Inexperience, hard work, sweat, agony, defeat and victory all encompassed the thrills of another junior varsity season. The hours of practice on the fields and courts or the words of guidance from the JV coaches provide the tools for the future.

And, indeed, the athletes excel with eyes on the varsity spotlight next year, hoping to use these experiences to fix the weaknesses and capitalize on the strengths.

We e-mailed the spring JV sports coaches at all the high schools and asked them about the performance of their teams and athletes this season. This is what we heard.

Boys lacrosse

Atholton went 8-6 overall and 6-5 in county play this spring, something coach Wendell Thomas attributed to his team's bonding on and off the field. There were season-long 6:30 a.m. practices, a field trip to see a University of Maryland, Baltimore County lacrosse game and a community service visit to the Sunrise Assisted Living Complex.

On the field, Brett Haas was the team's Most Valuable Player, winning 78 percent of his faceoffs to go along with 15 goals and 13 assists. Andrew Martin was the Raiders' leading scorer with 22 goals and nine assists. Elliott Tarash (19 goals and 5 assists) and Austin Bruns (13 and 5) were also strong contributors on offense. David McGowan scooped up an impressive 94 ground balls.

The team also hosted its first lacrosse tournament, the Norman Flecker Memorial Tournament, and made it to the finals. "As always, my personal goal is to help the kids develop a passion for the game and the rest will take care of itself," Thomas said. "I feel very confident that, for the most part, this was accomplished."

Centennial put together a successful 11-3 season (8-3 in county), including winning the championship of the Norman Flecker Tournament. Coach Warren Michael said that the Eagles "did a great job this year in the classroom and on the field."

Andy Sylvia, who moved up to varsity at the end of the season, led the team with 18 goals and 12 assists. A.J. Duvall chipped in with 15 goals and nine assists. In goal, Ben Canby registered six shutouts and he got help from defenders Mike Sikorski and Justin Cosentino.

After a slow start, Howard finished the season with a 4-7 overall record. Offensively, sophomores Taylor Mooney, Eric Wallis and Joey Ippolitto, along with freshmen midfielders Brock Wendt and John Hunt, led the way. But coach David Smith said that "the strongest part of the team was the defense."

Kevin Kuttler, Kyle Prestel, David Friedman, George Crews and Kenny Brauer were among those that shined in the back. Sophomore goalie Tyler Nicodemus averaged 12 saves a game.

There were a lot of freshmen and inexperiencd players for Long Reach this season, which resulted in an 0-10 record in county play. However, Scott Korzenowski, Paul Hartman and David Foster excelled and were moved up to varsity by season's end.

Led by an outstanding sophomore class, Mt. Hebron finished with a 9-4 record. Among the highlights was a come-from-behind, 8-7, win over Centennial.

Joey Howser was the Vikings' leading scorer, Anthony Wilson led the way in ground balls and faceoffs and Garrison Goth held down things in goal. Other standouts included Paul Walker (21 goals, six assists), Jonathan Iwaskiw, Kyle Dewey, Matt Kanahan, Sam Potter and John Valentino.

"Our success has been a result of a very balanced team," Mt. Hebron coach Steve Beninghove said. "We have improved in each phase of the game every year."

Oakland Mills broke a three-year losing streak by topping Long Reach, 3-0, and Wilde Lake, 4-3, to finish 2-10 overall.

"Although we don't have a lot of kids in our community coming into Oakland Mills with playing experience, we're heading in the right direction," coach Jim Riss said.

The team was led offensively by sophomore midfielder TeShawn Dobie and freshman Austin Soesbee, with each scoring six goals. Sophomore midfielders Alex Doquang and Pablo Fuentes also helped provide pressure on opposing defenses.

Defensively, the Scorpions were led by sophomore goalie Ethan Knister, who had a 56 percent save percentage, and Malcolm Davis, Zach Hughes and Kevin Han.

Finishing with a winning record for the third consecutive year, Reservoir compiled a 6-4 mark in county play. The defense was anchored by defensive MVP Jacob Brandon, along with Zach Darnell, John Held and Tucker Sullivan. There were two players, Alex Cidre (offensive MVP) and Ryan Evans (team MVP) with 30 or more goals on offense.

After a rough 0-4 start, River Hill responded by going 6-2 the rest of the way for a 6-6 overall record. Among the highlights was a 7-6 overtime victory over Reservoir as sophomore Pryce Ancona scored the game-winner. In that game, the Hawks trailed, 4-1, at halftime.

