Kaleah Anderson (Glen Burnie) and Chloe Greenway (Oakland Mills) earned MVP honors in a back-and-forth battle. Anderson got things rolling early, knocking down a three to open the scoring—setting the tone for a game full of shot attempts on both sides. A standout from Anne Arundel showed out as well, making a big impact throughout the game. Anne Arundel led 37-29 at the half, but Howard County came out of the break firing, going on a 12-0 run to flip the momentum. Lauer caught fire in the second half, drilling a logo three and following it up with another from the top of the key. Howard County took a 64-60 lead with just over 3 minutes left and held a one-point edge with 30 seconds remaining. But Anne Arundel responded with a clutch bucket to take the lead late. Anne Arundel escapes with a 69-68 win. 🔥
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Howard County saw two teams make championship appearances and three win their region this season. Glenelg and Reservoir powered their way to have a chance at a title. Howard made it to the state bracket. Here are CSZ’s awards for the best of the county this season: Team of the Year - Reservoir Gators Reservoir tied for the best regular-season record at 16-4 and won a county-high five playoff games. The Gators hit the ground running in December, winning all six of their games and keeping opponents under 40 points in four of them. Their seven-game win streak to open the year showcased that this year’s team would not take a step back, leading the county once again. A January lull, which had a 1-4 stretch for the Gators, proved to be the outlier in the year. Reservoir returned to its winning ways in February and carried that momentum for the rest of the season. Since the start of February, they won 12 straight games, including the playoffs, before the championship against the Poly Engineers. A 57-34 loss to that Poly team ended the playoff run, but Reservoir still managed to defy expectations by remaining at the top of the county. Coach Deb Taylor reflected on what she and her players accomplished this season. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t think we would win as many games as we did…We graduated 2 all-county players and people thought we would be down. Instead, we won our first county championship and made school history,” Coach Taylor said. Most Improved Team - Glenelg Gladiators Glenelg boosted its record by six regular-season wins and eight total this year, turning the page after finishing under .500 in 2025. The Gladiators built early momentum and sustained it this year. They won their first five games of the season with a key one early against a talented Mt. Hebron team. In CSZ’s preseason power rankings, we placed Glenelg seventh with concerns about the team’s defense. The 2025 team had a 3-9 record when the defense allowed more than 40 points. The Gladiators allowed 40 points in the same number of games this season, but showed the offensive grit to overcome it. Glenelg improved by three wins in the stat to have a 6-6 record in those games, including the playoffs. Their playoff journey featured four blowout wins, taking down Southern, Wilde Lake, Frederick Douglass and Williamsport. The dominance carried into the start of the championship game, but Glenelg got outlasted by Manchester Valley, who won its first championship in the process.
Brynn Bauer- 15 pts 4 Rebs Taylor Fique - 9 pts 6 Rebs 4 assists 4 steals Lilah Kresslein - 8 pts 3 Rebs 6 assists Lauren Khuene - 8 pts 2 steals
Glenelg W 13-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlyPuKHDE1M 🏀🏀 ROAD TO UMBC MPSSAA GIRLS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 🆚 (5) Manchester Valley vs (7) Glenelg 📍 UMBC, Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena 📝 Kmillz (MFVAllSportsNetwork) MPSSAA took a different route for basketball states and hosted their main event at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena located on the beautiful campus of UMBC. Seems like it was a new for everything today. New weather as we went from 80 degrees to sleet, rain, and snow. New coach, Maureen Roberson, of the Glenelg Gladiators, as it was her first time bringing her team to a state championship. For Manchester Valley, it would be their program’s first state championship if the won. A new stage was set in a new arena, readying us for some championship basketball. 