-20, 2514 conference win . The Rams jumped out to a 9-4 lead in set one before Providence called an early timeout, hoping to interfere with freshman RJ Bass’ serving streak. Yet coming out of the break, setter Alessia Luconi found outsider hitter Jenniah Odige for a Rams’ kill. The Griffins were able to capitalize on a couple of Mackenzie Unruh aces, paired with some unforced errors on the Rams’ side of the net, to make it a new game with the score tied at thirteen. The remainder of set one was at a dead-

lock, each team exchanging points including two aces in a row for Griffins’ setter Amy Rash to put her team up 20-19 before the Rams were able to break away.

Freshman Casey Bienkowski stepped up to the service line, knocking in five points including a game winning ace to put West Nottingham up 1-0. Set two was all Providence, however. Rash continued to dominate at the service line, recording five aces while finding hitter Unruh for a couple of kills, including one out of the backrow to put the Griffins ahead 24-11 before winning the set to even up the match at 1-1. The action started to heat up in set three though, as both teams began playing more offense by generating attacks at the net. Unruh however, continued her success with backrow attacks including one

that put the Griffins up 1411. Odige did her best to rally for the Rams as the outside hitter recorded three of her six total kills to keep her team in the game, but it was Bass’ late service run that gave the most hope. Down 14-22, Bass rotated to the service line and knocked in six points to bring West Nottingham within two. Unfortunately for the Rams, a hitting error turned the ball over where Unruh capitalized by serving two aces in a row to close out game three to go ahead 2-1.

The Rams needed a set four win to stay alive in an important conference matchup.

Outside hitter Nele Schulke certainly made her presence known for West Nottingham, knocking in four of her five kills in game four. The score would tie on five different occasions before Providence broke away, starting with a

kill from freshman Brooklyn Coleman. The Griffins eventually cruised to a set four win, taking the match 3-1. “We played so well together” said Unruh, “There were adjustments we needed to make though, like with our backrow. We needed a fourth person in serve receive and that worked out.”

Rash agreed, “we definitely needed to change up our serve receive but overall, our chemistry as a team was really good tonight.”

Rash finished the match with eight aces, 18 assists and 11 digs as Unruh recorded seven aces and eight kills.

Odige led the Rams’ offense with six kills and three digs while Schulke knocked in five kills and four digs to go with Alessia Luconi’s six aces and four kills. Both Casey Bienkowski and RJ Bass recorded five aces for the Rams.

photos by Sam Dixon

JV Panthers Snap Losing Streak, Defeat Indians 2-0

By Megan Steimer

NORTH EAST - The visiting Perryville Panthers snapped a six-game losing streak Monday evening, defeating the North East Indians 2516, 25-13 in junior varsity action. The Panthers started off strong with a 6-0 lead behind three Kylie Reeves aces. The Indians would continue to trail before making two and three point runs, en route a comeback midway through the first set. Jordan Ford pushed the ball into a Perryville block where it landed on the court, putting North East within two

and hyping up the crowd as the score read 13-15. However, a few rotations later Mikayla Sorrells served two aces while Ariona Coogan knocked in a kill, putting the Panthers up 20-15 and forcing North East to call a timeout. The break worked as a serving error momentarily gave the Indians ball possession. Yet, a determined Perryville team was able to get it right back, serving their way to a set one victory behind Taylor McGuirk two aces, including one to win the game.