On the season, the offense was led by Josh Post (12 goals, eight assists), Zach Lynes (14 and two) and Brian Tyrrell (nine and six). Ancona (nine goals), David Erskine (seven) and Tim Higgins (four goals, three assists) also helped out with the scoring.

Defense was River Hill's strong point, anchored by goalie Matt Oldhouser (6.27 goals-against average). Chris Rowe, John Seybold, Brian Luo, Mike Cusack, Connor Ryan and Bobby Hogue also contributed to the team's ability to shut down opposing offenses.

There were plenty of bumps in the road during Wilde Lake's 1-9 season this spring, but coach Chris Faires also said there were a bunch of positives. Among the highlights was the team's 8-6 win over Long Reach, where Teka Hayes scored five goals and Alvin Harris added three. "The whole team came together with hustle and hard work (in that win)," said Faires.

Hayes finished as the team's leading scorer with 13 goals and an assist. Bryan Oler also was a force on offense with nine goals and an assist. Alex Hart was the team's player of the year and had a team-best 73 ground balls. Other key contributors were Anthony Christian (47 ground balls) and Evan Eckley (four goals, 34 ground balls).

Girls lacrosse

Atholton concluded a superb campaign under coach Crystal Chandler, going 11-1 overall and 10-1 in the county. Key games included a win over Mt. Hebron, 13-10, and a 9-7 victory over a strong Howard team. Overall, the team racked up 155 goals with help from the versatile Parisa Ayers, who led the team in goals (29) and assists (eight). Other goal contributions came from Michelle Hart (21), Kaitlin Blackwell (20) and Maria Espionosa (20).

The Raiders dominated the midfield, with Mollie Matz and Nicole Lake each obtaining 28 ground balls. Draw controls were led by Lake with 21 and Adriana Vitagliano with 12. Even though defender Mary Marshall only played on JV for half the season, she rallied a strong defense with seven interceptions. Goalie Kelly Shuman also played a key role, stepping up in games against Howard and Mt. Hebron, while also finishing the season with 108 saves.

"All around the team this year was very strong," Chandler said. "We were able to accomplish most of the team goals we made at the start of our season."

Despite some setbacks, the Centennial Eagles were able to put together a successful season. Some of the success can be attributed to the team's top player, freshman midfielder Erica Heaphy, the sound field judgment of sophomore defender Dempsey Gallant, the stick skills of freshman Hannah Wikner and the powerful shot of sophomore Victoria Michel.

Finishing 4-6 in the county and 4-6-1 overall, Centennial experienced some tough losses. The team fell short in the last few seconds against Howard and lost by one goal against Mt. Hebron. Nonetheless, coach Rashmi Bhanot noted that "They were still memorable and learning moments for us." She also said beating River Hill while playing down a player "only taught us that teams working as a team and with heart will prevail in the end."

Glenelg emerged from this season undefeated, going 12-0 in county and 14-0 overall. Sophomore Gretchen Gurganus and freshman Meagan Guthrie led the team in scoring with 30 goals each.

Though they faced tough competition against Broadneck, Winters Mill and Marriotts Ridge, Glenelg proved capable of performing against bigger and faster teams. The Gladiators beat Broadneck, 13-5, and Winters Mill, 6-5. Sophomores Kirby Taylor, Megan Crabil and freshman Meghan Milani controlled the midfield and sophomore goalie Katie Becker excelled in goal with 46 saves on 66 shots. The icing on the cake was a 14-5 victory over Mt. Hebron.

"The team this year ranks up there with one of the best teams I could have," Glenelg coach Chris Beil said. "It goes to show how a team that might not be the most talented on the field makes up for that with hard work and togetherness."

Bringing together a wide range of abilities, Hammond stepped into the season young and inexperienced. However, the team meshed its varying talents together to finish 3-8-1 in the county and 4-8-1 overall.

Sophomore captains Amy Simpson and Sarah Hemler stood as not only the top scorers, but team leaders, as well. Though a novice to the game, sophomore Sam Gailey fueled the competitive team spirit with great hustle and athleticism.

"There were some with great knowledge and experience of the game and some who had never touched a stick prior to tryouts, but by midway through the season, the girls had truly developed into a team of equal ability and potential with a true passion for the game," coach Lee Ann Beall-Read said.

Though finishing with a 2-8 overall record, Long Reach displayed significant improvement in competitiveness and field tactics. Sophomore captains Jess Sachs (midfield) and Lindsay Shaw (attack) served as the engines of the team, using their excellent stick skills to score 16 goals and six assists and 18 goals and nine assists, respectively.

