Carroll County high school sports week in review: A look at the top players and performances (April 15-20)

Each week, the Carroll County Times highlights a Team of the Week, five standout players and top statistical performances.

Team of the Week

Liberty boys tennis

Not only have the Lions been unbeatable this season, it’s been a struggle to even score on them. Liberty is more than halfway through a perfect county run at 8-0 in conference and 9-0 overall. When Westminster won the No. 3 doubles match Wednesday, it marked the first time Liberty has dropped a singles or doubles match this year.

Liberty is the two-time defending Class 1A state champion and has a lot of veterans from the title teams leading the way, including Nikhil Andhavarapu, who is undefeated at No. 1 singles, and Arjun Mistry and Hayden Speace, who are unbeaten as the top doubles team.

Honorable mentions

Francis Scott Key softball: The Eagles went 4-0 this week, outscoring their opponents 56-6. They are 12-1 on the season, unbeaten in the county and are currently on an 11-game winning streak.

Westminster baseball: The Owls went 3-0 this week against county opponents. On Wednesday, they became the first county team this season to beat Liberty, ending the Lions’ seven-game winning streak.

Manchester Valley girls lacrosse: The reigning Class 2A state champions are 10-0 and have won 29 straight games dating to last season. They faced one of the biggest tests during their streak Tuesday, when they knocked off previously unbeaten Century in overtime, 6-5.

5-star players

Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, girls lacrosse: The reigning Carroll County Times Player of the Year had a clutch week. On Tuesday, she scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the Mavericks’ win over Century. She followed with a six-goal effort Friday in a nonconference game against Mt. Hebron.

Will Mollman, Westminster, baseball : Mollman was a catalyst in the Owls’ unbeaten week. In three county games, Mollman went a combined 5-for-8 with a pair of triples and a home run. He totaled 11 RBIs, including five in last Monday’s win over Winters Mill. He’s hitting .447 (17-for-38) with 20 RBIs on the season.

Emma Taff, Francis Scott Key, softball: The Eagles’ senior leadoff hitter recorded her 100th career hit in last Monday’s win over South Carroll. In four games last week, Taff went a combined 7-for-13 with two doubles and a home run. She drove in six runs and scored 10 runs.

Mady Smith, Liberty, girls lacrosse: The county’s assist leader got some clutch goals, scoring an overtime game-winner last Monday against Urbana. She added five goals and three assists Tuesday against Boonsboro and a goal and five assists in Thursday’s win over South Carroll.

Keira Cooper, Francis Scott Key, girls track and field: Cooper jumped a personal-best 15 feet, 2 3/4 inches to win the long jump at Saturday’s Talley Zimmerman Invitational at Walkersville. She also placed second in the triple jump at the event. She won both events Wednesday at the Westminster jamboree, which featured six of the county’s seven public schools.

Related Articles

• CCT High School Sports | No. 8 Liberty girls lacrosse keeps composure, rallies past South Carroll, 14-10: ‘Trust is kind of the key’
• CCT High School Sports | Liberty softball seniors have a special day in 9-3 victory over Westminster
• CCT High School Sports | Emma Penczek scores game-winning goal as No. 3 Manchester Valley girls lacrosse defeats No. 9 Century, 6-5
• CCT High School Sports | No. 8 Liberty baseball sticks to the plan, beats rival Century, 2-1
• CCT High School Sports | Carroll County high school girls and boys lacrosse stat leaders (April 15)

Top performances

Boys lacrosse

Most goals in a game

5 — RIley Wicklein, Liberty, April 16 vs. Boonsboro

5 — Gavin Reid, Manchester Valley, April 18 vs. Francis Scott Key

4 — Camden Deming, Winters Mill, April 16 vs. South Carroll

4 — Andrew Owens, Winters Mill, April 16 vs. South Carroll

4 — Caden Petrucci, South Carroll, April 18 vs. Liberty

Girls lacrosse

Most goals in a game

12 — Leah Miller, South Carroll, April 16 vs. Winters Mill

6 — Brinley Tozer, Westminster, April 16 vs. Francis Scott Key

6 — Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, April 19 vs. Mt. Hebron

5 — Kaitlin Clements, Winters Mill, April 16 vs. South Carroll

5 — Mady Smith, Liberty, April 16 vs. Boonsboro

Baseball

Most hits in a game

3 — 12 players tied

Most RBIs in a game

5 — Will Mollman, Westminster, April 15 vs. Winters Mill

4 — Tyler Vonella, Manchester Valley, April 20 vs. Winters Mill

Most strikeouts in a game pitching

10 — Gene Magin, Manchester Valley, April 19 vs. Liberty

9 — Josh Pribulick, Century, April 17 vs. Century

7 — Nate Hobbs, Francis Scott Key, April 15 vs. South Carroll

Softball

Most hits in a game

4 — Emma Taff, Francis Scott Key, April 18 vs. Brunswick

3 — 14 players tied

Most RBIs in a game

4 — Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, April 15 vs. South Carroll

4 — Madi Rill, Francis Scott Key, April 15 vs. South Carroll

4 — Brianna Witter, Westminster, April 15 vs. Winters Mill

3 — 10 players tied

Most strikeouts in a game pitching

11 — Hailey Facchine, Manchester Valley, April 15 vs. Oakdale

11 — Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, April 18 vs. Brunswick

10 — Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, April 15 vs. South Carroll

10 — Jordan Currie, Century, April 17 vs. Century

Stats and performances are compiled from game reports submitted nightly by county coaches. Coaches are encouraged to submit results after all games to mdscores@baltsun.com , sports editor Anthony Maluso and county beat reporter Timothy Dashiell.