The Home Team by Frederick News-Post

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The Frederick Area Swim Team

offers a competitive youth swim program for swimmers ages 5 to 18 in Frederick County, Maryland and surrounding areas.

OUR MISSION

FAST will develop each swimmer to their full potential.

The FAST program promotes sportsmanship, team spirit, responsibility, and individual achievement to the level of excellence desired by and within the physical abilities of each swimmer. FAST is committed to providing a safe environment for all its members with the welfare of its athlete members as top priority. FAST adheres to SAFE SPORT athlete protection policies and has implemented the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) as required by U.S. Center for SafeSport and USA Swimming.

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ABOUT HOME TEAM

LOCAL SPORTS ARE DEFINITELY

among the many parts of life we’ve gained a greater appreciation for during a pandemic that has altered so much of our day-to-day — and you don’t have to be the sports editor of an organization like the News-Post to agree. What’s the old saying: You don’t know what you have until it’s gone? Well, we just went through a trying year in which very little was happening on the local sports scene. In many ways, all of that inactivity was draining. And, if Frederick County residents didn’t already understand how blessed they were with a sports history and community that is bursting with devotion and talent, maybe they did after those games and events went idle. Here at the News-Post, during the frustrating sports hiatus, we attempted to keep the pride and recognition alive partly through a weekly series called “May the best team win,” in which we summarized the top high school teams in each of the 23 varsity sports and allowed readers to vote for the winners. This publication, The Home Team, recaps that series — and also puts an individual spin on that idea by paying homage to the TOP 10 BEST ATHLETES ever produced by Frederick County. It’s Frederick County’s ultimate Home Team, if you will. The compilation was devised by our sports department and includes a gamut of accomplished performers — from a female sprinting phenom to

a nifty football star to a stellar golfer. Perhaps you believe we left someone off our list in favor of another. Maybe we shouldn’t have capped it at 10. But those opinions are what make these exercises intriguing. See if you agree with us. Debate our list with your neighbors or former Frederick County classmates. Expand it. Put it in order. But, more than anything, enjoy reading about these standard bearers of local sports during a time when we can finally revel in the games once again.

Josh Smith, Sports Editor

ON THE COVER: AP FILE PHOTO OF CHARLIE KELLER, THE MIDDLETOWN NATIVE WHO PLAYED FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES.

Publisher Geordie Wilson Revenue Director Connie Hastings Advertising Director Brittney Hamilton

Designer Samantha Bangh Photographers Graham Cullen Bill Green

Editor Josh Smith Contributing Writers Steve Bohnel John Cannon Bill Cauley

Joe Ferraro Ryan Marshall Greg Swatek Sales Support Manager Noelle Hallman

Multimedia Marketing Consultants James Constantine Mike Santos Talia Valencia Karen Washburn

The Power of Sports Unites Us and Raises Us Higher. Congratulations to all local sports teams and athletes from your Home Team Plumbing Professionals.

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TOP 10 Football

Chuck Foreman BY JOHN CANNON

he rushed for 801 yards and four touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns. The Minnesota Vikings were Su- He was picked for the Pro Bowl, an per Bowl regulars during the 1970s, honor bestowed on him during the first five years in the NFL. and Frederick native Chuck ForeIn 1975, Foreman became the man was one of the reasons why. A Frederick High School grad, first Viking to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season, and he eclipsed Foreman was among the NFL’s that total again in 1976 and 1977 most productive and multi-facduring an era when NFL teams eted running backs during that played 14 games a season. decade. Aside from using spin In 1975, Foreman set a pro footmoves and other evasive meaball single-season record for most sures to break big runs, he’s still receptions by a running back with considered one of the league’s 73, which led the NFL (regardless best pass-catching backs. of position) that season. That year, In an NFL career that lasthe also competed with Buffalo ed from 1973 to 1980, Foreman Bills running back O.J. Simpson to rushed for 5,950 yards and 53 break Gale Sayers’ NFL record for touchdowns and caught 350 pass- combined rushing and receiving es for 3,156 yards and 23 touchtouchdowns in a season. Simpson downs. He played in three Super edged out Foreman 23-22. Bowls with the Vikings, 1973, 1974 In 1976, Foreman became the and 1976, serving as a key offensive first Viking to rush for at least 200 weapon for each of those teams. yards in a game. The next Viking to After starring in football, basket- do so was Adrian Peterson in 2007. ball and track and field at FrederForeman’s numbers declined afick High, Foreman played football ter 1977. He was traded to the New at the University of Miami. SelectEngland Patriots following the 1979 ed 12th overall by the Vikings in the season, and 1980 was Foreman’s last 1973 NFL draft, Foreman immein the NFL. diately bolstered an offense led by The 70-year-old still stays involved eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame with the game, hosting a weekly inquarterback Fran Tarkenton. ternet radio talk show called SPIN Foreman was NFL Offensive IT! with Chuck Foreman. The title alRookie of the Year in 1973, when ludes to Foreman’s spin moves. jcannon@newspost.com

IN 1973

Foreman was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Chuck Foreman played from 19731981, mostly for the Minnesota Vikings, and accumulated 76 touchdowns. AP file photos

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST FIELD HOCKEY TEAM? 2019 URBANA HAWKS RECORD: 18-2, CLASS 3A STATE FINALIST

Urbana had been a power for years, but this was the first time it reached the state final. And rather than just being happy to be there, the Hawks looked like a team set on being the first one from Frederick County in 26 years to win a state crown. Facing dynastic Westminster in the title game at Washington College, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead when junior midfielder Maggie Goodwin scored on a penalty stroke with 20 minutes, 5 seconds left. It was the 100th goal of the season for Urbana’s prolific offense, which was led by Goodwin. Urbana reached the final by beating River Hill 3-1 in

the semis, prolonging a dominant season that also saw it notch a pair of 1-0 wins over Class 2A state finalist Oakdale, including one in the CMC championship game. Goodwin, who led the county in scoring with 28 goals and 21 assists, was The Frederick News-Post Offensive Player of the Year. Riley Clipson was the Defensive Player of the Year, helping the Hawks hold opponents to seven goals in 20 games and post 15 shutouts. Other Hawks first-teamers were attack Maddie Hillman, goalie McKenna Ladson, midfielder Zoe Nelson and defender Ashlyn White. Goodwin, Ladson, Nelson and White were among the many underclassmen who longed to get another crack at that elusive crown.

