Leopards find way to satisfy their hunger

November 02, 2005|by JACK HILL III / Staff Correspondent

SMITHSBURG - The Smithsburg girls soccer team knows how to break in a scoreboard.

The Leopards christened the school's new scoring device by scoring goals in the first eight minutes in a 6-0 victory Tuesday in a 6--0 victory over Northern Garrett in the quarterfinal round of the Maryland Class 1A West playoffs.

"I think that the girls came out hungry and ready to play soccer after a 2 1/2-week break," Smithsburg coach Bill Fowkes said. "We're always looking to improving, but we're where we need to be right now. Our overall team speed was too much for Northern Garrett. It was a great overall team effort."

Smithsburg (13-1-1), the West's second seed, won for the 12th straight time and advances to meet thrid-seeded Beall on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the region semifinals.

Shannon Fowkes, who recently made a verbal commitment to play at Western Carolina, scored two of the Leopards' first three goals.

"We came out really intense and we were ready to play," Shannon Fowkes said. "That intensity seemed to spark us right at the very beginning of the game. Everybody has been packing it in on us, so we just went over the top of their defense."

Fowkes put Smithsburg on the board in the first minute with a charge through the middle on an assist by defender Courtney Brown.

Jenna Burns gave the Leopards a 2-0 lead in the fourth minute off a corner kick. Fowkes scored Smithsburg's third goal in the eighth minute from the right side on an assist by Shelby Layman.

Smithsburg built a 4-0 halftime advantage on Layman's goal in the 32nd minute on an assist by Fowkes.

The Leopards capped the scoring witth Chelsea Hoover's unassisted goal just two minutes into the second half and Cara Jordan's score off a corner kick in the 62nd minute.

"Shannon scored to set the tone and the pace for the game," Bill Fowkes said. "That seemed to get everybody fired up for the evening."

Smithsburg outshot Northern Garrett (4-11-1) by a 32-6 margin.

"We came up against a very well-coached and very well-skilled team," Northern Garrett coach John Milbourne said. "I was impressed the most with their ball control and their overall team speed. Hats off to the Lady Leopards. They did an outstanding job."

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