Howard County returns a plethora of talent across the board in all fall varsity sports.
With the new season underway, here are some players to watch for every fall sport.
Football
Tyler Bell, Atholton, senior
Bell is a veteran signal caller entering his third season as the Raiders’ starting quarterback. An athletic dual-threat, Bell is coming off an impressive junior season where he led the county in passing yards (1,143) with 11 touchdowns, also rushing for 330 yards and three scores on the ground.
Khalib Chen-Cokley, Atholton, senior
Cokley is a big physical guard who finished his junior season with 16 pancake blocks. The veteran also plays defensive tackle and finished with 25 tackles and two sacks last season.
Jaydin Gore, Wilde Lake, junior
First team All-County each of the last two seasons, Gore is a ballhawk in the secondary. He finished with a county-leading seven interceptions last season, also with 30 tackles and four pass break ups.
Markus Hollis, Marriotts Ridge, senior
A second team All-County defensive lineman last season, Hollis is a force to be reckoned with up front. He is the unquestioned leader of the Mustangs’ defense and also plays both ways as a tight end.
Damarcus Howard-Brown, Guilford Park, junior
Howard-Brown was the leader in the secondary for the Panthers in his first varsity season. He was second team All-County and finished with 34 tackles, including six for loss and three interceptions.
Darius Moore, Howard, senior
Moore is the heartbeat of the Lions’ offense as a dynamic rushing threat. He is a multi-time first team All-County selection, finishing with 1,101 rushing yards and eight touchdowns last season in 10 games. The senior is also a key player on Howard’s defense from his linebacker spot.
Emmanuel Oluremi, Oakland Mills, senior
Oluremi is an anchor up front on both lines for the Scorpions. He was named a second team All-County defensive lineman as a junior and will be a focal point in both trenches.
Kristin Rogers, Oakland Mills, senior
Rogers is a force in the secondary for the Scorpions alongside fellow senior Taamir Oliver and makes up a lethal one-two combination on the backend. The senior finished with 43 tackles as well as a team-high four interceptions and four pass breakups last season, also a two-way starter at wide receiver and tight end.
Reece Thimote, Long Reach, senior
Thimote is the centerpiece of the Lightning’s offense and is also a key player in the secondary. He ran for 608 yards and nine touchdowns last season and added 26 tackles and four interceptions.
Cruz Tsabang, Reservoir, senior
Second team All-County as an athlete last season, Tsabang is the Swiss-army knife for the Gators’ offense. He will be utilized in a variety of roles and is the team’s top offensive weapon.
Boys soccer
Vishnu Almli, Glenelg, senior
Almli is the Gladiators’ defensive leader, named second team All-County as a junior. He consistently marks some of the opposition’s best.
Jake Hammond, Marriotts Ridge, junior
Hammond stood out as an underclassman for the Mustangs last fall and was second team All-County. With Marriotts Ridge graduating a lot of its scoring from last season, Hammond will be one of the team’s top offensive options this season at midfield.
Eben Koffi, Howard, senior
Koffi is a vital part of Howard’s midfield both for his experience and goal-scoring capability. He was named second team All-County as a junior last season.
Luke Martinez, River Hill, senior
Martinez is a three-year starter, a pivotal piece on the Hawks’ state championship defense that allowed just 14 goals last season. He also showcased strong offensive capabilities, generating opportunities on the counterattack with four goals.
Rishabh Nambiar, Howard, senior
Nambiar is Howard’s other returning All-County midfielder, a second teamer as a junior last fall. He’ll be an important piece for the Lions’ attack this season.
Ian Radtke, Centennial, senior
Radtke was named second team All-County as a junior and is expected to play a key role at forward this season as Centennial aims to make another deep postseason run.
Drew Richman, Atholton, senior
While many of last season’s top goalies graduated, Richman is the lone returning All-County goalie. Named to the second team as a junior, he’ll be the anchor of the Raiders’ backline.
Tito Tokunboh-Salako, Glenelg, senior
Tokunboh-Salako is a dangerous goal scoring threat up top at forward. He was the Gladiators’ points leader with 29 last season, highlighted by a county-leading 13 goals, effective on both corners and set pieces.
Drew Wilschke, Centennial, senior
Wilschke is the Eagles’ other returning All-County forward and will present challenges for opposing defenses as a tandem up top with Radtke.