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TOP 10 Basketball

Joe Alexander

BY JOE FERRARO

jferraro@newspost.com

Linganore alum Joe Alexander made arguably the most unexpected rise to significance at a national level of any athlete in Frederick County, going from an unknown to an NBA Draft lottery pick in just four short years. The fact that Alexander packed on about 50 pounds during that four-year span onto a frame that eventually grew to 6 feet, 8 inches tall certainly helped that meteoric rise. But factors that go beyond the eye test tell much of his story. Alexander’s obsession with basketball never left him, as he doggedly sought access to indoor gyms so he could tirelessly work on his game. Neither did a confidence that bordered on brashness, constantly fueling a belief he could rise to highest level of basketball. After graduating from Linganore, Alexander honed his skills at Hargrave Military Academy, which earned him a scholarship at West Virginia. As a junior, he suddenly burst into the national spotlight by performing well on the biggest of stages against the cream of the crop in college basketball. In postseason play, he averaged 20.3 points and 7.8 rebounds, scoring 34 points in a Big East Tournament win over highly regarded UConn and amassing 22 points and 11 rebounds

in an upset win over Duke in an NCAA tournament second-round game. Alexander’s stellar postseason performance resulted in him forgoing his senior season, and the Milwaukee Bucks selecting him with the No. 8 overall pick in 2008 NBA Draft — the start of what continues to be a basketball odyssey. After averaging 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in his rookie season with the Bucks, Alexander was traded to the Chicago Bulls and played in just eight games the following season. He has since bounced around the entire planet, playing basketball in Russia, Italy, Israel, France and Turkey while sandwiching in NBA Development League stints with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Fort Wayne, Indiana), Texas Legends (Frisco, Texas) and Santa Cruz Warriors (Santa Cruz, California). Alexander enjoyed one of his most successful stints with the Legends, averaging 20.2 points and 8.9 rebounds on his way to being named a D-League All-Star during the 2010-11 season. Seven years later, while playing with Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Premier League, he averaged 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds on this way to earning all-league first-team honors. Alexander currently plays for Ironi Nahariya of the Israeli Premier League.

Named a D-League All-Star – during his 2010-11 season with the Legends

News-Post file photo/AP file photo LEFT: File photo from 2018 shows former Linganore High School basketball player Joe Alexander, center, and his stepmother Li Lin and father Stephen before the start of the NBA draft.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM? 1996-97 THOMAS JOHNSON PATRIOTS

RECORD: 22-5, CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPION A star who would go on to play at an elite level (Division I, NBA), several others capable of contributing when opponents focused on containing that star and an accomplished head coach who knew what it took to guide a team through the playoffs. The 1997 Patriots had all those things, which helps explain how they not only won a state title, but did so by blowing out one of Maryland’s most storied high school

boys basketball programs, Dunbar, in the title game. TJ thumped the Poets, who had won four straight state crowns and 20 state playoffs games, 82-51 in the final. The Poets had no answer for Patriots star Terence Morris, a multi-faceted 6-foot-8 forward who finished the final (and his TJ career) with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks and seven assists, inflicting the same kind of damage against the Baltimore power as he did against pretty

much everybody else that season. Morris went on to play for the University of Maryland and three seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic. Throughout the season, the Dickman-coached Patriots had plenty of contributors besides Morris, too, and many of them helped stifle the Poets. Point guard Hasheem Alexander, who later played for American University, had 17 points and eight rebounds in the final. TJ’s sixth man Randall Jones (who played football for the University of Maryland) and starter Wes Buchanan held Dunbar star Tim Lyles to two points. Junior Chad Dickman, who now coaches Hood College’s men’s hoops team, had 16 points and five assists.

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TOP 10 Track & Field

Debbie Thompson Brown BY BILL CAULEY

bcauley@newspost.com

Debbie Thompson Brown turned a lot of heads when she broke onto the local track and field scene in 1964. The Frederick youngster, as a member of the Frederick Track Club, honed her skills under the watchful eye of coach Jack Griffin. Little did anyone know at the time she would soon become a worldclass runner. Brown, who died in 2019 at the age of 72, ran her way into the Frederick County sports history books in 1964, becoming the first and only county native to reach the Olympics. Her second-place finish in the 200-meter dash at U.S. Olympic Trials earned her a spot on the U. S. Women’s Track and Field Team, which competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Not bad for a 17-year-old Frederick High School student. Brown also held the world and American record in the women’s 60-yard dash in 1965 (6.7 seconds). She accomplished that feat at the 1965 indoor nationals at Madison Square Garden in New York. Back in the early 1960s, there were no high

school girls track and field teams in the state (it was a boys-only sport), so Griffin’s local track and field club was a perfect fit for Brown, as well as many other local girls. As one of the youngest members of the U.S. women’s Olympic team in 1964, Brown’s bid to medal fell short early. She was eliminated in the first round of the women’s 200, but it was only by four-tenths of a second (24.6 seconds) in the third heat. The following year, she won the girls’ 50-meter dash at the AAU Junior Nationals. Brown’s personal-best times were: 100-yard dash (10.5, 1965), 100 meters (11.5, 1965) and 220-yard dash (24.6, 1965). She retired from active running in 1965 to raise a family. She tried to make a comeback in 1969 but was unsuccessful. That didn’t end her desire to stay involved with track and field. Brown later coach track and field at Frederick High School. She also started the Frederick Striders youth track club, extending her devotion to the sport to athletes of all ages.

TOP: Debbie Thompson Brown, left, races against Willye White, two-time Olympian from Chicago, and Jutta Heine, of Germany, at the 17th annual Sun Papers All-Eastern Indoor Meet on Feb. 9, 1963, in Baltimore.

Brown was on the U.S. Olympic team that competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

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TOP 10

Golf

Donnie Hammond

BY BILL CAULEY

bcauley@newspost.com

Ever since he jumped the fence to play a few holes of free golf at the now-defunct VFW Country Club as a young boy, Donnie Hammond was hooked on the sport, which he took to the professional level. The Frederick native grew up near the ninehole course which, for a long time, was the only golf course in Frederick County. Hammond, 63, now living in Heathrow, Florida, has since retired from playing golf on a regular basis, but his accomplishments as a pro have made him well-known and respected in golfing circles around the country. Hammond played golf at Frederick High School, helping lead the Cadets to the 1973 state championship. He went on to play at Jacksonville University in Florida. Hammond turned professional in 1979, playing mainly on the Florida Space Coast Tour, one of many developmental organizations around the country in which young prospects honed their skills in hopes of making their way to golf’s biggest stage, the PGA Tour. Hammond qualified for, and joined, the PGA Tour in 1983. For the next 15 years, Hammond enjoyed varying degrees of success on the PGA Tour. His first big win came in 1986, when he won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, defeating John Cook in a playoff. He finished with a 25-under par 335. Hammond also won the 1989 Texas Open, scoring a seven-shot victory over Paul Azinger with a 22-under-par 258. Overall, Hammond won seven professional events. He’s also played in four Masters Tournaments, where his best finish was in 1986, when he tied for 11th. Hammond played in 10 U.S. Open Championships, tying for 23rd in 1992. He played in five British Opens. His best finish there was in 1992, tying for fifth. Hammond is currently a member of the News-Post file photo Champions Tour, a circuit for senior professional golfers. Donnie Hammond of Frederick watches his ball after teeing off on the third hole at the Kemper Open in 2002.