McGuirk continued where she left off,

serving another ace and giving her team a 4-0 lead before teammate Ashley Wilson took advantage of her time at the service line. Wilson knocked in six service points, including four aces to put the Panthers up 11-1 before North East was able to get the ball back. Although they continued to fall behind, the Indians didn’t give up and locked in points by winning possession of the ball. Trinity Cunningham and Page Dugger each recorded aces while Ford strategically tipped the ball over a Perryville block to bring North East within

four points of a tie. Yet, the hopes of an Indians’ comeback were abruptly halted when Sorrells stepped up to the service line for the Panthers. She proceeded to go on a seven-point service run, knocking in two aces during the stretch to win set two and the match for her team. While it may not have been the ending North East was hoping for, both teams showcased their skills and talent in front of a packed gym during a successful Dig Pink night.

photos by Sam Dixon

RISING SUN TIGERS CELEBRATE SENIOR NIGHT

By Kevin Phillips

CALVERT–Rising Sun celebrated seniors Laynee Eyman, Paige Mackey, and Carly McCardell with a ceremony and display honoring the seniors before its UCBAC girls’ soccer contest against visiting Elkton

Wednesday evening at Calvert Regional Park. Eyman enjoyed the display, and she capped the special night for the Tigers’ seniors when she scored in the waning minutes in Rising Sun’s 4-1 win over the Golden Elks.

“It’s always fun. Ev-

ery game is fun. We worked hard as a team. They worked hard on it, and it looked really nice,” Eyman said. “It felt good after all of these years working so hard and finally getting a moment like that.”

Tiger head coach John Hartnett has nothing but praise for his trio of se-

niors.

“We have a great senior class. They are a solid group of kids and help the younger players whenever they can,” Hartnett said. “They are the hardest workers on the team, and I couldn’t ask for anything more from them.”

Rising Sun controlled possession throughout the first half in the contest and took the lead in the game’s 11th minute when Eyman sent a through ball up the field to Cami Mink, and Mink collected the pass and shot it into the upper left corner of the net to make it

1-0.

Hailey Celeste added to the Tigers’ lead when she headed Katelyn Lacey’s cross into the net in the game’s 23rd minute to make it 2-0, and while they controlled the remainder of the continued on C-2

RISING SUN TIGERS CELEBRATE SENIOR NIGHT

continued from C-1

first half, their lead remained at 2-0.

The strong first half was indicative of how the team has played as of late according to Hartnett.

“Our team is putting their best foot forward. They have taken things that we have been working

hard on to heart,” Hartnett said. “Their approach has been good, and the backline has been solid with good communication. Things are clicking right now.”

While the Tigers continued their strong possession into the second half, Elkton actually got back into the game when Sykeia Brown scored on a break-

away in the 65th minute to make it 2-1.

Rising Sun responded quickly, however, when Mink put in a Kaitlyn Lacey pass just 36 seconds later to make it a two-goal game again and make it 3-1.

Eyman scored her goal when deposited a loose ball in the penalty area into the net to make it 4-1 with

less than five minutes left, and Eyman says the Senior Night contest is the start of a critical stretch for the Tigers.

“The last couple of games are crucial for us in order for us to get home field advantage in the playoffs,” Eyman said. “This team is driven to do that.”

Indians hand Panthers 1st loss of season behind physicality, senior leadership

By Victor Hensley

NORTH EAST

- On an evening celebrating North East’s seniors – chocked full of pre-game festivities, teary-eyed parents and signs of support strewn throughout the bleachers –the Indians’ quartet of veterans made sure to deliver a performance fit for its own special day.

Entering last Tuesday’s grudge match with North East (4-4-1), the Perryville Panthers (7-1-1) hadn’t lost a game all season, its closest test coming in its previous clash with Joppatowne on Oct. 6, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

But, with their senior leadership and tenacious attitude leading the way, the Indians capitalized on opportunities to score early and often while producing a clean sheet in the process. And when the dust settled, North East had officially knocked off Perryville, 3-0, to mark the Indians’ fourth-straight win over the Panthers, a streak dating back to the 2018 season.

“We’ve lost some early goals this season, so I’m very happy to see the quick change,” said David Hamilton, the Indians’ head coach. “It was a good start. And we kept it up, actually, throughout the game, so

I’m, overall, impressed with the performance.”

It didn’t take long for North East’s seniors to make an impact.