1ST HALF - When normally you expect first quarter jitters, Glenelg killed that notion starting out on a 9-0 run. They stayed steady knocking down threes and getting some nice floaters. It would take a minute as the Mavericks rallied back from a 7 point deficit, and brought the Mavericks to within two at the half, 22-20. This was due to their impressive defense, making it hard for Glenelg to add points. They applied pressure as the Gladiators brought the ball up court. Also their leading scorer, #4 Brynn Bauer made this possible too scoring a key drives. 2ND HALF - Manchester Valley stayed on brand, adding the same type of pressure to their opponents. Glenelg did put up a good fight. There were pockets of opportunity, and the team stepped up and made plays. However, the Mavericks added the critical points to maintain their lead, winning their first ever state title, 46-39. SUPER PROUD of you Glenelg. You made it far and that needs to be noted. You grind hard, and we know you’re going to learn and be shining again come next season. CONGRATULATIONS Mavericks, blessed to watch you win a states in another sport. First in girls lacrosse, and now ladies basketball. PROUD OF YOU, your hard work and excellence paid off. Continue being great, hope to see many more of these!!! MFV MVP - Brynn Bauer 15pts
On Thursday afternoon, the fifth-seeded Manchester Valley Mavericks faced off against the seventh-seeded Glenelg Gladiators in the 2A Girls Basketball state championship. In the state semifinal round, the Mavericks upset the top-seeded Wicomico Indians 55-31, while the Gladiators took down the Williamsport Wildcats in a 49-32 final. The first quarter of the state championship was all Glenelg, as the red and black led 9-0 after the first five minutes, coming on six early points from junior forward Stephanie Bunker. Despite the lead, the Mavericks got to work. Junior guard Lilah Kresslein, the Carroll County steals and assists leader, explained that neither she nor the team was intimidated by the early deficit, especially considering her squad was used to adversity. “We stayed calm, we never put our heads down,” Lilah said.. Even if a shot didn’t fall or something didn’t go our way… we knew we could do it.” The Maverick offense got a jumpstart from Taylor Fique with 3:03 left in the first, followed by points from Lauren Kuehne and a three from Brynn Bauer to bring the navy and silver within one. Manchester Valley’s scoring run continued through the start of the second quarter with Brynn Bauer knocking down another triple. Following a Glenelg timeout, their offense started to heat back up with the Gladiators going on an 11-4 run led by Bunker and MJ Dabiri. Manchester Valley put a few late points on the board, cutting Glenelg’s lead to 22-20 by halftime. By the break, Brynn Bauer led the scoring for her Mavericks, contributing 12 of the team’s 20 points. Stephanie Bunker had ten on the scoreboard for Glenelg, with Emily Delle Russo and Dabiri each contributing six. The game remained close at the start of the third, with the two teams trading early buckets. The Mavericks’ biggest lead of the quarter came with 1:17 left on the clock, as Taylor Fique knocked down two free throws to put her team ahead by six. Throughout the third quarter, Manchester Valley’s offense was spread around, as six separate players found the net. After losing leading scorer Brynn Bauer to injury, ManVal’s offense immediately got going, bringing the lead back to six with a triple just twenty seconds into the quarter. The Gladiator attack tried to retake the lead, with Bunker tacking on four more points to cut the deficit to just three. However, ManVal went on a late seven point run, with a late three from Kuehne, and three made free throws from Fique. Despite a late show from Glenelg’s Ava Karbacka, Manchester Valley made history, winning their first state championship in program history, as they defeated Glenelg 46-39. After the game, Maverick head coach Heather Wable DeWees was overcome by emotion reflecting on her team’s season. “These kids are like my family. Basketball is a tremendous part of my life, and this is just icing on the cake,” DeWees said. “We’re gritty and we’re small, but we believe in each other and they believe in me as much as I believe in them.” With just three seniors departing, Manchester Valley looks forward to making it back to the big game in 2027.