Hammond joined the PGA Tour in 1983, with his first big win in 1986.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM?

2009 LINGANORE LANCERS

RECORD: 14-0, CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPION This was one of the most thoroughly dominant teams in Frederick County history, and its dominant rushing attack — just one of its many weapons — featured a pair of players destined to play big-time Division I football. That would be offensive lineman Rob Havenstein, who went on to play at Wisconsin and is in his sixth season as right tackle for the Los An-

geles Rams, and fullback Zach Zwinak, who enjoyed a productive career at Penn State. Six players from this team received full rides in college, including Kyle Tucker (Monmouth), Anders Johnson (Bryant), Tyler Thompson (Monmouth) and Alex Eckard (Bucknell). Five others earned Division II scholarships. All season long, Linganore was a scoring machine, averaging 40.9 points a game. Its rushing attack was monstrous, with Havenstein paving the way for backs like the powerful Zwinak and speedy Kevin Myers, who both ran for over 1,000 yards.

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POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST VOLLEYBALL TEAM?

2014 OAKDALE BEAR

RECORD: 18-2, CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPION Oakdale, Frederick County’s newest high school volleyball program, ended up becoming the first team from the county to win an MPSSAA state title. In their fifth season of existence and coached by former TJ coach Jim Dorsch, the Bears beat Rising Sun 25-17, 25-10, 25-18 in the state final, giving Frederick County its first MPSSAA state volleyball champ. In 2014, Oakdale was the 13th Frederick County team (and the fourth program) to make the MPSSAA final four and the eighth county team to reach the final. Why did this team succeed where others fell short, and how did it manage to do so in its first trip to the state tournament? For starters, the Bears had senior Liz Twilley, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter who was named the Gatorade State Volleyball Player of the Year for Maryland and went on to play at the University of Maryland. Her senior year, Twilley averaged 5.44 kills per set (she had 20 in the state final), ranked among the county’s digs leaders with 3.26 per set and had a serving percentage of 96. In her career, she piled up 1,128 kills and had a .301 hitting percentage. Oakdale had two other big contributors in junior outside hitter Abbie Harry and senior setter Londan Caliskan. Harry averaged 4.06 kills per set and 2.37 digs a set, putting her among county leaders in both categories. She also had a penchant for stringing together service aces, something she did in the state final. Caliskan led the county with 10.2 assists per set, finishing with 1,290 in her career, and had 211 in the playoffs. Also, libero Eliza Davis and hitter Cameron Pitts were all-County second-teamers. As the season progressed, it was clear the Bears were a bonafide force. Their only losses came to Middletown, which included Maryland-bound Erika Pritchard, and North Hagerstown, which won the 3A state title that season. By the way, the Bears avenged their loss to the Knights in the regional playoffs.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TEAM?

2019-20 URBANA HAWKS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPION, FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMPION

After becoming the first Frederick County girls indoor track and field team to win a Class 4A state crown in 2019, Urbana accomplished the feat again the very next year. Either of Urbana’s state championship teams could’ve been on this list. But this team’s 77-32 win over runner-up Charles H. Flowers was slightly more convincing than the Hawks’ 68-40 win over Northwest in 2019. Also, this is a rare chance to include a viable candidate from pandemic-plagued 2020, which shut down high school sports for most of the year. The Hawks had a place-winner in 10 of 13 events at the state meet, paving their path to another title. Leading the way for Urbana was Elon University-bound senior and Frederick NewsPost track athlete of the year Piper Jons, who ran anchor legs on winning 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams at states. In the former, Jons surged to erase a gap of roughly 50 meters to deliver the victory. The Hawks also won the 4x800 relay (with University of North Carolina-bound Ella Auderset running the anchor leg) on a day when all three of their wins came in relays. The teamwork that produced those triumphs, cou-

pled with overall depth, removed any suspense from Urbana’s title defense. “We are still the smallest school in 4A. Yet we are still here battling with the best of the best,” Hawks coach C.J. Ecalono said. “That’s the most satisfying thing.” By that point, Urbana had become the team to beat in Frederick County, capturing its sixth straight county-meet crown to tie Linganore (1985-1990) for most consecutive titles. They were loaded with standout performers, including versatile, New York University-bound senior Oni Scott, who earned Frederick News-Post field athlete of the year honors. Scott placed seventh in the shot put and sixth in the high jump at states, while winning the high jump and placing fourth in both the shot put and 55 hurdles at counties. Other Frederick News-Post first-teamers from the Hawks were runners Auderset, Karly McDonnell, Sara Jarman and Lydia Robling and high jumper Ezri Scott.

The 1968 FREDERICK CADETS were voted the all-time best boys outdoor track and field team in Frederick’s history. This Frederick team was part of a dynasty that saw the Cadets win four straight state crowns from 1967 to 1970.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BASEBALL TEAM? 2015 BRUNSWICK RAILROADERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPION, MVAL ANTIETAM CHAMPION, 23-2 RECORD Hard to believe that, heading into the 2015 season, it had been 19 years since Brunswick’s storied baseball program had won a state title. But this was the season that saw the Railroaders end that drought with au-

thority, winning their final 18 games and earning the program’s fifth state crown (and their second under head coach Roger Dawson). While Brunswick repeated as state champ the following season, this team was flat-out dominant.

Leading the way was Frederick NewsPost Player of the Year Andrew Wanger, a junior who contributed with his pitching and bat. Wanger went 6-0 on the mound, including a 13-strikeout four-hitter in Brunswick’s 4-0 win over McDonough in the state championship game. Wanger also batted a team-high .474 with eight doubles, 25 RBIs and 12 stolen bases and had an 0.91 ERA.

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POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST SOFTBALL TEAM?