Girls soccer
Miley Barrett, Atholton, senior
Barrett was a key part of Atholton’s midfield as a junior, named first team All-County with three goals and three assists.
Tiffany Blakey, Wilde Lake, senior
Blakey is a talented goal scorer who spearheaded the Wildecats’ offense last season, tied for a team-high 10 goals.
Chloe Coughlan, Atholton, senior
Coughlan, a Gardner-Webb commit, and first team All-County recipient last year is one of the county’s top returning defenders. She held her own defensively and ignited quick opportunities offensively with five assists.
Allison Custer, Marriotts Ridge, senior
Custer was named first team All-County last fall and is back as a leader in the Mustangs’ midfield with tremendous speed and agility.
Abby Desena, Centennial, senior
Desena was a force for the Eagles last fall from her striker position, named first team All-County. She finished with a team-high 13 goals and five assists.
Kelsey Kartanowicz, Howard, senior
Kartanowicz emerged as a vital component of Howard’s offensive attack and figures to do so once again. She ended the season with a team-high seven assists, particularly dangerous off set pieces as the corner kicker.
Kaitlyn McManus, Centennial, senior
A team captain and leader of the Eagles’ defense, she consistently sparked counterattack opportunities in transition.
Marella Virmani, River Hill, senior
Virmani absolutely dominated from her forward position last season. She was the county leader in goals (23) and assists (11), a nightmare for opposing defenses to deal with.
Boys golf
Elliot Austraw, Long Reach, senior
Austraw was the Lightning boys most consistent performer last fall and is off to a good start in 2025 with a 23 point-per-match average thus far.
Tyler Carl, Glenelg, senior
Carl averaged a team-best 19 points per match last season and was a county qualifier as Glenelg fields one of the county’s most talented boys teams.
Grady Kent, Mt. Hebron, senior
Kent led the Vikings with a 22.9 point-per-match average last season. He is off to a terrific start this year with a county-leading 29 point-per-match average through two matches.
Aidan Kim, Marriotts Ridge, senior
After state champion George Williamson graduated, Kim steps in as the top returner for the Mustangs boys. He averaged over 21 points per match last season and was a consistent performer.
Zach Skinner, Marriotts Ridge, senior
Skinner also averaged over 21 points per match last season and gives the Mustangs a formidable top two players alongside Kim throughout the season.
Justin Zhao, River Hill, sophomore
Zhao was the Hawks’ boys highest scoring freshman last season and will need to step into a bigger role last year as River Hill graduated some of its top players.
Girls golf
Noelle Chun, Marriotts Ridge, junior
Chun is stepping into an increased role for the Mustangs’ girls and started her season off strong with a 23-point match.
Evelyn Park, River Hill, junior
Park placed top five at states last season and is averaging 24 points per match through the opening two of the season.
Samadhi Tennakoon, Glenelg, senior
Tennakoon returns after a strong junior season where she averaged a team-best 21 points per match, finishing fourth at counties and 10th at districts and states.
Michelle Yeung, River Hill, junior
Yeung is the county’s top golfer back for both the boys and girls after an impressive state runner-up finish last season. She led the county with 28 point-per-match average.
Boys cross country
John Arrington, Centennial, senior
Arrington was one of Centennial’s top runners last season. He placed sixth at counties, 17th at the 2A West Regional and 22nd at states.
Jonathan Harrington, Howard, senior
With Rayyan Dheini graduated, Harrington will be one of the Lions’ top runners this fall. As a junior, he finished 10th at counties, fourth at the 3A South Regional and 42nd at states.
Harper Koenig, Centennial, senior
Koenig also performed well last season with a ninth-place finish at counties, 12th at regionals and 17th at states.
Trevor Miyagishima, Hammond, junior
Miyagishima was the Golden Bears top performer last fall where he finished eighth at counties and 11th at both the 2A West Regional and states.
Jason Oberly, Centennial, senior
Oberly led the charge of returners as the Eagles’ boys captured the Class 2A state last season. He finished fifth at the Howard County championships, 10th at the 2A West regional and 13th at states.
Wesley Zaron, Wilde Lake, sophomore
Zaron burst onto the scene last year with impressive performances at all three postseason races. He was seventh at counties, 13th at the 2A West Regional and 23rd in his first state meet.
Girls cross country
Kaylee Beal, Centennial, junior
Beal flourished in her sophomore season with a trio of top-four finishes at counties, the 2A West regional and states. She finished fourth at counties and third at both regionals and states, finishing with a personal-record time at counties.