Less than four minutes into the game, a free kick opportunity for the Indians went awry when Panthers goalkeeper Finnegan Tome came up with a save, but the ball collided with his hands and fell into a messy scrum of blue and white jerseys.

After kicking the ball around for what felt like an eternity, North East senior Darwin Berger found a hole and pounded the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 Indians lead.

Berger’s go-ahead goal was a sign of things to come for the Panthers, who were terrorized by Berger’s physicality all night long.

“They’re a physical team,” said Chris Tome, the Panthers’ head coach, of his opponents. “They’re tough, man, they’re tough. They battle. I love their tenacity. Darwin Berger, if he’s not on the field, it’s a completely different game.”

In fact, as much as North East’s success stemmed from smart offensive soccer – often making smart passes, taking the right shots and maintaining control with outstanding footwork – the Indians’ refusal to shy away from con-

tact was crucial in the upset victory.

The Indians pushed, bumped and tackled their way to a clean sheet against the Panthers, controlling their own penalty box to allow eight shots on goal, most of which were routine saves by goalkeeper Gavin Hawley.

“Their overall attitude, every game we play, it’s very physical,” Hamilton said. “We battle hard, we work hard. It’s just a desire to do well. … It’s just how I want them to play and how they deserve to play every night. They show it in practice and they did it tonight.”

North East was actually forced to play shorthanded for most of the match after a red card was awarded to sophomore Riley Zimmerman in the 29th minute on a physical takedown in Indians’ territory, meaning they had to play with 10 players – instead of the usual 11 – for the remaining 51 minutes of game time.

But, the Indians’ shorthanded status came while they were nursing a 2-0 lead, the second goal of which was scored by senior Corey O’Connell in just the 8th minute, a mere four minutes after Berger’s firstblood score.

O’Connell received a pass about 25 yards away from the goal and took advantage of his track-andfield speed, bolting past the few Panthers defenders in his way just before slotting a powerful shot to the left corner of the net, which Finnegan Tome had no chance of stopping.

While Berger and O’Connell were the lone seniors to score goals in the Indians’ win, that doesn’t mean they were the only ones that were crucial to the team’s success, with Hamilton going as far as to select another – Bryan Millard –as the team’s Player of the Match.

“Bryan Millard, who actually got our ‘Player of the Match’ tonight, our senior, he’s just come back off of a back injury and has been out for four games,”

Hamilton said. “He was phenomenal tonight, just didn’t let anything past him.”

In the second half, North East started things off almost identically to the way it began the game, scoring about four minutes into the half on a rebound goal from sophomore James Ayers that gave the Indians a 3-0 lead with about 36 minutes to play.

From there, it was all about maintaining the big lead.

While Perryville had a few opportunities down the stretch – including a header off of a corner kick that smacked the crossbar before ultimately being kicked away in the 71st minute – the Panthers failed to find the net for the first time all season.

“They weren’t letting us get in the box,” said Chris Tome on his team’s struggles. “They were forcing us to take shots from afar, so when you’re trying to hit balls through traffic from a distance, it’s difficult. Ironically, we worked on it all week, too, because we have been having teams pack the box, parking the bus on us, and we just can’t get goal-scoring opportunities.”

While the Panthers suffering their first loss of the season wasn’t the ideal result for Chris Tome, he said that he’d rather lose to North East – a team with a bunch of players he’s coached in club soccer before – than just about anyone else.

“I don’t mind losing to those guys because there’s six of them that were on my club team,” he said. “And there’s 12 of them that I’ve coached before because they’re all intertwined in Cecil. So, if we’re going to lose to somebody, I don’t mind losing to North East because it’s a bunch of kids I love.”

North East aims to keep its winning streak alive when it hosts Edgewood (18) this Tuesday, while Perryville will look to bounce back on a visit to Rising Sun (6-3).

Photos by Sam Dixon

WOLFPACK HOMECOMING

Written by: Heather Dotson Pics by: Heather Dotson, Kristie Weber, Sarah Fitzpatrick

This past weekend was action packed with big plays and dominance on defense as the Cecil County Wolfpack hosted Homecoming Weekend.