2011 URBANA HAWKS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPION, 21-0 RECORD

Guess it’s fair to say Urbana entered the 2011 season with some extra motivation after suffering a heartbreaking loss in the previous season’s state semifinals, which ended on a bizarre infield fly-rule double play while the Hawks were rallying. There would be no losses for the Hawks in 2011. Urbana concluded its perfect 21-0 season by beating juggernaut and previously unbeaten Chesapeake-AA 5-3 in the state championship game. Urbana is the only Frederick County team to win a Class 4A crown, and it’s the only team on this list that went undefeated. After getting ousted in the state semis the previous two seasons and never reaching the final before, the Hawks had to face Chesapeake ace Megan Hyson, who entered the game with a 22-0 record and 0.64 ERA. “I was a little bit concerned about

the kids being nervous,” Urbana coach Frank Husson said. “They hit the ball as well tonight as they have in practice. They knew they could hit the best that Hyson was going to throw at them. They came out swinging the bats right from the start.” Urbana jumped out to a 3-0 lead and ended up collecting 10 hits. Sara Thacker led the way with an RBI triple and RBI double. Jessica Trammell had three hits and an RBI, Stephanie Murphy had two RBI singles, and Alexa Murphy doubled. Thacker, a center fielder, and shortstop Katie Sebbane also made fine defensive plays to back Murphy, a senior pitcher who struck out six to earn the win. Murphy was The News-Post Player of the Year, while Sebbane, catcher Kristen Juenger, Thacker and Trammell earned first-team all-county honors.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST WRESTLING TEAM?

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2016-17 MIDDLETOWN KNIGHTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 2A-1A STATE DUAL MEET CHAMPION; CLASS 2A-1A STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS RUNNER-UP; FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMPION

Middletown has been a perennial power for at least the past 10 years, but the 2016-17 Knights were flat-out stacked, featuring a lineup that was rock-solid in all 14 weight classes. Throughout the season, the Knights averaged more than 50 points a match and held opponents to under 20 a match. No wonder Middletown defended its Class 2A-1A state dual meet title in dominant fashion, rolling to a 5619 win over Sparrows Point in the final en route to becoming the first (and so far, only) Frederick County team to win back-to-back dual meet state crowns. Ten Middletown wrestlers qualified for the MPSSAA state championships for individuals, and that group helped the Knights finish second in the 2A-1A team standings behind champ South Carroll. Leading the way was senior Danny Bertoni, who became the first Frederick County wrestler to win four individual state titles when he won the 138-pound crown. Only seven other wrestlers in the history of the MPSSAA state championships have accomplished that feat.

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TOP 10 Baseball

Branden Kline

BY GREG SWATEK

gswatek@newspost.com

There was a fairy-tale quality to Branden Kline’s professional baseball career. In June 2009, Kline was selected right out of Thomas Johnson High School by his favorite team as a kid, the Boston Red Sox, in the sixth round (No. 198 overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft. Instead of entering the professional ranks, Kline turned down a modest signing bonus and attended the University of Virginia, where he pitched for three seasons as both a starter and a reliever and became the first member of his family to graduate from college. Following a productive junior season at Virginia, Kline chose to enter the draft again and was selected in the second round (No. 65 overall) by the Baltimore Orioles on June 5, 2012, making him the first player from Frederick County to ever be selected that high. Being drafted by the Orioles put him on a path to pitch for his hometown Frederick Keys, which he did in 2014 and 2018, when the Keys were Baltimore’s Advanced-Class A minor-league affiliate. On April 20, 2019, after seven injury-plagued seasons in the minor leagues, Kline made his Major League debut for the Orioles. He pitched two innings in relief against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed two runs on two hits after working a 1-2-3 first inning. Over the course of the next two years, Kline made 37 appearances for the Orioles, all in relief. His numbers were not horrible — 41 strikeouts in 46 innings — but they were not good enough to ensure him a spot on the Orioles’ major league roster heading into the 2021 season.

Staff photo by Bill Green/AP file photo

Frederick native Branden Kline had two stints with his hometown Frederick Keys during his minor league career. RIGHT: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Branden Kline throws during 2020 training camp in Baltimore. On the morning of Jan. 13, the 29-year-old Kline announced his retirement from professional baseball in an Instagram post. He thanked the Orioles for the opportunity and then reflected on all of the “life-changing experiences” the game had given him over the span of 25 years, dating

to his Little League days for Frederick National. Kline will now devote his time to being a family man — husband to his wife, Sarah, a highschool sweetheart at TJ, and father to their two young daughters, Adalyn and Avery Jean — in the next chapter of his life.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS SWIMMING TEAM? 2007-08 MIDDLETOWN KNIGHTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 3A-2A-1A STATE CHAMPION After finishing second to Urbana at the inaugural state meet in 2007, the Knights won their first state crown. Middletown accomplished that feat by beating second-place Frederick 230.5 to 181. Leading the way for the Knights was sophomore Katelyn Rossick. At the state meet, she won the 200 IM (breaking her own state record with a 2:09.88) and the 100 free and swam the anchor leg on the winning 400 free relay team. She won the 200 IM and 100 free at the

KATELYN ROSSICK, PICTURED IN 2010

county meet, too, and was The Frederick News-Post co-swimmer of the year. “She is so versatile,” said Knights coach Stacy MacMillan, who praised Rossick’s leadership. “She gets pumped up and she gets the other kids motivated as well as herself. I think that gives her an edge and makes her so special.” Joining Rossick on that state-champion 400 free relay team were Holly Roumeliotis, Sara Hiller and Samantha Miner. Roumeliotis, an all-county first-teamer, also won the 200 free state title.

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Kline was selected right out of high school to play for the Boston Red Sox, but turned it down to attend the University of Virginia.

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TOP 10 Track & Field

Vikas Gowda BY JOE FERRARO

jferraro@newspost.com

He opted to switch from jumping events to throws as a Frederick High sophomore in 1999. It may very well be the best decision Vikas Gowda ever made. Before graduating from Frederick, Gowda set a record at the 2001 MPSSAA outdoor state meet by hurling the discus 200 feet, 2 inches — a mark that still stands 20 years later. He also still owns the sixth- and eighth-best marks in the shot put (586, 57-9½) at the MPSSAA indoor state meet. But for Gowda, a native of India, the list of achievements merely scratched the surface of his potential as he morphed into one of the most revered athletes to ever come out of his country. Over a 14-year international career that ended in 2018, Gowda threw the discus in four consecutive Olympic Games beginning in 2004, becoming the first athlete from his country to make that many appearances. In 2012, he turned in his best Olympic perfor-

mance, hurling the discus 64.79 meters for an eighth-place finish. That same year, he unleashed his personal best of 66.28 meters, which still stands as India’s best mark in the event. Gowda collected the first of his two gold medals at the Asian Championships the following year with a mark of 64.90, and he claimed another gold medal at the 2015 Asian Championships (62.03). Coached by his father, Shive — India’s Olympic coach in 1988 — and receiving funding from the Athletics Federation of India, the 6-foot-9, 300-pound Gowda also amassed four silver medals and two bronze medals in the discus. Training almost exclusively at The John Godina World Throws Center in Phoenix, Gowda also posted two top10 finishes in the world championships (seventh, 2011; ninth, 2015). Prior to seeing his international career take off, Gowda also carried over his excellence in high school to the University of North Carolina, where he won a national title in the discus in 2006.

