The girls soccer team dominated the Glen Burnie Gophers 3–0 in the state semi-finals to advance to the state championships, where they will attempt to achieve the coveted three-peat. This win marks their twelfth consecutive victory, and with the Vikes on this dominant streak, it does not seem like they will be taken down easily.
The Vikes came out strong, as they usually do, controlling the pace from the start of the game. The Gophers tried to play aggressively on defense with quick, fast-paced soccer and had many substitutions to keep their legs fresh and hounding whoever had the ball to pressure Whitman. The Vikes did the opposite and kept cool, calm, and collected. They passed the ball around the Gophers frantic defense and played their own game. This created many opportunities, and although the Vikes failed to capitalize at the beginning of the game, the shots would soon start to find the back of the net. The game’s first goal came from senior captain Riley DeMartino, who has a habit of kicking things off. Junior Evelyn Javers set her up with a through ball past the defense and out in front of DeMartino, where she had a one-on-one and perfectly placed it past the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms, making the score 1–0.
The game went to halftime shortly after the goal, and the Gophers seemed to need a miracle for the game to lean in their favor. Even with a 1–0 score, the Vikes dominated the time of possession, with the Gophers having less than a handful of times they had the ball in Vikings’ territory. The story of the second half did not change from the first. The Vikes continued playing around the Gophers’ defense, creating more chances to score. Yet again, Javers maneuvered around defenders and passed a ground ball into the box, where junior Reneé Miller tapped it for an easy goal. The result was evident at this point in the game, and both teams substituted many players, yet the Vikes weren’t finished. The Gophers started playing even more physically than before, almost as if they were taking out their anger on not only the Vikes but each other, as many of the players were getting chippy at their teammates. This aggression resulted in many fouls, one of which gave DeMartino a free-kick opportunity. DeMartino floated the ball up into the box, where fellow senior captain Sheridan Snow made an astonishing play by heading the ball into the back of the net. This concluded the game, with the Glen Burnie Gophers season ending at the hands of the mighty Vikings.
Javers played an instrumental role in the victory with two assists on the night and is eager to get her to complete the first-ever Whitman three-peat.
“To be able to go to states in all my current years of high school has been surreal, and I look forward to getting a shot at my third ring next weekend,” Javers said.
The Vikes will play the Montgomery Blair Blazers (15–3) in the State Championship next weekend. This will be the Blazers’ first-ever championship appearance and the Vikes third consecutive.