7U Wolfpack started the game fast with a big run by LJ Jones and touchdown run by Jayden Hernandez to jump to a 6-0 lead. Defensively Keaton Somerville was unstoppable with multiple sacks and tackles for a loss. The Pack closed out the game giving up a late touchdown to lose 13-6. Offensive MVP was Jayden Hernandez, Defensive MVP was Julian Taylor and Trench Bully was awarded to Keaton Somerville.

Opening kickoff for 9U start-

ed with Emanuel Dickerson having a 60 yard touchdown. Khaalis Coppock-Bey Jr. also contributed a touchdown for the team followed by Jaycion McClain with a 50 yard touchdown run. Bryson Queen also had a 30 yard touchdown to keep the Pack in the lead. All touchdowns scored were anchored by the outstanding offensive line. Bryson Queen also had two 1-point conversion runs. Khaalis Coppock-Bey Jr. led his team in yards ran with another 65 yard interception touchdown. Defense was led by Asher Moszer with a single sack and David Sailman totaling 3. Wolfpack won 32-0.

11U kicked off with Fallston driving down the field on the first play of the game and scored, giving them a 7-0 lead. But the Wolfpack roared back with some keys plays to stop them on

offense. The Pack pushed down field with 4 min left in the first half, got inside the 5 with 1 min left in the half. With the Pack defense, the team had an amazing goal line stand for 4 straight plays. To start the second half O’Mari Ray threw a pass to Armonee Minter-Caulk as she chopped her way for a 70 yard touchdown. Noah Coursey and Wade Dougherty lead the defense to a stunning defensive stop as it seemed Fallston was driving the ball. Late in the 4th, the Pack was down 7-6 with the ball on the 50 yard line. Led by Quarterback O’Mari Ray, he connected with Minter-Caulk once again for a second touchdown as they went up 12-6. With 2 minutes left in the game Wolfpack’s defensive line put a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback that lead him to throw the game sealing it with an intercep-

tion by Justice David-Jackson who almost took it to the house. Wolfpack took over as the number 1 seed with the huge win over Fallston. Being chosen by his peers and representing the Homecoming Court for 11U was Colston Hilaman. Offensive MVP was awarded to Armonee Minter-Caulk. Defensive MVP was named Noah Coursey with Trench Bully MVP Wade Dougherty. 14U matchup was led by Zion Thompson with a touchdown catch thrown by Quarterback, Kolby Dunn. Zayd Fareed and Kalief Roberts both scored touchdowns as well. Micah Johnson and Jaylen Jones both made fumble recovery touchdowns in the shut out win over Middle River with a final score of 36-0.

Susquehanna Division Cross Country Championships

PERRYVILLE CELEBRATED SENIOR NIGHT AFTER THE SUSQUEHANNA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Rising Sun maintained their spot in the extremely competitive Chesapeake division, securing 6th place (combined boys and girls score). They raced against Aberdeen, Bel Air, Edgewood, Fallston, North Harford, C Milton Wright, and Harford Tech.

Senior Emily Wishart earned 7th in the girl’s varsity race, setting a personal record of 19:55.7 and breaking the 20-minute barrier.

Senior John Ferry earned 7th in the boys’ varsity race, setting a new personal record of 16:34.7.

Almost every runner on the Rising Sun team, whether in the varsity or junior varsity race, earned a personal record or season best at the fast course.

Chesapeake Division Cross Country Championships

By Amanda Callaghan

PERRYVILLE - North East, Elkton, Bo Manor, and Perryville fought at Perryville’s home course, Perryville Park. They were joined by Patterson Mill, Havre De Grace, and Joppatowne for their UCBAC divisional championship.