Gowda threw the discus in four consecutive Olympic Games starting in 2004, becoming the first athlete from his country to make that many appearances.

AP file photos

TOP: Vikas Gowda of India holds up his gold medal for the men’s discus throw following the medal ceremony at Hampden Park Stadium during the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. ABOVE: Gowda competes in men’s discus throw qualification at the World Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing in 2015.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS SOCCER TEAM? 2016 MIDDLETOWN KNIGHTS RECORD: 19-1, CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPION The Knights defended their 2015 state crown with authority, boasting a stingy defense and a spread-the-wealth offense that coach Jeff Colsh put to good use. Middletown’s lone loss came in the CMC title match to eventual Class 3A state champ Urbana, a team it beat earlier in the season (that was the only loss for those Hawks). The Knights gave up just 10 goals all season and posted 13 shutouts, including a team-record 11.5

by keeper Ethan Remsberg (.41 GAA). The final shutout, 1-0, came against Fallston in the state final. Will Miller, an allstate second-team pick, helped anchor the defense. The offense got vital contributions from Josh Woozley (who led the county with 19 goals), Luke Ahalt, Grant Brandenburg, Evan Joseph and Owen Smith, who combined for 45 of Middletown’s 65 goals and 37 of its 52 assists.

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May the best team win... FIND OUT MORE AT FREDERICKNEWSPOST.COM/GOTO/HOMETEAM POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TEAM?

2018-19 LINGANORE LANCERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPION, FREDERICK COUNTY RUNNER-UP After sweating out a one-point win to capture a state title the previous season, it appeared Linganore’s 2018-19 team might have to endure another close call to defend its state crown. But then in the span of about an hour, Linganore got four wins at the state meet. Just like that, the Lancers not only were well on their way to winning the program’s third indoor state crown, but they were in the process of earning their largest margin of victory at a state meet, a 72.5-41 win over runner-up Chopticon. During that productive hour, the Lancers got wins from Carter Holsinger (pole vault, 14 feet, 7 inches), Joey Felton (55 dash, 6.45 seconds), Michael Belmaggio (3,200 run, 9:39.08) and Colby Bannon (high jump, 6-2).

“It was crazy,” Linganore coach Bill Eckard told The Frederick News-Post. “Blood pressure was going all over the place. We started with nothing. We had no 4x800 relay. All of a sudden, we started knocking them down. It was nuts.” Holsinger, a junior, was in the thick of a stellar career. His vault that day was good enough to make the MPSSAA’s state indoor meet top 10 performances list. He would win his third indoor pole vault state crown as a senior before continuing his career at Mount St. Mary’s. Belmaggio, who went on to compete at UMBC, also defended his title at that state meet.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS LACROSSE TEAM? 2014 OAKDALE BEARS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 3A-2A STATE FINALIST, MVAL PIEDMONT CHAMPION, 16-3 RECORD Playing just their third season as a varsity program, the 2014 Oakdale Bears enjoyed a dominant season that saw them become the first Frederick County girls team in nine years to reach a state championship game. Beth Nave, who had extensive coaching experience, built the program from scratch and, despite an 18-5 loss to Marriotts Ridge in the Class 3A-2A state final, was pleased with the rapid progress. “We had expectations to make it here. Maybe not so soon,” Nave told The Frederick News-Post after losing in the state championship. Oakdale opened the 2014 season with eight straight wins, including one-goal victories over Carroll County powers Westminster (where Nave had coached) and Century. And despite moving up to Class 3A-2A, the Bears rolled through the regional playoffs.

Oakdale’s Carly Heine, a junior who later played for the University of Michigan and became a student assistant there after suffering a career- ending injury, was The Frederick News-Post offensive player of the year. She finished with 60 goals and eight assists and was named to the Western Maryland Chapter 2014 US Lacrosse Girls High School All- America team. With so many tal- ented underclassmen, CARLY the Bears remained a HEINE power. In fact, they reached the state championship game again in 2016, becoming the only Frederick County program to do so more than once.

CARTER HOLSINGER

The 2005-06 THOMAS JOHNSON PATRIOTS were voted the all-time best boys swimming team in Frederick’s history. They were undefeated in regular season. Though most teams on our list won a county title, TJ won all 12 events at the county meet.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM?

1997 THOMAS JOHNSON PATRIOTS

RECORD: 18-1-1, CLASS 4A-3A STATE CHAMPION Led by senior midfielder Samantha Meyers, the Patriots won their first state crown and became the first Frederick County team to win a large school state crown. They were ranked No. 12 in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. As for Meyers, she was selected to the NSCAA All-American team her junior and seniors years, was a PARADE All-American and was a member of the USYWNT U-16 team. She went on to play for the University of Minnesota, which was ranked No. 14 in the nation when she committed. Meyers concluded her high school career in eye-catching fashion, finishing with 22 goals and 13 assists for a TJ team that dominated. The Patriots outscored opponents 75-8. Their stingy defense was aided by keeper Gina Ceneviva, who had 13 shutouts and a 0.36 goals against average. This was the first state title for head coach Chuck Nichols, who went on to win another state title with TJ and two more with Urbana. Also, one of TJ’s assistants was Mark Wolcott, who later went on to win three state titles as head coach at Tuscarora.

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We polled the community on who they thought the best Frederick high school sports teams were in history. POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GOLF TEAM? 1972-1973 FREDERICK CADETS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 12-0 REGULAR SEASON RECORD, MPSSAA STATE CHAMPION (ALL CLASSES) This Frederick team is distinguished in many ways. It was the first Frederick County golf team to win an MPSSAA state title, and it was powered by the most renowned golfer to come out of the county, eventual PGA Tour competitor Donnie Hammond. The Cadets also won the program’s only state crown during a calendar year in which the MPSSAA held two state golf tournaments. Frederick beat second-place Magruder — the defending champ — for the title on June 15, 1973. But during the 1973-74 school year, the MPSSAA switched its state golf tournament from the spring to the fall, when it is still currently held. That change might help explain why the MPSSAA record book indicates Frederick won its crown in 1972 instead of 1973 (that’s why both years are listed above for this team). While the MPSSAA has yet to respond to an email inquiry about this issue, it’s possible the organization didn’t make an error but instead tried to avoid confusion by back-

dating titles won in the spring. Frederick’s title came during the 197273 school year, after all. Magruder’s situation illustrates the potential for confusion. After being a runner-up to Frederick in June, it came right back and won the state crown in November 1973. So instead of listing Magruder as both a state finalist and state champ in 1973, the MPSSAA record book lists the team as a finalist in 1972 and champ in 1973. Anyway, let’s look at Frederick’s championship team. The Cadets, coached by Ken Palmer, finished with a two-round score of 627, beating Magruder by three strokes at the University of Maryland golf course. “I think most teams were surprised to see a team from Frederick on top yesterday,” Palmer told The Frederick News-Post back then. “And they were even more surprised that we stayed on top today.” Hammond led the way, placing third overall with a score of 150. The Cadets’ top four was rounded out by Rand Weinberg, Steve Poirier and Dave Gray.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM?