Showing great potential, freshman midfielder Tori Delaney and freshman defender Courtney Glassner both played their first lacrosse seasons, quickly showcasing their natural athleticism to become among the team's top players.

"We were much more competitive this year with the other teams in the county," coach Leigh Langmead said. "Most games were very close, but just didn't go our way."

Oakland Mills experienced a rocky season, finishing 0-9-2 in the county and 3-9-2 overall. Coached by Tina DeLuca, leading players on the team include Nicole Twardowciz (team-high 22 goals), Jamie Twardowciz (15), Becca Martinez-Greiwe (12) and goalie Leanne Hise (153 saves).

Though never earning a county victory, the team's valiant efforts and close games provided plenty of learning experiences.

With only nine returners among its 22 players, this season was a true test of character and perseverance for the Reservoir squad. The young and inexperienced team opened the year 2-7 but turned things around in the middle of the season and posted a 7-4-1 county and 8-5-1 overall record. The Gators finished the season with a 7-0 run.

“With a lot of hard work and a great positive attitude throughout the team, we began to play and act as a team. Everything they had worked on in practice, started to click on the field,” said coach Melissa Frye.

The key playmakers on the field were sophomore midfielders Carley Cobb (30 goals, 18 assists, 48 ground balls), Kara Higgins (21 goals) and Katlyn Axenfeld (19 goals, assist, 41 ground balls).

Catalysts on offense were sophomores Alexandra Quattrone and Grace Monroe, who had an amazingly quick stick, and freshman Katie Westermeyer.

The team’s defense was anchored by freshman goalie Allie Warrick, as well as sophomore Shelby Craiger and freshman Liana Reilly.

“These girls have come so far this season, I can’t wait to see what they will be capable of next year,” Frye said.

River Hill was led by coach Phil Vangeli, who guided his team of eight freshmen and 15 sophomores to a record of 3-8. The Hawks had great performances from offensive MVP Megan Essman, and defensive MVP Kellie Song.

In the statbook, Essman (31 goals, eight assists), Kelly Hosey (20, nine), Taylor Nowaskey (13, eight), and Maya Dillard (12, six) served as the offensive leaders.

Defensive leaders included Song and Meredith Borkowski, while goalie Sarah LeDoux recorded 72 saves in 10 games. LeDoux had a season-high 15 saves in an 11-10 loss to Centennial.

Baseball

It was a rebuilding year for Atholton, which had a roster that included 12 freshmen. The Raiders ended up finishing the season 5-10.

Freshman Robbie Monroe was the team's leading hitter with a .395 batting average and a .491 on-base percentage. The pitching staff was led by sophomore Spencer Pontell, who had 22 strikeouts in 15 innings and a 1-2 record. The team's most reliable pitcher, Karter Seamonson, posted a 2-3 record in 20 1/3 innings with a 5.20 ERA and 20 strikeouts. Other big contributors include vocal leader Kyle Gordon, solid defender Josh Martin and catcher Colin Gordon.

The team experienced a collective surge in a 4-3 victory over Glenelg. Coach Jon Dupski called it "true Atholton baseball," and the team played a nearly errorless game in the field. Robbie Monroe made his first start as a pitcher in that game, throwing 5 1/3 innings and only allowing two runs.

"We have a lot of young talent in the Atholton program and our players improved throughout the entire year," Dupski said. "Defensively (we improved) by going from committing seven errors in a game at the beginning of the season to only committing one to two in the last several games."

Behind the play of 3B Nick Russo, P/1B Matt Hyer, 2B John Terrier, P/OF Saxson Whitt and P/OF Nick Venezia, Glenelg posted a 12-3 record.

Glenelg coach Dave Boteler said Russo was the "best JV hitter" that he saw all year. The third baseman had six home runs and was also a solid fielder.

Terrier was a smart player who was constantly on base. Hyer, hitting clean-up, was red hot at the plate the second half of the season.

Whitt was the workhorse of the pitching staff; Venezia (4-0) did not lose a game all year.

The Gladiators will remember a number of things about the season, including rallying from a 9-4 deficit to score six runs in the sixth inning to beat Howard, 10-9; Russo hitting two home runs in consecutive games; the team getting four doubles and scoring six runs in the first inning against Mt. Hebron to avenge an earlier loss, and beating Centennial, 8-1.

"That was probably our best game overall," Boteler said.

Hammond had its first winning season in 15 years, according to coach Matt Sillers. With an overall record of 8-7, the team won many close games where it came back from one- or two-run deficits.

