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Annapolis Athletes Worth Watching | December 2008

By Pat O'Malley
Photos by Larry French

ASHLEY DALISERA
Severna Park High School
Field Hockey & Club Lacrosse
Dalisera made the field hockey stop of the season when she rejected a shot from point-blank range in overtime to enable the Falcons to go on and nip archrival Broadneck, 3-2 and repeat as the Class 4A East Regional champion. It was the junior goalkeeper's 12th save of the regional final and set up the game-winning goal by Cassie Ballard to give the Falcons their state record 26th region title. It put them in position for an 18th State championship (their 17 already a state record) under legendary coach Lil Shelton. "Isn't she unbelievable? She's fantastic, absolutely fantastic,'' said Shelton, who was completing her 33rd season with 496 career wins going into the final four. "I'm nominating her for all-state and she should make that. She's just a great kid, unpretentious. She works very hard.'' Dalisera's save percentage was over .900 going into the state semifinals as the Falcons avenged a loss in the county championship game to Broadneck and beat the Bruins in the regional final a second year in a row. "It means a lot to beat Broadneck, no matter what sport you are playing for Severna Park,” said Dalisera, who also plays club lacrosse. "All the big games in post season, like winning the state’s last year and beating Broadneck are highlights of my high school career.'' Dalisera, who has a 3.90 grade-point-average, hopes to play field hockey in college and is interested in Maryland, Penn State and American University. She will take her SAT in January. "I hope to play D-1 field hockey and maybe become a teacher of a lawyer,'' said Dalisera, who is the daughter of Mark and Noreen Dalisera.

JOSH EURE
South River High School
Golf
Eure, who was born in Augusta, Ga., home of the Masters, captured his second state championship on the links in three years to close out a brilliant career in Edgewater. The Seahawk senior first won the state tournament as a sophomore and in October shot a 2-under-par 71 to win again by five strokes at the Potomac Ridge Golf Course. The state crown completed the triple crown for Eure who had previously won the Anne Arundel County and District V championships. Eure will continue his golf career at the University of Arkansas on a scholarship. "Sophomore year was a little bit more than expected,'' said Eure, who is also an outstanding student with a 3.94 grade-point-average, 1,740 on his SAT, ranked 49th in his senior class of 440 and is a member of the National Honor Society. "This year was my last chance as a senior and I wanted to go out on top. I really wanted it. My junior year, I was close coming into the back nine the last day, but I missed a couple short putts on nine and 10 and a bad chip on 16 or 17 and finished three shots behind.'' Eure, who spends three to four hours, six days a week in the summer working on his game and belongs to Crofton Country Club, chose Arkansas over Penn State because, "everything just fit right from the facilities to the money I was able to get, the coaches, team and the school has a good business program.'' The son of Ronald and Henrietta Eure, Eure hopes to join the pro-tour one day and follow in the footsteps of his hero, Tiger Woods.

CAROLINE HOLLERBACH
Broadneck High School
Field Hockey & Gymnastics
Hollerbach was the leading scorer for the Anne Arundel County field hockey champion Bruins with 25 points on 16 goals and nine assists. Her scoring total was fourth in the county and led the Bruins to a 15-2-1 season. Unfortuntately for Hollerbach and her teammates, they lost to Severna Park in the 4A East Regional final in overtime after defeating the Falcons in the county championship game. It was the second year in a row that the scenario occurred. "It was very disappointing,'' said Hollerbach, a senior standout on the wing. "We knew it was going to be a very close game (region final) and we put everything we had into it, but it didn't go our way. We tried our best.'' Hollerbach, who also competed on the school's gymnastics team in the beam, vault and bars and took Rookie of the Year honors, is looking to possibly play field hockey at Radford or attend James Madison University for academics. She wants to major in nursing. "I know it's a tough career, but I've always been interested in the health (field),'' said Hollerbach, who has a 3.5 grade-point-average and scored a 1,770 on her SAT. "My mom has a friend who works with new-born babies and I think that is something I would really be interested in doing. I think I'm going to intern this summer and learn more about it.'' Hollerbach said she will never forget Broadneck High and the field hockey team. "I was happy with the way it turned out even though it didn't go our way (region final). I think we had an awesome season,'' said the senior who is the daughter of Peter and Catherine Hollerbach.

DERRICK RHODES
Arundel High School
Football & Basketball
Rhodes was hoping to rap up his high school football career for the second year in a row at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Ravens, this month (Dec.) in the state final. Then, he will concentrate on his final year of basketball for the Wildcats as a guard and team captain. "I plan to attend a four-year college playing football or basketball there, not sure what college yet," said Rhodes, who carries a 3.5 grade-point-average and scored 1,750 on his SAT and is a three-year varsity player in his two sports. "I love playing sports and plan on playing one of the two.'' Rhodes was a running back in the Wildcats no-huddle, spread offense that accents the passing game. He gave the Cats an added dimension with his hard-nosed play and he "had a blast playing for coach Chuck Markiewicz.'' The Arundel football team lost in the 2007 state final to Quince Orchard at M&T Bank Stadium and was looking to get back this month. In basketball, the Wildcats made it to their first county championship game under first-year coach Jeff Starr last season and are looking for an encore season. "Team sports is great for building character,'' said Rhodes, who also mentors younger students at Arundel. "I've learned everything about life from football and basketball.'' Rhodes expects the basketball team to do very well again with a good returning nucleus and coach Starr says that Rhodes "is a good leader with a good work ethic and someone who really understands the importance of the team concept.'' As for the future, Rhodes, whose hero is his older brother Jimmy, hopes to get into teaching and coaching at the college level. Rhodes is the son of Jim and Michelle Rhodes.

Tags: dec 08 lawrence french pat omalley

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