Girls Soccer: Knights and Bears add another chapter to storied rivalry

By Ben Spector
Winning After MidKnight

 

To say that the Middletown High School girls soccer team and the Oakdale High School Bears know each other well would be an understatement.

To say that Oakdale has a reason to dislike Middletown would be also be an understatement.

These two factors will make the match-up between these two teams in the sectional semifinal round of the 2014 Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (M.P.S.S.A.A) 2A Girls Soccer State Championship just a bit more interesting then it normally would be.

These two teams have a long history as multiple players on each team have played with each other at some point during their careers. The club team FC Frederick is the main connection between these two teams with five of Oakdale’s players, including midfielder Anne Marshall and two of Middletown’s players, including defensive stalwart Sarah Kovalchick coming from F.C. Frederick.

Middletown and Oakdale play in the same section, Section I, of the same region, 2A West meaning that there is a high probability that the two will see each other in playoffs. On top of that during the regular season, the Knights and Bears share the MVAL Piedmont Division meaning that they are guaranteed at least one regular season game.

All of this equates to a good degree of familiarity between the two teams, spicing up a rivalry that naturally because of the quality of the teams already had some kick to that.

Another reason that the rivalry between these two teams as intense as it is, goes back to the fact that in five years with a girls soccer program, Oakdale has never beaten Middletown.

For a team that has won state championships before and has had a long history of producing quality soccer players, the only difference between one state title and possibly two or three is Middletown.

Due to the fact that the two teams are in the same section, in the four years that Middletown has been in the same section as Oakdale in the three playoffs that have been completed, Middletown has eliminated Oakdale twice.

The year that Oakdale wasn’t in the same section as Middletown – they won a state championship.

This has created some frustration as the Oakdale side as they just have not been able to crack Middletown no matter how hard they might try.

Four of the Bears losses to Middletown have been decided by the final of score of 1-0, while only one of their losses to the Knights has been by less than a goal.

The Bears and Knights have faced of once this year on Friday October 3^rd, with Middletown taking down Oakdale by a score of 1-0. It was an even match with both teams having control of the ball and getting their shots off.

Middletown would get the win though as off a Kovalchick corner, Middletown junior midfielder Theresa McMunn would head the ball home past the outstretched arms of Oakdale senior goalkeeper Christi LaBella.

The rivalry between these two teams has been intense at times as many a card has been dealt out and lots of pushes and tackles have been shared between the two teams.

Middletown and Oakdale will both look to move on to the sectional final round of the playoffs and all that stands in between the two teams and that is another storied match-up in an intense rivalry.