Emily Graff, Centennial, senior
The most experienced of Centennial’s returners, Graff was ninth at counties, 17th at the 2A West regional and 32nd at states last season.
Alexa Hester, Glenelg, junior
Hester was Glenelg’s top runner as a sophomore as she finished 10th at counties, sixth at the 2A West Regional and 15th at states as just one of three underclassmen to finish in the top 15 in 2A at states.
Sarah Mahaney, Centennial, sophomore
Mahaney finished 13th at counties with a personal-record time and then went on to finish 11th at the 2A West Regional. Qualifying for states, Mahaney finished 17th as just one of three freshmen in the 2A classification to place in the top 50 and one of two in the top 20.
Alyssa Mattes, River Hill, senior
Mattes orchestrated her best season yet as a junior, finishing third at counties and then winning the 3A South regional race at her home course. She culminated a strong season by placing fourth at states.
Ela Muniz, Reservoir, senior
Muniz finished in the top five at both counties and the 3A South Regional and placed 27th at states, the fourth fastest Howard County finisher in 3A.
Claire Sivitz, Howard, junior
Sivitz continued her dominance, named the county and All-Metro girls runner of the year. She won counties and finished as the runner-up at both the 3A South Regional and states, Howard County’s top finisher in 3A at states.
Field hockey
Lakshmi Almli, Glenelg, sophomore
Almli impressed as one of three freshmen starting for the Gladiators last season with 14 goals and seven assists.
Jane Baldy, Centennial, senior
Baldy, a Delaware commit, is a brick wall in net and posted a 92% save percentage last year, including nine shutouts as the anchor of a stout defense.
Tylar Fleck, Mt. Hebron, senior
A two-time first team All-County selection, Fleck scored 27 goals last season, which was fourth in the county and also tied for second on the team with nine assists.
Caroline Latchis, Glenelg, sophomore
Despite being a freshman, Latchis emerged as a leader for Glenelg’s stout defense in front of four-year starting goalie Trinity Shackelford. She finished with three defensive saves and an assist.
Samantha Legge, Long Reach, senior
A William & Mary commit with a limitless motor; she was second on the team in goals (22) and finished as Howard County’s assists leader (28).
Delaney Malloy, Wilde Lake, junior
Malloy was peppered with shots in net but always rose to the challenge with a Howard County leading 353 saves, including over 30 saves in seven different games.
Cate Staley, Glenelg, sophomore
Staley excelled right away on varsity as a freshman with 12 goals, 14 assists and one defensive save last season.
Leilani Stewart, Long Reach, junior, midfield
Stewart joined forces with Legge to lead Long Reach’s dominant midfield as she finished with a team-leading 29 goals and also dished out 15 assists, which ranked second on the team.
Meghan Walker, Glenelg, junior
Walker thrived in her sophomore season, second on the team and third in the county in goals (28), also adding six assists.
Volleyball
Miranda Ball, Howard, senior
A Frostburg State commit, Ball flourished in her new role as a libero last season with a team-high 307 digs, also adding 57 aces and 56 assists.
Isard Bernades, Glenelg, senior
Bernades finished with a team-leading 211 kills, also adding 175 digs, 52 aces and 14 blocks last season. She’ll be the leader of Glenelg’s attack again this season.
McKenna Brown, Howard, senior
Brown led all public school Howard County athletes in kills (233) and added 168 digs, 36 aces, 18 blocks and nine assists as a do-it-all player.
Riley Ko, Reservoir, sophomore
Ko quickly acclimated to varsity and anchored the Gators’ defense with 275 digs, plus 44 assists and 42 aces on top of that.
Dylann Loggins, Howard, senior
Loggins, an Indiana State commit is an integral presence for the Lions at middle blocker. She was second on the team in blocks (44) last year, also with 76 kills.
Chikadele Onukwugha, Guilford Park, sophomore
Onukwugha was a Swiss-army knife for the Panthers in their inaugural varsity season as the team leader in kills (201) and digs (168), adding 36 aces.
Imagine Peltier, Howard, junior
Peltier was the heartbeat of Howard’s dominant attack, finishing with a county-leading 610 assists, with 990 total in her two varsity seasons. She totaled 152 digs, 62 kills, 39 blocks and 33 aces on top of that.
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