Memorable wins for Hammond were Centennial, River Hill and Atholton.

Third baseman Dillon Shaw hit over .500 with five home runs, while pitcher Kyle Cheuveront was effective on the mound and at the plate. Zach Hazzard did a great job behind the dish this season, batting close to .400.

Other notable players include Josh Whaley, Kyle Painter, Kevin McHale, Rocco Pianpiano and Anthony Saliero. Sillers said that it was a pleasure to not only observe his player's "growth as baseball players, but also as people."

Howard had its share of obstacles this year, as rain hindered three victories, players moved up to varsity and another player transferred to Long Reach. The result was a 5-7 record.

Before bumping up to varsity, Jake Miller led the team in hitting and stolen bases. Josh Lee, Colin Dyer and Ronnie Paugh led the pitching staff. Tim Reagan, who also was moved to varsity, served as the temporary captain of the team and played a solid second base.

Every great journey begins with that initial step. While Long Reach's 2-11 record doesn't seem impressive, it is an improvement; the Lightning did not win a game in 2008.

Randall Weist played every position and led off every game for the Lightning. Alec Taylor started every contest and pitched a great game against Oakland Mills, which led Long Reach to its first victory.

Jack Souder, a pitcher/infielder, joined the team midway through the season and provided a lift.

The highlight of the season, according to coach Mike Repsher, came in the last game when the Lightning beat Atholton, 12-11. Souder pitched a complete game and had 14 strikeouts. Alex Black led the offense that put 12 runs on the scoreboard.

Marriotts Ridge, a well-balanced team, produced a 10-3 record.

"We hit the ball very well, played good defense and had very good pitching," said coach Craig Blum, who also noted his team's improvement from the first day of practice to the end of the season.

With a .500 batting average and 17 RBIs, Avery Reidy was the Mustangs' leading batter. Shane Davidson (.447, 12 RBIs) was not far behind. Shortstop Brandon Kratochwill set the table as the lead-off hitter (.421). He had 11 steals and scored a team-high 18 runs.

Patrick Watson went 2-1 on the mound with a 2.52 ERA. Ben Ferraro played solid defense at first base and in the outfield. Garrett Blom, Dean Kromer, Chris Giromini and Austin Mast contributed on offense and defense throughout the season.

The River Hill game was very memorable for Marriotts Ridge. The Mustangs led, 7-0, but River Hill scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. Marriotts Ridge scored three times in the eighth inning and held on for the 10-7 victory.

Mt. Hebron, coached by Andrew Bright, finished the season with a flourish, winning seven of its last eight games to go 10-4.

Pitchers Matt Baker (4-0, 2.12 ERA) and Andrew Guiliani (4-2, 2.25), along with bullpen pitcher Steven Mertz (0.00 ERA in 11 innings), were integral to that success.

The offense was led by outfielders Tommy Schenk (.475) and Teddy Trapuzzano (.426, nine stolen bases) and infielders Brian Comiskey (.457, 18 RBIs), Raul Shah and Joey Burke.

Catcher Steven Schultz gunned down 43 percent of runners who attempted to steal on him.

Patrick Graves and Nick Zayatz led an Oakland Mills squad that went 1-14. Both were versatile players. Graves pitching, catching and playing the outfield; Zayatz pitching and playing outfield.

Coach Chris Surendra said the highlight of the season was a 9-4 victory over Long Reach.

With a style both elegant and ebullient, Reservoir concluded the spring 11-4. What really glowed, according to coach Josh Sullivan, was the team's depth and the "overall team contribution."

Sophomore captain Matt Rosenberry, a shortstop, was a great motivator for the Gators. He had a phenomenal season offensively (.478) and defensively and was called up to the varsity with three games remaining.

Catcher Geoff Stone and first baseman Tim Sherman were also pivotal sophomore leaders, coming through with clutch performances.

Danny Klein, a third baseman, was impressive at the plate. He was a freshman, as were the team's top three pitchers -- Lee Lawler, Brad Smart and Brian Davidson.

"Really, this team's future is promising," Sullivan said.

"JV baseball is about getting a group of talented players, most of whom have never played together, to work together as a team," said River Hill coach Scott Engler, whose team went 7-7. Chris Hand led the Hawks in most hitting categories and in many of the pitching ones as well. Twice during the season, he flirted with hitting for the cycle. Hand was in charge of eye black and he was also River Hill's MVP.