Dell 4th Place Bohemia Manor 18:30.3

Michael Young 5th Place Perryville 18:31.4

Leanna Rogers 1st Place North East 20:14.6

Skylar Pizzuli 3rd Place Bohemia Manor 21:22.4

The Bo Manor Boys team won the boys' race with 47 points. Junior Evan Wakefield led them with a time of 17:36.5. Junior Daniel Katz of North East earned second (18:13.0), with teammate and senior Aidan McCullough finishing third (18:14.9).

Sophomore Leanna Rogers of North East won the girls’ race, with a time of 20:14.6. Sophomore Skylar Pizzuli finished third in the race (21:22.4).

Maryland 5 Star brings top talent, championship feel to Cecil County

a blast, so we came back.”

Morrison was one of thousands of people taking advantage of the grounds’ tailgating tents, placed strategically along some of the cross-country course’s most exciting jumps.

For new attendees, like those representing Rising Sun Baseball Club, a vintage baseball team based out of Rising Sun, simply getting a glimpse of riders and their horses hurdling obstacles mere feet from their tent is enough to keep them coming back.

“It’s a major event in Cecil County and none of us had been before,” said Greg Rodenbaugh, a local resident and founder of the club. “We all felt like it was a good time to come out and make it a team-building kind of thing. … We’re waiting on the 5 Star because it’s going to be (right in front of us) and it’s going to be awesome.”

Plus, the beautiful weather made it a perfect venue for folks to bring their puppies, too, some of which were a little more familiar with the horses than others.

“I’m sure you noticed a lot of dogs there, that’s sort of what I’ve pushed out, as well,” said Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger, who attended all four major days of the competition. “There’s food, there’s dogs, there’s horses, there’s shopping, and it’s just a beautiful venue, a beautiful vista for people to come and visit.”

With such a prestigious event taking place in Marylanders’ backyard, many veterans in the equestrian community aim to take newcomers to Fair Hill as a trial run, using it to convert them into fans of the sport.

And, with a show as diverse and exhilarating as the one Fair Hill puts on, it’s typically

a success. Take Alex Abella, for example.

Abella is the programs manager for the EquestrAsian Sports Association of Maryland, a non-profit group focused on expanding equestrian sports in the Asian-American community in Maryland, doing so through both education and training.

On behalf of the association, she brought a group of 50 Asian-Americans from around the state to Fair Hill on Saturday in an attempt to show them why she’s so passionate about the sport.

“One of the things we want to make sure to do is follow the generous nature of the horse, which is so inviting of everybody,” Abella said. “Horses don't care what color you are, continued on D-3

Photos By: Scott and Karina Serio

THANK

what accent you have, whether you're tall or short, or where you come from. All they care about is, ‘Are you a kind predator? Are you going to approach me with kindness?

“The fun thing about this association is that none of these people had an interest in equestrian sports, they have never even considered joining equestrian sports,” she continued. “The Asian-American community is very focused on academics, and they look at academics in a very traditional way. … What they're learning is that there's a lot of academics — and a lot of everything in life — in horse sports. If you're going to approach these jumps, you better know the arcs and geometry, you better know your physics.”

The key to Fair Hill’s success is the venue’s ability to cater toward all levels of horse enthusiasts. For the attendees with little to no experience with horses, there are plenty of food trucks, wine tastings, book signings, retail vendors, oversized games and Instagram-worthy opportunities to keep them busy as they venture into the world

- Danielle Hornberger Cecil County Executive

of equestrian sports for (likely) the first time.

Then, for those who have been riding for years and enjoy both the competition and the large supply of equestrian-related shops, Fair Hill has it all: top-notch performances by the best of the best, along with rows and rows of stores carrying gloves, saddles, boots and traditional dress-up apparel.

