Maryland - Five Star Class Ranking - A stellar 2009 nine member recruiting class that includes NSCAA High School All-American forwards Jordon Cyrus and London Woodberry and NSCAA Youth All-American defender Taylor Kemp will be reporting for duty to College Park.  This is a talent laden group that should be able to more than hold its own with any recruiting class in the country.  A focused and tenacious Maryland team secured a school record twenty-three wins in 2008 in route to claiming the program’s second national title in the past four years.  Sasho Cirovski called the 2008 Terps “the most balanced team I’ve ever had.”  A real compliment when you consider the quality of the teams that Maryland has put on the pitch over the past ten years.  As a team the Terps will no doubt play the same upbeat style of soccer in 2009 that has served them so well in the past but they will clearly have a different look due to the loss of seven starters from the 2008 squad.  Maryland will be without forward Graham Zusi (6g, 5a), midfielder Michael Marchiano (0g, 1a) and defenders A.J. Delagarza (0g, 1a) and Rich Costanzo (0g, 6a) due to graduation.  The departure of such a talented group of seniors creates a gap but not an insurmountable one when you take into consideration the annual infusion of new talent coming into the program.  However, when you add in the decision of defender Omar Gonzalez (5g, 1a) and midfielders Jeremy Hall (14g, 7a) and Rodney Wallace (3g, 3a) to leave early to enter the profession ranks then you have a rate of attrition both talent and experience wise that produces a significantly larger gap which usually can’t be fully addressed in a single season.  Sophomore Casey Townsend (11g, 4a) returns to lead the Maryland attack up-top in 2009.  Townsend is a prime timer who arrived in College Park last year as a highly regarded recruit and more than lived up to expectations.  Senior midfielder Doug Rodkey (1g, 9a) and senior forward Jason Herrick (4g, 4a) are among returning players who must set the pace for the Terps in 2009.  Sophomore goalkeeper Zac MacMath returns between the pipes after an impressive freshman season in which he recorded twelve shutouts and had a 0.44 goals against average.  Sophomore midfielder Matt Kassel (1g, 7a) and senior midfielder Drew Yates (1g, 4a) will likely also play key roles.  Sophomore midfielder Kaoru Forbess, junior midfielder Kevin Tangney, and senior defender Sean Flatley are among other returning players who should be in the mix for more playing time in  2009.  Maryland will likely have more than the average number of young players in key roles in 2009 which could be problematic in the early going particularly on the defensive side of the ball.  The Terps will again face an extremely competitive slate of opponents which adds to the difficulty of the learning curve.   The Tortoise and the Hair script may very well apply to the Terps in 2009.  Look for Maryland to steadily improve as the season progresses but more likely than not the Terps are a  year away from fielding a team that can make a serious run for the ACC Championship and another run at a national title.

 

Jordan Cyrus - Virginia Beach, Virginia - Forward - Norfolk Academy - A two time NSCAA High School All-American - VISAA 2007 and 2008 Co-State Player of the Year - First Team All-State.

 

Taylor Kemp - Highlands Ranch, Colorado - Defender - NSCAA Youth All-American - Member of U-18 and U-20 National Pool - Member of the Real Colorado U-18 US Development Academy.

 

Jake Pace - Columbia, Maryland - Midfielder - River Hill High School - Two-time Baltimore Sun All-Met First Team - Two-time All-State selection - Tough with the ball at his feet - Well rounded athlete.

 

John Stertzer - Oakton, Virginia - Midfielder - Flint Hill High School - Two-time Washington Post All-Met First Team selection - Played for Potomac U-18 Development Academy - A goal scorer.

 

Paul Torres - Bethesda, Maryland - Midfielder - Walt Whitman High School - Member of DC United U-18 Development Academy Team - Two-time All-State First Team selection - A playmaker.  

 

Norris Ethan White - Kensington, Maryland - Defender - Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School - Member of US U-18 National Team pool - Member of D.C. United U-18 Academy - All-Met Selection.

 

London Woodberry - McKinney, Texas - Forward - McKinney High School - NSCAA High School All-American - Member of the U-18 U.S. National Team - Impact player with solid competitive experience.

 

Widner Saint Cyr - Port Au Prince, Hati - New York, City - Midfielder - Clarkston South High -  Member of the U-17 and U-20 Haiti National Teams - Plays for New York Red Bulls U-18 Academy team.

 

Kevin Dansky -  Potomac, Maryland - Forward - Churchill High School - Washington Post First Team All-Met - All County Player of the Year - First Team All-State.