With the 2022 season only days away, the Lynx are preparing for what looks to be their best year yet. Last October, the team finished 4-3 with impressive wins over Prince George's and Anne Arundel. Carroll hopes to ride that momentum into its fourth season and continue the programs upward trajectory.
This year's team boasts the largest roster the school has ever seen, fielding 21 players. This depth should help the Lynx stay healthy and allow for more aggressive gameplans throughout the season. When asked about the roster, head coach Tom O'Brien said, "We are excited to have a good group of seasoned returning players from Fall 2021 and a talented group of incoming players to provide additional capabilities to this Fall's side."
Despite losing players like All Region 20 defender Aaron Ostendorf and 2021 team MVP Mason Hale, the Lynx have a lot to look forward to. Joey Brauer returns for his second season after putting up 11 goals last year, tying Nikolai Haldorsen's 11 goal season in 2019 for most in a single season. Brauer is only 5 goals and 9 points short of tying the school records in both respective categories which are currently held by Haldorsen. They also return last season's unsung hero Eric Wojtkowiak, who was a "tough and consistent midfielder" last season according to O'Brien. Team captain Tim Wolf is returning this season with his co-captain Justus Denning moving off the field and onto the sideline as an assistant coach.
Carroll is also welcoming a heap of new players, many of which will make impacts right away. Goalkeeper Sammy León with defenders Nathan Burndley and Anthony Wallace should help provide a strong backline to anchor the defense. In the midfield, Zach Gaegler and Rishi Kapoor will look to compliment returning players like Kieran McMahon, Wojtkowiak and Wolf. Alex Warehime and Junior Ataibu will provide additional support up front, working alongside sophomores JoJo Ebied and Brauer. This balance of new and returning talent should make for the most exciting and competitive season the Lynx have had in their short history.
The Lynx march into 2022 with a 15-game schedule, nine of those contests being on the road. Carroll's competition is quite fierce, facing two-time national runner up and Region 20 champion CCBC Essex as well as constantly solid sides like Harford, Howard, Frederick, and CCBC Catonsville. "We are looking forward to another tough and competitive season in Region 20," O'Brien noted.
The season kicks off Thursday, August 25th at Harford. Carroll hosts its first home contest Tuesday, August 30th against CCBC Essex. The rest of the Lynx schedule can be found here.