2018-19 FREDERICK CADETS RECORD: 24-3, CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPION

The 2018-19 Frederick Cadets became the first Frederick County basketball team, girls or boys, to win three straight state titles, completing their unprecedented run with a 58-44 win over Baltimore Polytechnic in the final. Technically, Frederick’s string of state championships wasn’t broken — the team reached the state semis the next season but couldn’t continue defending its title because the postseason was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic. During its three-peat under coach Ashley Bush, Frederick had a few vital constants — a full-court press that routinely produced turnovers, a smothering manto-man defense and star point guard Makayla Daniels. The Cadets broke character in the state final, employing a seldom-seen (for them) 2-3 zone defense after seeing Poly players get past them at the top of the key for layup opportunities throughout the first half. That new defensive approach, combined with a

vintage Daniels performance, helped the Cadets bring home yet another crown. Daniels, who went on to become an immediate contributor at the University of Arkansas, had moves and crossovers that could confound defenders, seemingly limitless energy on defense, an ability to set up others with nice passes and a reliable 3-point shot. Against Poly, she had a game-high 26 points along with six steals, three assists and seven rebounds. If opposing defenses understandably fixated on containing Daniels, they ran the risk of getting burned by another Frederick standout, sophomore post player Rose Bubakar. Bubakar erupted against Long Reach in the semis, hitting layups, putbacks and fast-break buckets to get a game-high 27 points. With contributions from others such as Jalynn Montgomery and Rhiana Hall, Frederick didn’t wilt from the pressure of doing something no county hoops team had ever done before.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM?

2013 CATOCTIN COUGARS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPION, CLASS 2A WEST REGION CHAMPION, MVAL ANTIETAM CHAMPION This was the second of three straight titles won by the Cougars, and it’s the only one of three that didn’t see a Catoctin runner win an individual title. Rather than penalize this team for that, it’s better to commend it, considering how the Cougars shook off some late-season adversity. Yes, Catoctin senior standout David Dorsey didn’t

successfully defend his individual title. But he battled back from a knee problem that forced him to miss the county meet, bounced back after being sick the week of states and placed a more-than-respectable third with a time of 16:26.1 on the McDaniel College course. Dorsey’s team-best performance helped Catoctin beat second-place Poolesville handily 61-111. It was

the third state title for him and his twin brother Kevin Dorsey, who helped the Cougars win the 1A title in 2010. “It doesn’t get much better than that,” Cougars coach Terri Gibbons said that day. “This was probably the greatest we’ve ever done at states,” Kevin Dorsey said that day, when he placed sixth. “Everyone did their jobs, above and beyond their call of duty.” Catoctin’s other scorers were Zach Gascho (fourth), Patrick Van Der Cruyssen (16th) and Eric Myers (32nd). The Dorsey brothers and Gascho, who would win an individual state title the following season, earned Frederick News-Post all-county first-team honors.

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TOP 10 Basketball

Terence Morris BY STEVE BOHNEL

sbohnel@newspost.com

award recipient. Morris played two years at Houston and a third year for the Orlando Magic, with two non-NBA seasons in between. The 42-year-old Frederick native had more success in Europe, where he said the style of play fit his game better, where team offense is seen more versus one-on-one play. He played with an Israeli team before signing a three-year deal for CSKA Moscow in Russia in 2008.

When it comes to the best basketball players Frederick County has ever produced, it would be hard to create a list without Terence Morris. Morris spent his high school days at Thomas Johnson High School, where he excelled as a forward and capped off a phenomenal career with a landmark game in the 1997 Class 3A state championship. In that game against Dunbar High School, Morris’ stat line is remarkable: 25 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks and seven assists. The — Terence Morris, Patriots easion draft night in 2002 ly beat the Poets 82-51. Morris then spent four years at the UniverSome might believe that sity of Maryland, where he av- Morris’ professional basketeraged 12.7 points and 6.8 re- ball career is an afterthought, bounds a game, and was part compared to the many greats of a Final Four run in 2002. that have entered the NBA or He was drafted as the 34th played across Europe. overall pick by the Atlanta But those who grew up Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft. with him will never forBut minutes later, he was tradget when he did on basketed to the Houston Rockets. ball courts across Frederick. Regardless, Morris was in a John Schilling, a childhood good mood. “This is what I always want- friend and former teammate ed to do,” Morris said on draft at Thomas Johnson, is one of night. “I’ve got so much ener- them. “Anybody that went to gy right now. I wish I could go Monocacy Middle School play with them tomorrow. I knows that the one rim that’s feel really good.” bent there is because of him,” His career in the NBA Schilling said in an interview didn’t prove as fruitful as his days at Thomas Johnson or at before Morris was drafted in 2001. “I played Church League the University of Maryland, there [recently], and it’s still where he was a two-time all Atlantic Coast Conference there.”

“[Basketball] is what I always wanted to do.”

AP file photo

Terence Morris drives to the basket as Le Mans’ Nicolas Batum tries to block him during their Euroleague Basketball group B match in December 2007 in Le Mans, western France.

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TOP 10 Football

Rob Havenstein

BY GREG SWATEK

tackle for the Rams during his rookie season and gswatek@newspost.com did not allow a sack. The Pro Football Rob Havenstein has never sought the spotlight. But his size and his high-profile Writers of America named him to their job ensure that it is never far away. Havenstein is the 6-foot-8, 330-pound All-Rookie Team. He played well starting right offensive tackle for the Los enough to earn a Angeles Rams of the NFL. He grew up in Mount Airy and attended Linganore High four-year, multiSchool, where he started for three seasons million-dollar contract extension at left tackle and helped the Lancers win the Class 3A state championship in 2009. with the Rams in He went on to play football at the Uni- August 2018. Almost six months later, versity of Wisconsin, where he transihe was playing for the Rams in a Super tioned to right tackle and appeared in a Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. school-record-tying 54 games, including While his physical stature is imposing, 54 starts. Havenstein is approachable. He enjoys That set him up for one of the biggest moments of his life on May 1, 2015, when being around other people and has always the Rams selected Havenstein with a sec- been comfortable in his own skin. In January, Rams players voted him as ond-round pick (No. 57 overall) in the NFL draft. He became just the fourth play- the team’s recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which is awarded to a player er from Frederick County to be drafted who is a role model of inspiration, sportsinto the NFL, and only former Frederick manship and courage. High star Chuck Foreman, who became Havenstein overcame a knee injury an All-Pro running back for the Minnesota Vikings, was drafted higher at No. 12 that cost him the final seven games of the 2019 season and started every game for overall in 1973. the Rams this past season, which was his Havenstein quickly adapted to life in sixth in the NFL. the NFL. He started 13 games at right AP file photos

