By Baltimore Sun's GLENN GRAHAM
For the surging Maryvale Prep girls soccer team, midfielder Reese Hatton and goalkeeper Bella Kail each had vital one-on-one battles in the deciding second half Wednesday against visiting McDonogh.
Hatton, a freshman, and Kail, a junior and three-year starter, proved up for the challenge.
Hatton won a 50-50 ball inside the penalty area and stayed poised to score from 15 yards midway through the half. Kail’s turn came with 5:29 to play when she dove to her left to turn away Emma Patti’s penalty kick.
When Kail took hold of the ball with nine seconds left, No. 6 McDonogh’s final push handled, she punted the ball downfield and the No. 8 Lions were soon celebrating a 1-0 upset win in Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference play.
For the A Conference newcomers — the Lions won their third B Conference crown in five years last season before making the jump — the victory against the league’s most successful program was an epic achievement and provided more proof that they do indeed belong in improving to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.
McDonogh, which hadn’t lost a regular-season conference game in three years, is now 2-3 overall and 1-1.
Kail, who made seven of her 11 saves in a frantic second half in which the Eagles pressed and pressed more, was ecstatic to do her part. Last season, the Lions stayed on even terms with the Eagles through regulation before falling, 3-2, in double overtime.
“We’ve been here before,” she said. “This is a big year for us and I knew the PK was really big in the game because if I wouldn’t have [made the save], we would have been tied and our goal was to win this game.”
After both teams were unable to break through in the first half, the Eagles set an urgent tone at the start of the second with quality buildup and scoring chances that went for naught. They had a goal disallowed on an offsides call and sent crosses through the middle, but the Lions’ defense, led by center back Laney Clements, proved sturdy. Maryvale Prep also got a fine performance from junior midfielder Olivia D’Alessandro.
Hatton’s breakthrough first came with quality combination play from the Lions. Just past midfield, Emmy Strine sent a ball forward to Cara Vickery on the right side. She sent a firm square pass in the middle to Hatton, who contested the ball with a defender, won it, and then precisely found the lower left corner for the 1-0 advantage.
“It was a blur,” Hatton said. “It just feel so good, especially being a freshman, to be able to make an impact for the team. I have such a good team behind me.”
Just how far have the Lions come in recent years?
Maryvale coach Colin Devlin guessed it was six or seven years ago when the teams started playing each other, recalling the first game ending with a lopsided 9-1 win for McDonogh.
“We’re excited where we’re going,” he said. “This is a huge win, a huge win and so much respect for that program over there."
McDonogh coach Harry Canellakis felt more urgency from his team in the first half could have brought a different outcome. The Eagles’ strong group of midfielders and forwards — Patti, Grace Hardway, Zoe Lilly-Vidal, Amelia Orso and Parker Kitchel — all had good combinations to create chances, but weren’t able to capitalize.
“We’re getting goals from our midfield, goals from up front, so we’ve got a lot of kids who can score. You don’t want to react too much to a single game and I trust these kids — it just didn’t come together today,” Canellakis said.
McDonogh hosts Ohio power Walsh Jesuit at 2 p.m. Saturday before returning to conference play Tuesday when it travels to No. 3 Notre Dame Prep with game time set for 4:15 p.m. Maryvale has a week off before returning to action next Wednesday when it visits conference foe St. Paul’s at 4 p.m.