Manchester Valley found a way to overcome a slow and frustrating start, showing resilience and determination as they battled back to secure an impressive comeback victory. Early in the game, things did not look promising for Manchester Valley. The team struggled to find its rhythm, with missed opportunities and uncharacteristic mistakes allowing their opponent to gain momentum and take control of the early stages. Offensively, Manchester Valley had difficulty getting anything going, and defensively they were forced to spend much of the opening portion of the game reacting rather than dictating the pace. Despite the early challenges, Manchester Valley never lost its composure. As the game progressed, the team slowly began to settle in and find its footing. The defense tightened up, making key stops and limiting big plays that had hurt them earlier. At the same time, the offense started to move the ball more effectively, putting together longer drives and creating scoring opportunities that had been missing in the opening stretch. The turning point came midway through the game when Manchester Valley strung together a series of strong plays that shifted the momentum completely. A key defensive stop was followed by a well-executed offensive drive that resulted in a much-needed score, energizing both the players and the crowd. From that moment forward, Manchester Valley played with a new level of confidence and intensity. In the end, Manchester Valley’s ability to stay composed after a slow start proved to be the difference. Instead of letting early struggles define the game, they regrouped, adjusted, and fought their way back. The victory served as a testament to the team’s resilience and belief in one another, showing that even when things do not go according to plan early on, determination and effort can turn the tide. The comeback win not only secured the result on the scoreboard but also demonstrated the character and toughness that defines Manchester Valley’s team.
Manchester Valley captures the first state championship in program history!
16 minutes into the state championship, the Glenelg Gladiators are clinging to a 22-20 lead over the Manchester Valley Mavericks. After opening the game on a 9-0 scoring run that lasted five minutes, the Gladiators gave away their lead within the first minute of the second quarter. Junior forward Stephanie Bunker leads the scoring for Glenelg with 10 points, while sophomore Brynn Bauer has scored 12 of her team's 20. Stay tuned to NFHS Network for the second half!
Led by MJ Dabiri with 25 points Photo by Maureen Robinson
Seven Howard County teams advanced to the second round of regionals this weekend. The first round of regional games started and finished on Friday across all four MPSSAA classes. Four of the remaining Howard County teams used a first-round bye for an extra week of rest before the intensity of the playoffs ramp up. The other three teams prevailed in matchups against rival county teams. All of the Howard County teams are in the 2A and 3A classes. 2A: Glenelg, Hammond, River Hill Hammond holds the second seed in the West II bracket, standing ahead of the other two remaining teams. The Golden Bears pulled off a thrilling midseason comeback this year, posting an 8-4 record in 2026 after ending 2025 with a 45 record. Their opponent in this second round is the River Hill Hawks. 11-10 River Hill took care of business on Friday with a 65-47 win against 1-19 Wilde Lake. The Hawks will now hit the road to take on Hammond. In their last meeting, the Hawks won late and close in a 56-54 game. The Golden Bears and Hawks face off at 6:00 p.m. tonight. Glenelg are on the other wing of the bracket, coming off their upset win against Long Reach. Three weeks ago on Feb. 5, the Lightning comfortably beat Glenelg at Glenelg in a 67-57 game. The Gladiators appeared to have run out of gas with only one win in their prior eleven games. None of those games finished with a margin less than six points. Glenelg stunned everyone with a 68-62 road win to keep their playoff dreams alive. The path for a Gladiators miracle run will only get harder in the regionals’ second round. Their next opponent is a 12-5 Southern team that remained consistent throughout the entire season. Southern has not ceded an upset loss to a team with a lower winning percentage all season. Glenelg will try to become the story of the MPSSAA playoffs at 6:00 p.m. tonight. 3A: Atholton, Marriotts Ridge, Mt. Hebron, Oakland Mills Marriotts Ridge holds the top seed in North II and earned a first-round bye. Their first playoff opponent is a Franklin High School with momentum. They took down Howard in a thrilling 48-46 showdown, continuing their resurrection from an early-season 1-5 record. Marriotts Ridge will host the second round matchup at 6:00 p.m. tonight. South I number one seed Oakland Mills faces 10-11 Sherwood for its first playoff game. Sherwood routed Reservoir in the first round with a final score of 85-47. The Scorpions will look to bounce back from their county championship loss and regain their momentum for the playoffs. The two teams face off tonight at 6:00 p.m. Across the bracket, Atholton will prepare for a cross-country matchup against Mt. Hebron. The Vikings just secured their closest win of the season against Guilford Park, winning 59-58. They are 6-3 in their last nine and facing an Atholton squad that did not lose a single county game at home. Atholton and Mt. Hebron face off at 6:00 p.m. tonight.