CIRCLE: Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) during a 2020 game against the Arizona Cardinals. RIGHT: Havenstein (79) in action against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl 53 on Feb. 3, 2019 in Atlanta

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TEAM? 1981 FREDERICK CADETS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS B STATE CHAMPION, FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMPION, TRI-STATE CHAMPION, CUMBERLAND VALLEY ATHLETIC LEAGUE CHAMPION When it came to incl uding a stellar Frederick team from this era on the list, there were plenty of suitable options. Frederick won five straight state girls track and field titles from 1979 to 1983. And each of those years, it also won Frederick County meet titles. But it’s hard to argue against the 1981 Frederick team’s dominance. Take it from Cadets coach Jack Griffin. “This is the greatest girls team in the history of Frederick High School,” the legendary track guru told The Frederick News-Post after the Cadets, under head coach Harry Nogle, won their third straight state crown. His ringing endorsement was inspired by Frederick’s ability to pile up 102 points at the state meet,

easily topping second-place Northern of Calvert County (53 points) and besting their winning scores at the 1979 and 1980 states. That point tally hinged heavily on Frederick’s ability to win all four relays at states, which no outdoor girls team reportedly had ever done before. The Cadets also set state Class B meet records in three of those relays — 400 (48.5), 800 (1:42.4) and the mile (3:56.8). Leading the way was stellar sophomore Diane Thomas, who ran on three winning relay teams and won the 100 hurdles, just some of the highlights she managed before starring at the University of North Carolina. Eraina Bowins also ran on three winning relay teams and won the 300 hurdles. Others on winning relay teams were Leda Sewell, who ran on three, Jennifer Costello, who ran on two, and Alicia Cathey, Pam Horner and Debbie Cina,

who each ran on one. Only 14 of 16 spots on Frederick’s winning relay teams were accounted for in our 1981 article on the meet. Frederick was steamrolling opponents all season. At the Tri-State meet, the Cadets set 11 meet records and beat second-place Thomas Johnson 200-89. At the Cumberland Valley Athletic League meet, they won by 107 points. And at the Region I, Class B meet, they won the title with meet-record 202 points. While Frederick’s 154-124 win over Linganore at the county meet wasn’t lopsided, a 30-point win over a Lancers team that went on to win its second straight Class C state crown wasn’t too shabby. With Thomas and many others returning, Frederick remained a force during this era. And the program churned out more dominant teams in later eras, including a couple more on this list.

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TOP 10 Baseball

Charlie Keller

BY JOHN CANNON

jcannon@newspost.com

Earning a spot on any big league roster is impressive, but outfielder Charlie Keller did much more than that. The Middletown native starred for Major League Baseball’s most storied team, the New York Yankees, in a 13-season big league career that began in 1939. Keller won four World Series titles, was a fivetime all-star selection and had a career batting average of .286 with 189 homers and 760 RBIs. Growing up on a farm in Middletown and possessing strength that eventually earned him the nickname “King Kong,” Keller played baseball at the University of Maryland, where he got a degree in agricultural economics and burnished his reputation as a left-handed slugger who also had speed and a strong right throwing arm. Pro teams took notice, and the Yankees pounced, signing Keller and placing him with the Newark Bears in 1937 before calling him up to the majors two years later. Joining an outfield that included iconic center fielder Joe DiMaggio in 1939, Keller made an immediate impact with the Yankees. The rookie left fielder batted .334 with 11 homers and 83 RBIs during the regular season but saved some his best hitting for the postseason. In the 1939 World Series, Keller led the Yankees in batting average (.438), home runs (three), RBIs (six) and slugging percentage (1.188), helping them sweep the Cincinnati Reds 4-0. He continued to produce over the next four seasons, hitting more than 30 homers with 100 RBIs twice. During that span, he was named an all-star three times, led the American League in walks twice and led the American League in on-base plus slugging percentage once (.922 in 1943). Missing the 1944 season because he served in the Merchant Marines, Keller returned to the Yankees in 1945 and enjoyed his last statistically stellar season in 1946, batting .275 with 30 homers and 101 RBIs. Keller’s 1947 season was abbreviated because doctors removed a slipped disc from the slugger’s spine, and he was never able to put up big numbers again. Keller played for the Detroit Tigers in 1950-51 and returned to the Yankees in 1952, playing two games before retiring. He was elected to the Frederick County and Maryland Hall of Fame. After baseball, he founded Yankeeland Farm and became a horse breeder of pacers and trotters. He died at age 73 in 1990.

AP file photo

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POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS TENNIS TEAM?

1971 WALKERSVILLE LIONS

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: DISTRICT I CHAMPION, UNDEFEATED IN REGULAR SEASON

Many Frederick County teams won the Maxine Murray Trophy, but the 1971 Walkersville Lions actually played for Maxine Murray, the legendary coach who helped shape them into a winning machine and who eventually had a trophy named after her. The Lions won their third straight District I title and went unbeaten for the third straight year. Talking to The Frederick News-Post in 1971, with her team on the verge of completing another undefeated season, Murray said she couldn’t pinpoint why her team was so successful. “The girls just have a keen sense of competition and they like to play tennis. Maybe it’s the courts,” she said, grinning. “We have the worst courts in the county and everyone said that anyone who plays well on our courts should be able to win.” Walkersville player Karen Bachtell had a different theory, crediting

Murray’s coaching for the team’s winning ways. In the story that featured those thoughts, it was re ported that Walkersville’s Ann Poffenbarger had just won her 20th match without a loss over a two-year period and that the Lions’ Bachtell and Kitty Buza had played three years of singles competition without a loss. While having three winning singles players would be impossible for today’s Frederick County teams, since matches are comprised of two singles and three doubles matches, regular-season matches in 1971 included three singles and two doubles matches. The Lions (or the Lionesses, as they were called in the newspaper) capped off their season by winning five of seven matches at the District I tournament at Thomas Johnson — the MPSSAA wouldn’t begin holding a state tournament until 1975.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM?

