Last week, a triad of local standouts bolstered their cases for inclusion in that legacy, helping their Baltimore Bays club team to the US Soccer Development Academy Under-18 national title. 

Severn residents Chris Agorsor, Andrew Bulls, and Michael Rose spearheaded their squad's 4-2 overtime victory over Los Angeles Football Club, clinching their second national title in three years.

"It was a great atmosphere because we were playing in LA; there were over a thousand fans there and almost all of them were for LA," said Rose. "To be in front of that crowd and after you've worked so hard throughout the season, it was amazing."

The three county residents have been with the club since it formed as an amalgamation of several regional teams in the summer of 2005. After winning a U-16 national title in 2006 and coming up just short in the semifinals last year, the squad was determined to return to the pinnacle of U-18 soccer in their final year together before proceeding to college.

Agorsor, Bulls (both graduate of McDonogh School in Ownings Mills) and Rose (a recent graduate of Severna Park High Schools) have long been the impetus for the Bays attack. In last week's semifinal, the three teamed to provide a goal each, supplying a comfortable 3-0 final margin. In the championship game, however, things would not prove as easy.

With Agorsor, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, starting on the bench due to a knee injury, LAFC jumped out to an early advantage, scoring in the seventh minute. Yet, the Bays were not fazed.

"With our team, our heads never go down," said Rose. "We always think that we'll find a way to win, it's just a matter of who's going to come up with the big goal."

In the final, Agorsor would impressively fulfill that role, tallying in the 30th minute to provide a crucial equalizer.

However, after LAFC went ahead once more in the second half, the situation again looked bleak for Baltimore.

Yet, Agorsor drew a dramatic stoppage time penalty to send his high school teammate Bulls to the spot, where the striker coolly converted to extend the game into extra time.

Once there, Bulls was again the hero, sending a 35-yard blast into the back of the net for the game winner.

"I think we were in a lot better shape (physically) in overtime," said Rose. "And then Andrew scored a fantastic goal to win it."

The win provided a storybook ending for the high-scoring trio. In their final four games at Nationals, Agorsor and Bulls combined to tally 10 of their team's 13 goals while Rose played a steady 385 of a possible 390 minutes, supplying an additional goal and several assists.

Next year, the three will take their skills to the collegiate level. Agorsor will feature for the University of Virginia Cavaliers, while Rose and Bulls will play for Notre Dame and UMBC, respectively.

All of which makes their well-earned second national title one to savor.

"Our first national championship game we won 4-0, so it wasn't as exciting," said Rose. "This is kind of our last hurrah as we're all going off to college, so it's incredible."