Although Scott Karas was built for power, he was also extremely fast and led the team in stolen bases (16). "Scott made a diving catch in left field that was one of the finest I have seen. Definitely, it could have been an ESPN Web Gem," Engler said.

Nathan Norwood played five positions. His speed allowed him to cover a lot of ground in the outfield. He also made a memorable diving catch.

Mas St. George started every game at shortstop and was nearly flawless at the position. He played all but five innings at short; those five innings he pitched. He batted well over .400.

Tyler Simmons pitched two fine games -- a four-hit complete game against Wilde Lake and then a one-hit complete game against Oakland Mills.

"This is the finest defensive team I have coached," Engler said. "We had a streak where we went four games in a row without making an error."

Softball

For Atholton, it was control, concentration and conquest. The team produced a collective effort that led to a 14-2 record.

Captain Rhian Knight energized the team, maintaining an unyielding focus during the game and displaying a commanding presence on the field. Morgan Fleming held the team's highest batting average, showing her teammates how to own the plate when stepping up to hit.

The pitching combination of Christina Eshelman and Rachael Bell made Atholton close to unbeatable.

Centennial went 12-2 in the county this year and the team's two losses were by a combined three runs.

"Our team grew stronger as the season went on," coach Will Klingaman said. "One of our highlights was a comeback win against Marriotts Ridge. Another was defeating Atholton, 2-1, thereby avenging one of our early season losses."

The team's leading pitcher was Sarah Reinhardt, who averaged more than 10 strikeouts per game. Catcher Naomi Prechtl was the top slugger, first baseman Hannah Ouellette had the highest batting average and left fielder Nicole Levine led the Eagles in RBI.

Klingaman also noted that captains Alex Strott, Kelsey Lekich and Grace Colgan all provided leadership both on and off the field.

Skill, flair and leadership were reflected in Howard's record (11-1 county, 12-1 overall). The three returning sophomores and nine incoming freshmen were a talented bunch.

"I expected that we would do well this year, but I never thought we would only give up 28 runs in 13 games," said coach Chuck Rice, who was assisted by Liz Penniman.

Howard was led by Kristin Barnhouse (leadership), Samantha O'Connor (pitcher, pulled up to varsity), Loryn McMillin (28 RBIs), Alicia Grant (.650 batting average, 44 RBIs), Julia Miller (no-hitter) and pitcher Samantha Riesett.

Grant is a player to watch for in the coming years, according to Rice.

"I've never had a group of players come into a program that could do some of the things I was teaching at the community college level," he said. "No one player is a superstar on this team, but as a team they're all superstars."

Howard, which averaged 13 runs a game, couldn't quite reach that number in a 10-9 loss to River Hill. That loss was the only blemish on the Lions' record this spring.

By making things happen on the base paths and playing mostly error-free on defense, Marriotts Ridge put together an 8-5 season.

"This team continued to play tough and aggressive all year long and they never gave up even when being down runs and usually with two outs," coach Brent Ault said. "They just kept fighting to the very end."

As a team, the Mustangs had a batting average of .375 and an on-base percentage of .504. Brandi Hoffman was a team leader with a bat in her hands, hitting .435, along with catcher Kaitlin Paddy, who hit .455. Paddy also threw out 98 percent of runners trying to steal.

Third baseman Nicole Drummond (.355 batting average) and shortstop Megan Hamilton (.355) also provided solid play on offense and defense.

Reservoir (5-10) hit some bumps during the season.

"We had a tough year," said coach Megan Buppert, "but I don't think that's due to a lack of skill. I think the competition this year has increased tremendously and the majority of our games were very close."

Key players for the Gators included pitcher Shannon Kearney, center fielder Alexa Spearman (.497 batting average) and Kristy Barringham, who missed three weeks with an injury, but came back to perform well at second base.

One of the highlights of the season came when catcher Sara Barr threw out a runner attempting to steal second.

Another highlight came in the last game. Reservoir was down, 3-0, going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

"The team really rised to the occasion and we ended up winning, 7-5, in extra innings. It was a fantastic game and a great win for my girls," Buppert said.

Third baseman Polly Adhya was the Defensive Player of the Year and catcher Rachel Fischell was the Offensive Player of the Year for River Hill, which posted an 8-5 record.

Elise Gentile provided a special moment for the Hawks when she got the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh as River Hill came from behind to beat Howard, 10-9, when the two teams met for the second time during the season.

"In the world of sports you have to play every game to win because you don't always get a next game or another chance," said coach Tony Chambers, pointing out that the season was shortened due to rainouts.

This story has been updated.

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