The Clarksburg girls soccer team's season hasn't gone exactly the way it hoped. For the first time in the program's three years of existence, the Coyotes (4-6) failed to eclipse the .500 mark.

But that disappointment can change with Thursday's start to the Class 2A West Region tournament, when the slate will be wiped clean and Clarksburg can start anew. The Coyotes have won their first-round matchups each of the last two years, and are looking to take it a step further in 2008.

To do so, they'll have to get through a strong bracket that includes county foes Northwood (3-7-1) and Rockville (2-7-2), as well as Washington County's North Hagerstown (7-1-1), Carroll County's Century (9-2-2) and Liberty (7-3-0) and Frederick County's Middletown (3-5-0).

The Coyotes have several scoring options to keep themselves in the running. They're led up top by three-year starter Daria Borowski (4 goals, 4 assists) and freshman Sunita Mengers (5). Lexi McCarty and Cassidy Pickles anchor a strong midfield that has powered their transition game.

Northwood failed to make it past the first round of last year's tournament, and has struggled with inconsistency in 2008. When on their game, the Gladiators possess the ball and attack using repeated passes.

They don't have one standout start capable of taking over a game. They're led up top by sophomore Carolyn Bruch, but have nine players who have scored at least one goal.

Last year's Montgomery 3A/2A/1A West Division champion, Rockville, has struggled to compensate for devastating graduation casualties. Stalwart goalie Julia Cosmos has done a good job keeping the Rams in games; she's averaging less than one goal allowed per game.
 

But Rockville has only scored 11 goals and been shut out six times. Seniors Michelle Carter and Jen Civick will have to step up their games in the final third for the Rams to go deep.