Four Howard County wrestlers ranked in the top 25 in Maryland at 175 pounds. Legacy Wrestling, a news and rankings website for Maryland, put together a list of the best wrestlers so far this season, splitting them into 14 unique lists by weight classes. Atholton, Glenelg, Hammond and River Hill each have a wrestler on the list, making the 175 weightclass the most diverse across the state for Howard County representation. River Hill: Luca Selaru The senior Selaru has put up another strong season so far. He recently had a standout performance at the Falcon Invitational two weeks ago. Selaru went 7-1 and won the third-place match against Archbishop Curley’s Adeoluwa Adewuyi in a 17-12 decision. Selaru has wrestled this season alongside his younger brother Nico, a River Hill sophomore, and the two have been the story of River Hill’s season. Nico also performed well at the Falcon Invitational, taking fourth place at 157 pounds. Hammond: Jaden Assah-Timothy 2025-2026 has been the year of Jaden Assah-Timothy. The senior recorded multiple key milestones across different spots, standing out as the best Hammond athlete this school year. On the mat, Assah-Timothy recently recorded his 100th career win in the Davison Classic, becoming the 175-pound champion in the process. The senior spent his fall playing as the top running back for Hammond’s football team. He rushed for over 1000 yards and recorded 10 receiving touchdowns. Atholton: Thomas MacKenzie MacKenzie is not a stranger to top ranks in Maryland. The junior spent last year on the 165-pound leaderboard and finished the season at 24th. This year, MacKenzie rose up the weight classes and the rankings, placing 20th as of Feb. 1. MacKenzie recently competed at the Husky Duals in one of the best meets of the season. Despite three forfeits in his favor, he picked up a close 4-3 decision against Joppatowne’s Ayden Brown. Glenelg: James McCoy McCoy placed 21st on the Legacy Wrestling list and already achieved key milestones in his young wrestling career. The sophomore joined Glenelg’s varsity team this year and comfortably earned it after an eye-opening season for junior varsity last year. McCoy won the junior varsity county championship last season and rankings across Maryland have taken notice of his surge. Besides Legacy Wrestling, MPSSAA’s wrestler rankings are even more bullish on McCoy, placing him 12th among all 175-pound wrestlers in the state.
On Friday January 16 2026 Howard County had their 2026 Indoor Track County Championship. The River Hills Girls team became 2026 girls county champions. Oakland Mills was second place and Reservoir was third place. Relays: River Hill’s girls 4x800 became county champions. A. Mattes, N. Mohan, L. Virmani, and M. Virmani were the runners in this relay. Oaklands Mill’s girls 4x200 became county champions. R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, P. Buchanan, and G. Osei-Bonsu were the runners in this relay. Oakland Mill’s girls 4x400 became county champions. R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, R. Martinez Romero,and P. Buchanan were the runners in this relay. Additionally they set a new meet record!. This means this team was the fastest in all Howard County indoor championship history. Individual Running Events: Kendall Hall from Long Reach became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 300m. She ran a 39.89, which is a new personal record for her. Additionally she is now the new 9th place girls 300m runner in Maryland and the United States 46th place. On top of that she set a new meet record! This was a great race for her. Marella Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 1600m. Payton Buchanan from Oakland Mills became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 500m. She ran a 1:16.74, which is a new personal record for her. She set a new meet record! This means this is the fastest time run in this event at this meet. Additionally she is the new fifth place in Maryland and 33rd place in the United States. Ava Carr from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 55m hurdles. She ran a 8.52, which is a new personal record for her. She is now the new 15th place in Maryland and 89th place in the United States for this event. Jaidyn Augustine from Marriotts Ridge became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 55m. She became the new 17th place in Maryland and 94th place in the United States for this event. Lauren Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 3200m. Marella Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 800m. Field Events: Ava Carr from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls high jump. Ruqqayyat Gobir from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls triple jump. Manuela Dabiri from Glenelg became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls shot put. She is the new 6th place in Maryland for this event. Hannah McDerment from Reservoir became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls pole vault. She vaulted 10-03.00, which is a personal record for her. Additionally she became the new 12th place in Maryland for this event. Rozelyn Sarfo from Oakland Mills became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls long jump. She became the new 5th place in Maryland and the new 64th place in the United States for this event. Please note titles such as __ place in Maryland/United States are subject to change as more meets happen across Maryland and the United States.
