The Local Source for News and Information Since 1980
CAROLINE COUNTY – The Fall sports season has officially come to an end for both of Caroline’s high schools. North Caroline High School’s Athletic Director Arthur Jackson and Colonel Richardson’s Athletic Director Brett Ireland each said they are proud of the student athletes who competed this Fall, and they are looking forward to what Winter will bring.
North Caroline has football, volleyball, girls’ and boys’ soccer, field hockey, golf, cheerleading, and cross country programs. Colonel Richardson has football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, and golf.
As far as high school football, Ireland said it took the Colonels “a few games to get up to speed,” but once the team clicked, they were able to have a successful season, even taking home a win against County rival North Caroline for the first time since 2006. They finished with a 7-3 record as 1A Division champs, a title they have won the past four out of five seasons. One player in particular, Ja’Zir Dickerson, made strides as a first team running back and second team defensive back. Dickerson was named the Bayside Player of the Year with over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns total. The North Caroline Bulldogs’ big break came with a “big win” on Senior Night, and Jackson noted that the team “fought through adversity all season.” “They will lose some seniors,” he said, “but will have some young talent who are eager to get back to building up the program.”
The Bulldogs dominated in boys’ soccer, winning the Regional Championship for the first time since 1990. Though they fell in the state quarterfinals, Jackson said “nothing can take away the amount of success they had this season.” CRHS boys’ soccer finished 5-6-1, beating Queen Anne’s County for the first time in over 15 years. Notable players included John Beaven and Jackson Jean, who made first team all-conference and second team all-conference, respectively.
Girls’ soccer found bright moments at both schools as well. Colonel Richardson finished with an 8-6 record, marking their most wins since 2006. The team earned its first win over Easton since 2005, and standout players included Sadie Prettyman, named first team all-conference, along with Brynne Harper and Ryleigh Hall earning second team honors. Meanwhile, North Caroline’s girls’ soccer program secured a strong playoff win over Parkside in the regional quarterfinals. With a balanced roster of seniors and underclassmen, Jackson said the Bulldogs are hopeful and aiming to push deeper into next year’s postseason.
Colonel Richardson earned an 8-11 record and claimed the 1A East Region Championship in volleyball, their first regional title since 2019. North Caroline’s volleyball team made a run to the regional semifinals and celebrated a strong season that the coaching staff believes will set the foundation for continued improvement. Both Athletic Directors expressed pride in their volleyball teams’s effort and growth shown throughout the year.
North Caroline’s field hockey team continued building its momentum, winning three games this year. Jackson said they are optimistic about what the returning players will bring next year.
On the golf course, all four members of the CRHS golf team played throughout the season and earned the opportunity to compete in the District 8 Championship, a meaningful milestone for the tight-knit group. North Caroline’s golfers also experienced steady growth, benefiting from a mix of senior leadership and promising underclassmen. Both programs hope to continue to grow in both skill and number.
North Caroline’s cross country team rounded out the Fall with several second and third-place team finishes, encouraged by strong performances from both new and veteran runners. With only three seniors graduating, the Bulldogs expect to hold on to this experienced group and take home more ribbons next year.
Cheerleading remained a spirited presence at every home football game for the Colonels. Under first-year Head Coach Tamya Speller, the CRHS cheer team delivered energetic performances and continued to develop their routines each week. North Caroline’s cheerleaders likewise supported their teams across the season, contributing to school spirit at games and events.
Both directors acknowledged that each school – and each team – faced its own set of challenges. At North Caroline, injuries impacted several programs, and changing field conditions added an extra layer of difficulty. Still, Jackson emphasized that “as we always do here at North Caroline, we do our best with what we have and keep competing.” For Colonel Richardson, several teams worked through tough times. Boys’ soccer replaced 8 of 11 starters from last season, the football team had to rebuild and regroup after losing four offensive linemen and introducing a new starting quarterback, volleyball players navigated their always-tough schedule, and girls’ soccer dealt with multiple players missing games due to health issues. Ireland praised the athletes’ persistence throughout the season.
As the schools look ahead, both Athletic Directors are already preparing for the transition to Winter sports. At Colonel Richardson, the athletic department is “Trying to wrap things up from Fall, cleaning up equipment, collect uniforms,” Ireland said, “there are no fields to cut or lines to paint as we are transitioning to indoor sports.” Part of making sure they are ready for the Winter, season, which Ireland said “is certainly the longest of the three sports seasons”, is making sure busses, schedules, officials, coaches, and other support positions are in place before the season ramps up. Jackson said that he will miss the Fall season, because he enjoys “watching our student-athletes and coaches go out there and give it their all for each other.” Even so, he is excited for the Winter ahead, “I trust in our coaches, and believe our student-athletes will be ready!”