1991 BRUNSWICK RAILROADERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPION, REGION CHAMPION, FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMPION, MVAL CHAMPION

After being a finalist the previous two seasons, the Railroaders broke through with authority in 1991, rolling to a 24-67 win over runner up and rival Boonsboro and winning the first of three straight crowns. Leading the way for Brunswick was freshman Adrian Unger, who won the individual 1A state title with a time of 19:06.9. She was on the cusp of a brilliant career, winning four cross-country state titles — the first girl to do so. She went on to run for Old Dominion. Right behind Unger at the states was teammate Lora Price, who placed second with a 19:15 and continued her career at Austin Peay. Price won the 1989 state title, meaning this Brunswick team had runners who ultimately accounted for five individual state titles over the years.

Six of Brunswick’s seven runners placed in the top 15 at the 1991 state meet. Karen Carpenter was sixth, Robin Freund was seventh, Cindy Abrecht was 12th and Katrina Peterson was 15th. Coached by Lee and Anne Zumbach, the Railroaders were 11-0 in meets heading into the states. Nonetheless, Brunswick had to deal with nervousness and guard against overconfidence to deliver the program’s fourth state title at the time (the first three came in the 1980s). “I have to give them credit for their success,” Lee Zumbach told The Frederick News-Post. “Mentally, they handled it very well.” Brunswick’s win at the Frederick County meet was also notable, showing how the Railroaders were fully capable of beating bigger schools.

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A point guard who was more than 6-feet tall, Teasley averaged 27 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8 assists and 4.4 steals a game ... finishing her career with 2,233 points. – Teasley’s time as point guard for the Vikings at St. John’s Prospect Hall

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TOP 10 Basketball

Nikki Teasley

BY RYAN MARSHALL rmarshall@newspost.com For Nikki Teasley, before “The Shot,” before the Tar Heels, there was a stretch as one of the most dominant high school basketball players in Frederick County history. As a rookie, Teasley hit the game-winning 3-pointer to give the Los Angeles Sparks a WNBA title in 2002, and was the MVP of the 2003 WNBA All-Star Game. In the YouTube clip of the championship game, Teasley catches an inbounds pass with 13 seconds left and the scored tied at 66. Dribbling up the sideline, she picked up her dribble and looked to pass. When her defender backed off her, she squared up behind the 3-point line and fired with 2.1 seconds left. Bang. Cue the confetti. But before her time in the pros and starring at the University of North Carolina, Teasley was a superstar at Frederick’s St. John’s Prospect Hall (now St. John’s Catholic Prep). An explosive player who played point guard despite being more than 6 feet tall,

she averaged 27 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8 assists and 4.4 steals a game during her time with the Vikings, finishing her career with 2,233 points. Those numbers helped her win the Gatorade Circle of Champions National High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year Award, becoming the first female athlete from Maryland to receive national honors from Gatorade. In 1996-97, Teasley led the Vikings to a 28-3 record, after going 17-0 the year before. After high school, Teasley moved on to the University of North Carolina, where she was the 1997-98 ACC Rookie of the Year and the MVP of the 2000 ACC Tournament. Teasley played in the WNBA from 2002 to 2009, suiting up for the Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, and Detroit Shock. She was a two-time all-star, and led the league in assists in 2004 and 2006. She served as the coach of the girls team at Tuscarora High School for parts of three seasons from 2014 to 2017.

AP file photos

Los Angeles Sparks guard Nikki Teasley, right, drives past Sacramento Monarchs guard Ruthie Bolton during a game in Sacramento, Calif., in July 2004. LEFT: Nikki Teasley (42), with the Mystics, puts up a shot against Indiana Fever’s Tamika Catchings during a WNBA game in Indianapolis in July 2006.

POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS LACROSSE TEAM? 2016 LINGANORE LANCERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CLASS 3A-2A STATE CHAMPION, 19-1 RECORD

The 2016 Linganore Lancers captured the program’s — and Frederick County’s — second lacrosse state crown. And no other county lacrosse program, boys or girls, has won such a title. “When we won, obviously we won it for the boys on the team,” Linganore senior Daniel Ross told The Frederick News-Post. “But at the same time we brought it back to our community, and we put Linganore High School back on the map in the lacrosse world.” Consider Ross one of the main cartographers. After he scored the game-winning goal with 1.6 seconds left in an 11-10 win over Northern-Calvert in the state semifinals, Ross scored two huge fourth-quarter goals to help the Lancers beat Mount Hebron 9-7 in the championship game. Ross, who went on to play at Army, finished the season with 58 goals and 31 assists, leading the county in scoring and earning Frederick News-Post Offensive Player of the Year honors. One of his fourth-quarter goals in the final came on a behind-the-back shot, and he ended up

with 159 goals and 98 assists in his career. His cohort on the other side of the field, junior goalkeeper Kyle Browne, earned NewsPost Defensive Player of the Year honors. Browne had a county-best .692 save percentage to pace a defense that allowed just 4.85 goals a game. With the Lancers forced to kill of a penalty during the final 1 minute, 17 seconds of the game, Browne made the last of his 15 saves. Linganore’s other all-county first-teamers were defenseman Matt Honchalk, senior midfielder Daniel Murphy (52 goals, 11 assists), junior defenseman Anthony Sparacino and sophomore attack Jordan Swoyer (school-record 49 assists and 24 goals), who would be The Frederick News-Post Offensive Player of the Year in his senior year. The Lancers had many other contributors, prompting their coach to praise their ability while downplaying his own. “I’ve preached to them that they were destined for a state championship as long as the coaches didn’t mess it up,” Linganore coach Rich Thompson told The Frederick News-Post.

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POLL: WHAT IS FREDERICK COUNTY’S ALL-TIME BEST BOYS TENNIS TEAM?

2016 URBANA HAWKS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMPION, CMC SPIRES CHAMPION, 14-0 RECORD

SAMUEL SAFDARI During the 2010s, Urbana put together an amazing 83-match win streak, which was snapped in 2019. So by 2016, unbeaten seasons and vying for the county team title (the Hawks won five during the decade) had almost become routine. But with seniors such as singles player Samuel Safdari and doubles players Daniel Yoon and Brady Collins at the peak of their successful high school careers, the 2016 team stood out. In 2016, Safdari won county and regional boys singles titles for the third straight year. He also placed third in

the state tournament for the second time and finished his career with a singles record of 66-6 and overall mark (he played doubles as a freshman) of 83-9. Speaking about Safdari’s threepeat at the county tournament, Hawks coach Jon Walton told The Frederick News-Post, “I told him you should never take anything like that for granted. There are so many good players [in the county], and for a guy to do it three years in a row ...” As for Collins and Yoon, they went 23-1 at No. 1 doubles after winning the county and regional titles and reaching the state quarterfinals. Also, the Hawks got contributions from others throughout the lineup such as Riley Jones, Ojas Phadke, Sid Vanham and Aditya Yadav.

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