This week features key matchups that could shake up the leaderboard. Get ready for some exciting action! 🏀
Glenelg and Reservoir faced off on Friday in one of the best games this season. The Gladiators looked to tie the Gators for the best record in the county and get their first winning record in 2026. Reservoir had been the standout top team in the county before this game, recording seven straight wins with the closest margin of victory at eight points against Howard on Dec. 19. Glenelg had not won against Reservoir since Jan. 13, 2023. They had not held the Gators to under 50 points in their last six meetings. The two teams proved why this year’s playoff chase should be exciting to the end, going into overtime in the most physical game of the new year. Glenelg outlasted Reservoir in a 52-48 win that stands as their signature game of the season. Defense and limiting Reservoir opportunities provided Glenelg a path to win. The Gladiators recorded 12 steals, tripling Reservoir’s four. Senior Ava Karbacka’s overtime steal sealed the win for Glenelg. Neither team found much success from beyond the arc. The Gladiator defense stifled Reservoir there, limiting them to a 6% from the three-point line. Glenelg performed better there, shooting at 27%, but each offense grew reliant on rebounds and field goals. Reservoir controlled the backboards with a total of 54 rebounds. That nearly doubled Glenelg’s 30 and made each possession critically valuable. The physicality from both teams created an abundance of free throw opportunities. Reservoir capitalized on those moments to keep the game close, shooting at 68%. Glenelg had a challenging schedule on the road to open the year. The first two games of this stretch have boosted them to the top of the standings with a 56-22 win against Guilford Park and an upset against Reservoir. Their CSZ New Year’s resolution centered on being resilient on the road and the Gladiators look to be in full control. Reservoir will go on the road to face Hammond on Wednesday and Wilde Lake on Friday, who combine for a 12-9 record this season. Glenelg closes its three-game road trip with another critical game, facing 7-3 Howard, on Wednesday before returning home on Friday against Long Reach.
Went into OT.
Two Howard County wrestlers ranked in the top five in Maryland at 150 pounds. Legacy Wrestling, a news and rankings website for Maryland, put together a list of the best wrestlers so far this season, splitting them into 14 unique lists by weight classes. Reservoir and Glenelg boast some of the best of the class, joining Mt. St. Joseph, Brunswick and Thomas Johnson as represented schools. Reservoir: Jose Lazo Lazo is fourth on the list and the only ranked Gator across all Legacy Wrestling leaderboards. The senior entered this season after a standout junior year. As a 144 lb wrestler last season, Lazo posted an elite 37-4 record and powered his way to the MPSSAA state championship with key tournament wins. He stormed through the 4A/3A South Regional with a tight 10-7 win against Eleanor Roosevelt’s Leo Foreman. His momentum carried over into the state championship with a tech fall and a five-point win in the first round and quarterfinals. Lazo had to battle in the semifinals against Arundel’s Luca Brown but prevailed with a 3-2 decision. In the first-place match, Lazo faced Northern High School’s Drew Montgomery in the championship and lost to the undefeated wrestler in a 3-0 decision. Lazo earned a silver medal for his performance and should be back at the top of the county for tournaments this year. Reservoir’s next meet is on Jan. 8 against Atholton and River Hill. Glenelg: Josh Choi Choi ranks fifth among 150 lb wrestlers. The senior finished second for a Howard County title last season in the 157 lb bracket and contributed to Glenelg’s 222 team points, which won the tournament. The Gladiators had not won the county team championship since 2022, but they still have six tournament wins in the last 11 years. Choi did not reach the same heights as teammates like Phil Key, but he earned valuable third-place and fifth-place finishes in the regionals and state championships, respectively. After an 8-4 quarterfinal loss to Northern Garrett’s Lucas Wolf in the 2A/1A West Regional, Choi redeemed himself in the consolation bracket, powering his way to a rematch for third place against Wolf. Choi won in a 10-5 decision and pulled off a similar recovery in states. Glenelg is already off to a hot start this season with a 10-2 team record. Their next meet is scheduled for Jan. 6 at Guilford Park.