Courtney and Cindy Bradford, a mother-daughter duo that has been riding horses for decades, were two of the many passionate equestrian fans in attendance, visiting the grounds to not only see a friend of theirs – Sarah Cousins, who competed in the 3-Star event just before the 5 Star – but soak in the entire experience. “We’re horse enthusiasts and we both ride for fun and for pleasure, so we just like coming and spectating and cheering people on,” said Courtney Bradford, who lives in Bel Air and has been coming to Fair Hill off-andon for 10 years. “There are really incredible things that they do at this level with the horses, and it's just kind of amazing to take it in and watch. And, of course, it's always beautiful out here. Fair Hill is a great place to

hike around, it’s a great time of year to hike around and run into people and mooch off of a couple of different people's tailgates.”

Fair Hill is a facility rich in history, having hosted high-level FEI eventing competitions dating back 33 years to 1989.

For decades, Fair Hill operated at a 4 Star level, but in 2019, FEI updated its designation system, creating the 5 Star level. The Maryland 5 Star hosted its inaugural competition in Oct. 2021, which was won by Boyd Martin of the U.S. in a comeback victory on the final day.

In just a couple of short years, according to many attendees, Fair Hill has already upped its game to make the Maryland 5 Star one of the premier equestrian events in the world.

“We’ve been here since it used to just be the Fair Hill International,” said Courtney Bradford. “I don’t mean to say, ‘used to just,’ it was always a fun festival, but they took it up a notch with the 5 Star and added a little bit to it. Cross-country day’s always a bunch of fun.”

continued on D-4

- Danielle Hornberger Cecil County Executive

continued from D-2

“There’s food, there’s dogs, there’s horses, there’s shopping, and it’s just a beautiful venue, a beautiful vista for people to come and visit.”

“This just puts Cecil County not only on the national stage, but on the world stage. It’s pretty exciting stuff.”

continued from D-3

Even some of the sport’s top riders — who have competed all over the world in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and plenty more — praised the cross-country course at Fair Hill, which was designed by legendary course designer and Olympic medalist Ian Stark.

“To be able to come here to Maryland to have

this atmosphere, we don’t always get that,” said Elisa Wallace, the 3 Star competition winner and rider of Renkum Corsair, during her post-cross-country press conference on Saturday.

“And there are a lot of people here, so it was really great to have that championship feel and to get this experience with this horse.”

Though, perhaps the most crucial impact of the Maryland 5 Star is the effect it has on the area

around it, with 5 Star week culminating in a special moment for Cecil County as a whole.

“There’s definitely an economic impact (on Cecil County), for sure. Not only in what people are purchasing at the event … but also, venturing out in our municipalities,” said Hornberger. “This just puts Cecil County not only on the national stage, but on the world stage. It’s pretty exciting stuff.”

“It was always a fun festival, but they took it up a notch with the 5 Star and added a little bit to it. Cross-country day’s always a bunch of fun.”

- Courtney Bradford

By Victor Hensley

FAIR HILL - His place of residence might be more than 8,000 miles away, but Tim Price felt right at home on the course at Fair Hill over the weekend.

Price, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) world No. 1 rider from New Zealand, took first place at the second-annual MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill on Coup de Cœur Dudevin with an overall score of 28.2, finishing No. 1 in both cross-country on Saturday and show jumping on Sunday.

Rounding out the top three were American rider Tamra Smith on Danito (29.8) at No. 2 and Great Britain’s Oliver Townend on As Is (29.9) at No. 3.

“This is actually the most amazing feeling,” Price said on the Maryland Public Television broadcast of the

show jumping event mere moments after capturing the title. “I’ve had some fun days at the office, but this beats them all.”

This is Price’s fifth 5 Star win, but his first on this side of the pond.

After a third-place finish at Fair Hill last year, along with a victory this year, Price said that he’s beginning to become fond of the Cecil County venue, and expects it to become an even bigger event as time goes on.

“This place is a class on its own right now,” Price said of Fair Hill, “plus, it’s got so much potential as it becomes a very well-established event on the calendar, it’s just going to be incredible. These guys know how to run an event.”

