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As we all know, 2021 has been a trying year for many and mainly because of the issues related to COVID.

Despite it, there were a number of highlights in Harford County where athletics were concerned and I’ve put together this list of the events that I believe stood out.

The Huskies (22-0) beat Allegany, 4-1, for the Class 1A title at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie.

Junior Madison Knight secured the win, striking out 14. She allowed eight hits and one walk, but just the one run, while the Huskies committed one error.

Knight, a Syracuse commit, outdueled Allegany senior Kyra Pittman, a Maryland commit.

“This feels awesome to me right now. This team has worked so hard all season,” Knight said. “Working through COVID and everything, it just shows so much that this team, like the work ethic, passion, everything. I’m just super, super happy and super, super excited to say I’m a state champion right now.”

Knight (2-2) also produced offensively, driving in the game’s first run in the first inning.

“I knew I had great pitcher pitching against me, and I knew she was gonna throw me anything she could to try to get me out,” Knight said. “Once it got 1-1, I knew she was going to try to get another strike on me, and it happened to be that change-up. I waited on it and I took it to right.”

The Cougars rolled to a 6-0 win over the Brunswick Railroaders at Loyola Maryland’s Ridley Athletic Complex and they didn’t waste any time putting a stamp on its special season.

In the opening minute, sophomore midfielder Ava Lambros took a feed from midfielder Katherine King, made one touch ahead to reach the penalty area and scored from 18 yards.

From there, the Cougars played with the utmost confidence and, much like their entire playoff run, the goals kept coming in the win.

The win was the 12th straight for the Cougars. In five playoff wins Fallston scored 39 goals and yielded just one.

“I was just so happy,” Lambros said of her opening goal. “It set the tone for the game after that and everybody was just real excited. I was particularly happy after I scored it. I think after that the energy just kept going up.”

Fallston and host Patterson Mill played the first official game on the Huskies’ new turf field, which hasn’t hosted a game in a year.

After a close first half, Fallston pulled away for a 18-5 win in Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference play.

Harford Tech, C. Milton Wright and Havre de Grace were also winners on that day.

“I think everybody is happy, all the Harford County coaches and UCBAC coaches, we’re all very happy to have a season,” Fallston coach Maddie Palko said.

Juliana Williams scored four goals to lead the win. “I thought it was a great first game. I think everyone was really excited to get out there,” Williams said. “It’s been so long since we’ve been able to play together. So, I think everyone was so hyped up and I think it showed in how we played.”

“This is a community gathering spot,” Cal Ripken said of Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Ripken noted that the field, now with this turf, makes the place a space for all kinds of use.

It’s not like the original grass/dirt field never had anything but baseball played on it, but now the turf essentially can withstand any and all events brought to the stadium. Todd Bradley, the turf specialist, will oversee the maintenance and care for the turf.

It was Aberdeen’s first game in High-A East play after 18 seasons of short-season A ball as part of the New York-Penn League.

Grayson Rodriguez, the Orioles 2018 first round draft pick, threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks, while striking out five.

Johnny Rizer and Kyle Stowers supplied the long balls, highlighting an 11-hit attack.

“It felt really good to be back out there playing some baseball in front of a crowd. I just went out there today with a lot of stress off my shoulders because we were lucky enough to be playing again, so I was just having fun with it,” Rizer said in a Twitter response. “I was seeing the ball well and was just trying to put good at bats together. It was a great team win overall with dominating pitching and a lot of quality at bats from our offense. A great day overall for the team and excited to see what this year holds.”

This opening night was unlike any in the past. No ceremony to get the home season started, and nor was there any in-game entertainment (COVID) other than the game itself.

There was a moment of silence for the late Vi Ripken and a short video tribute. There is a violet chair, Vi’s chair, on the second concourse, where Vi could be seen each and every game.

This first series had capacity restrictions due to COVID, but masks and face coverings were no longer required inside the stadium for any IronBirds games or any other events held there.

“It’s a personal preference for everybody, we don’t ask, we just want everybody to feel comfortable and that is something that applies to fans as well,” IronBirds General Manager Jack Graham said. “If you would feel more comfortable wearing a mask, we encourage it, that’s fine.”

Local fan Sandy Price was in attendance and emphatically ready for baseball. “I’m so excited to be back out here and watching the IronBirds, Price said. “I live across the street and I’ve been watching them tear this field up and I wanted to see it in person and I’m here.”

Aberdeen finished its inaugural season in High-A East at 58-61 and missed the playoffs.

C. Milton Wright fell in penalty kicks, 4-2, to James M. Bennett in 3A play, while Harford Tech was edged 1-0 in the 2A final by Parkside. Fallston also lost in the 1A final, 2-1, and it may have been the most cruel of the losses. Brunswick’s winning goal was scored with just :06 left in overtime.

Unlike past years, when players might have attended some sort of workout sessions to gain spots on the roster, this year’s selection, because of COVID, was different.

“I don’t know how they do it on a normal year, but I know this year, it was based off past film and stuff like that,” Hemby said. Hemby, a 6-foot, 195-pound running back, is committed to the University of Maryland.

Hemby says he was asked about playing and it was a no-brainer. “Of course I said yes. Not only is it an honorable game to be able to play in, that has many games under their belt, it goes way back in history and it’s very special to be a part of something like that.”

Roberts handled kicking duties for Team Maryland. Roberts committed to Lebanon Valley College a few days after the Big 33 Game.

“When I heard the news I was so excited. This is really special to me because we didn’t get to have a football season in Harford County,” Roberts said. “To put on pads one last time as a high school player will be pretty cool. I am honored to be representing Fallston High School and Maryland and understand the rich tradition that comes along with playing in a game like this.”

Roberts added, “With the cancellation of a year’s worth of sports … football, baseball and basketball season’s for me, I really challenged myself both academically and on the field, working hard everyday to get to this point. I’m very thankful to have this opportunity and appreciate the Big 33 selection committee for recognizing all that hard work.”

“Actually, a friend reached out to me to let me know,” Ismail said about the job opening. “It’s funny, my friends and family kind of continually ask, ‘when are you going to coach again?’, and a friend reached out when it became open to just let me know. I wasn’t looking for something right know, but I knew that I had more flexibility with my job.”

Ismail says she sifted through what she would want to put in the program for it to be successful and decided, “yeah, I can definitely do it and I put my resume in and here I am.”