Howard County basketball returns next week with most teams still in the mix for county glory. For this CSZ midseason check-in, we looked at what each school’s main goal should be for 2026. Note: The listed records are only for games against other Howard County teams. 1. Reservoir (4-0) New Year’s Resolution: Do more of the same The Gators are the best team in the county so far. Their offense is playing at an elite level in each game and the defense matches with a stifling presence. Their closest county game ended in an eight-point win, marking the only time Reservoir did not outscore opponents by at least 17. No team has commanded the court like the Gators and that dominance should extend into the rest of the season. Next up: vs River Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 7 2. Oakland Mills (5-0) New Year’s Resolution: Get ready to hit the road The Scorpions boast the best county record and fully earned that spot. The team has played in sync all season so far, with no signs of slowing down. January will be a tougher challenge for this Oakland Mills squad. Nine of their 13 games for the rest of the season are on the road. Five of their eight January games will be away from Scorpions fans, including matchups against Mt. Hebron and Reservoir. Next up: vs Wilde Lake on Wednesday, Jan. 7 3. Glenelg (4-0) New Year’s Resolution: Stay resilient on the road The Gladiators are the last of the three undefeated teams in county games. Glenelg has comfortably handled its early schedule, which included three road games against rival schools and five total. The road trips will continue through early July, with four in their next six matchups. Staying strong in the next few weeks will set the Gladiators up well for the playoff push, where they play seven games at home in their final nine. Next up: vs Glenelg Country School on Monday, January 5 4. Wilde Lake (5-1) New Year’s Resolution: Give the defense more room to breathe The Wildecats firmly sit in the county’s top tier with a strong December performance. They have limited opposing teams to fewer than 45 points in five of their games. The only outlier, coming against Glenelg, stands as their lone county loss. While Wilde Lake is still playing at an elite level, an offensive step forward could be the missing piece to leapfrog the three teams ranked higher. Their last two county games showed greater separation, with a 20-point win over Atholton and a 12-point win over Mt. Hebron. Next up: at Oakland Mills on Wednesday, Jan. 7 5. Marriotts Ridge (4-3) New Year’s Resolution: Increase possession quality Mustang basketball has been a flashback to a lower-scoring era of high school basketball. The Marriotts Ridge defense has excelled, allowing 40 or fewer points in six of their seven county games. The offense has only surpassed 40 in two of those games and the team won both. With points in short supply, the Mustangs could become a juggernaut with a slightly sharper offense, reducing their need to come through in close games. Next up: vs. Long Reach on Friday, Jan. 9 6. Howard (3-2) New Year’s Resolution: Stay on track The Lions rebounded from a close 52-48 loss to Oakland Mills with three wins in their next four county games. Howard’s offense is leading the way with 45 points in every game and wins each time they score 50. The defense has given the team enough to win and their team formula has provided plenty of momentum for the rest of the season. Next up: at Garrison Forest on Wednesday, Jan. 7 7. Mt. Hebron (4-3) New Year’s Resolution: Shrink the margins against the county’s best The Vikings almost exclusively traded off wins and losses through December. The offense and defense have been consistently solid. Mt. Hebron has handled business against the lowest teams in the standings but has struggled against the top squads. Their -21 point differential against Marriotts Ridge, Glenelg and Wilde Lake is a stark contrast to their +74 in their other games. Playing closer in those matchups is the first step in taking a seat at the top. Next up: vs Atholton on Wednesday, Jan. 7 8. Guilford Park (1-3) New Year’s Resolution: Sustain the holiday momentum The Panthers already matched their county win total from last season with a 48-32 win against Long Reach. While the other games have not gone their way, Guilford Park picked up wins against Green Street and Frederick Douglass last weekend. The team could make school history by securing its first January win in program history. Next up: at Hammond on Monday, Jan. 5 9. Hammond (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Raise the