Heading into cross-country on Saturday, Price was ranked No. 2 behind U.S. rider Woods

Baughman on C’est la Vie 135. However, the world No. 1 wouldn’t spend too much time out of the top spot, putting on a show on the cross-country course and delivering a flawless performance with an 11:27 time, propelling him to No. 1 by the end of Day 3.

“He was exceptional, really jumped beautifully,” Price said of Coup de Cœur Dudevin after the cross-country portion of the competition. “(The course) ended up quite fun to watch and fun to ride, for the most part, so it was a good course. … We're all on inexperienced horses at this level and it was a good course for that job of educating them.”

Then, on Sunday, Price put together an allclear in show jumping with just a miniscule 0.8 time penalty to maintain his No. 1 ranking and take home the

win.

Perhaps the most astounding part of Price, Smith and Townend finishing 1-2-3 was the experience level of their horses, each of which had never participated in a CCI5* competition prior to last Thursday’s dressage event.

“I think I mentioned yesterday that I was a little bit nervous, like ‘Is it the right thing to bring a horse halfway across the world that lacks experience?’” said Price on Saturday. “But I’ve always believed in the horse and today was the perfect occasion for him with good conditions, a great course that I could just go and try and give him a good education whilst being competitive.”

It’s been a rocky and emotional year for Smith and Danito, who had an accident

continued on D-7

in the barn in January that resulted in him fracturing his withers, putting him out for most of the spring, with his first competition back being just a few months ago in July at Rebecca Farm in Montana.

“He's been low on the competition miles this year,” said Smith of her horse, Danito, “so to have him go out and do that and step up, I was quite nervous.”

Yet, despite this year’s obstacles, Danito put on a breathtaking performance on the final two days, including a cross-country run that rocketed Smith up on the leaderboard from No. 6 to No. 2, a position she held onto firmly with a show jumping clear on Sunday.

“This is as close as I’ve got to the top of a fivestar and I just said to Tim, ‘You couldn’t have had a rail for me?’” said Smith after finalizing her No. 2 spot.

“I’m so happy for my horse’s owner and for my team and for that horse. He’s just little and mighty and amazing.”

Smith bested Townend, the FEI world No. 3, by just 0.1 point, bumping the pair of he and As Is down to the third-place spot.

“(As Is) was lovely,” Townend said after cross-country on Saturday.

“Started off baby, grew in confidence as he went and galloped very easily. … He’s a character. I enjoyed him a lot and he’ll definitely have come on for the run, as well.”

Some of the largest leaderboard jumps on the

final day came in the form of American William Coleman on DonDante (37.0), who went from 10th after cross-country to sixth in the final standings, along with Great Britain’s Harry Meade on Superstition (37.4), who hopped from 15th to seventh.

In the end, though, the stage belonged to Price, who not only captivated the audience at Fair Hill each time he was due to compete – creating plenty of new American fans in the process – but also came away with the $100,000 first-place prize, the largest portion of the competition’s $300,000 prize pool.

“This is my last event of the year,” Price said with a smile. “And what a way to put myself on the bench for a few months.”

1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the coldest ocean on Earth?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What kind of animal is represented by the scientific order Proboscidea?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Greek prefix “pan-” mean in English?

4. MEDICAL: What is the common name for Hansen’s disease?

5. LITERATURE: Which 1970s nonfiction book begins with the line, “We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold”?

6. THEATER: Who wrote the Tony Award-winning play “The Heidi Chronicles”?

7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: The Empire State Building in New York has how many stories?

8. ACRONYMS: In photography, what does the acronym SLR stand for?

9. FOOD & DRINK: Which country produces a cheese called Manchego?

10. HISTORY: Who was the first House Speaker in U.S. history? © 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

10. Frederick Muhlenberg.

9. Spain.

8. Single lens reflex.

102.

7.

6. Wendy Wasserstein.

5. "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (Hunter S. Thompson).

4. Leprosy.

3. "All" (panorama, etc.).

2. Elephants.

1. The Arctic Ocean.

Answers