floor The Golden Bears’ 2025-2026 season has been one of a split identity through December. Hammond had a season-best 62-55 win against Atholton before scoring 34 total points across their final two games. They have a +12 point differential in their wins, including a non-county game, and a -104 point differential in their losses. Closing those margins against the county’s best can create more opportunities to keep the pressure on opponents and find ways to win. Next up: vs Guilford Park on Monday, Jan. 5 10. River Hill (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Tighten the defense The Hawks are undefeated when they hold opposing teams to 45 points or less. They have only accomplished that score in one county game and one non-county game. Barring a sudden offensive turnaround, the Hawks will need to lean into a defense that has given the team chances to get more wins. Next up: vs Reservoir on Wednesday, Jan. 7 11. Centennial (1-5) New Year’s Resolution: Revamp the offense The Eagles have performed at an untenable offensive level so far, which has been the defining factor of their season. They have reached 30 points in two of their games. The defense has performed solidly, holding Glenelg to 40 and Marriotts Ridge to 31. Getting games closer will be a key step in a Centennial season turnaround. Next up: vs Long Reach on Monday, Jan. 5 12. Long Reach (0-4) New Year’s Resolution: Improve in-county play The Lightning have exclusively taken care of teams beyond the Howard borders. Against DC International and Meade, Long Reach had their two highest scoring games and their two sharpest defensive efforts. Finding ways to bring that level of play against their rivals will be the only way that the Lightning can climb the standings. Next up: at Centennial on Monday, Jan. 5 13. Atholton (0-4) New Year’s Resolution: Take a page from last season’s book The Raiders struggled in December and stand as one of two teams without a win against a county opponent. They will need better play from the offense and from the defense if their season is to turn around. The 2024-2025 team, which lost its final three games in December before coming back from winter break with a commanding 80-54 win, could be a good source of inspiration. Next up: at Mt. Hebron on Wednesday, Jan. 7
Howard County basketball returns next week with most teams still in the mix for county glory. For this CSZ midseason check-in, we looked at what each school’s main goal should be for 2026. Note: The listed records are only for games against other Howard County teams. 1. Oakland Mills (5-0) New Year’s Resolution: Generate more offense The Scorpions are the last undefeated team in the county, earning that spot with a close 49-48 win against Marriotts Ridge. Oakland Mills will need more point separation to stay at the top of the standings. Most of their games have been within two possessions, including two very close wins against Long Reach and Marriotts Ridge. On an individual level, Daniel Ndiritu ‘27 became the first player to score 20 points this season for the Scorpions, reaching that mark in the final game of the year. Next up: vs Catonsville on Monday, Jan. 5 2. Marriotts Ridge (6-1) New Year’s Resolution: Stay on track The Mustangs are off to a nearly flawless start this season. They have scored 65+ points in six of their seven games and allowed fewer than 55 in five of those games. Marriotts Ridge closed out the year on a particularly high note, reaching a season high of 81 points scored against Reservoir. Next up: vs. Howard on Wednesday, Jan. 7 3. River Hill (5-2) New Year’s Resolution: Win on Wednesdays The Hawks have evened out after a strong 2-0 start against Hammond and Wilde Lake. A tougher schedule has contributed to a 3-3 record in their last six games, but River Hill has developed a clear split based on game time. The Hawks have not won a Wednesday game since Feb. 7, 2024, dropping the last eight across three seasons. River Hill’s four remaining midweek games could determine the fate of their season. Next up: at Reservoir on Wednesday, Jan. 7 4. Mt. Hebron (5-2) New Year’s Resolution: Enjoy being at home The Vikings opened the season with a challenging gauntlet, playing five of their first seven games on the road. Mt. Hebron pushed through and won four of those five. They have six more road games this season, but the final stretch of the season is almost exclusively on their home court, with four games in February as the playoff push intensifies. Next up: at Atholton on Wednesday, Jan. 7 5. Atholton (3-1) New Year’s Resolution: Trust the defense Atholton plays a unique brand of basketball compared to the rest of the county. The Raiders’ defense-first approach has singlehandedly brought their best county start in years. They have allowed an average of fewer than 50 points per game, including just 32 against River Hill. Before this season, they had not won three of their first four county games since 2022. Facing Marriotts Ridge and River Hill proved that this style of play can propel the Raiders into contention. Next up: vs Mt. Hebron on Wednesday, Jan. 7 6. Long Reach (3-2) New Year’s Resolution: Keep up the momentum The Lightning closed out the year on a high note with considerable improvement from last season. A 0-2 start looked like more of the same before a three-game winning streak provided a sharp turnaround. For reference, Long Reach did not have three county wins last season until Valentine’s Day. Next up: vs Centennial on Monday, Jan. 5 7. Reservoir (2-3) New Year’s Resolution: Forget the Marriotts Ridge game The Gators have hovered around .500 all season, with their longest winning streak standing at one game. For the most part, Reservoir has played solid basketball with a good defense and an inconsistent offense. The only outlier came in the final game of the year against Marriotts Ridge, where the team allowed 81 points to the Mustangs. Staying the course can keep the Gators toward the middle of the standings. Next up: vs River Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 7 8. Glenelg (2-2) New Year’s Resolution: Look for more synergy The Gladiators played fewer games than most county teams after a game against Oakland Mills was canceled. With four county games recorded, Glenelg has flashed the pieces needed for contention, but has not been able to consistently put them together yet. They did end the year with everything working in the year’s final game, beating Centennial 55-52. Next up: vs Guilford Park on Wednesday, Jan. 7 9. Hammond (2-4) New Year’s Resolution: Rediscover their offense The Golden Bears spent the first half of December playing well on both sides of the court. They took care of games against Glenelg and Wilde Lake before their season took a turn as the schedule grew more challenging. Games against Mt. Hebron and Oakland Mills closed the year in a slide that came down to the offense’s decline. In their last three county games, Hammond lost each and failed to score 55 points in all of them. Changing that will be their top priority for 2026. Next up: at Guilford Park on Monday, Jan. 5 10. Centennial (1-5) New Year’s Resolution: Trust the process The Eagles’ record is not yet indicative of their performance this season. They lost to River Hill and Marriotts Ridge, but their other games showed a team that should be better than 1-5. In two-possession or fewer games, Centennial has a 1-4 record, with the only win coming in the season opener against Reservoir. The Eagles should see more wins if they can continue to play close and wait for more late-game breakthroughs. Next up: at Long Reach on Monday, Jan. 5 11. Guilford Park (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Tighten the defense The Panthers recorded their first December win in program history against Howard on Dec. 15. Outside of that game, the Guilford Park offense has performed well, but the defense has still not clicked. Against county opponents, they have averaged 59 points scored per game. Their win against Howard was the only time that they did not allow 55 points in a county game. Next up: vs Hammond on Monday, Jan. 5 12. Howard (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Improve in-county scoring The Lions have stepped back so far after their strong performance last year. The offense has not recorded 50 points against a county team once this season and the team’s success is almost exclusively against other schools. Their two best wins came against Crossland and Winters Mill, which were two of their last three games. A Lions’ turnaround this season will only be possible if they can bring that offense to their 12 remaining games in the county. Next up: at Marriotts Ridge on Wednesday, Jan. 7 13. Wilde Lake (0-6) New Year’s Resolution: Turn the page on 2025 The Wildecats have not performed as many would have expected this season, following an 18-win campaign last year. Wilde Lake needs improvement offensively and defensively in 2026. Finding their first win quickly could be the spark this team needs to get back on track for the rest of the season. Next up: vs Oakland Mills on Wednesday, Jan. 7
Game has been postponed due to flu outbreak at Glenelg high school