As November reaches it’s midpoint and December is just around the corner, the fall sports season has largely wrapped up for the Bayside and Henlopen conferences, with just a couple football teams making deep playoff runs. And for the Bayside South, this year’s fall sports season was a special one for many, as multiple teams made history and made additions to their respective schools’ trophy cases.

As each school prepares to make the transition from fall to winter sports, and with just one football team left in the MPSSAA playoffs, it’s time to look back on the great teams that made this fall sports season a joy to watch and follow.

Here are some of the top teams and performances of the 2023 fall sports season:

Decatur football dominates Bayside season in unbeaten run

The Stephen Decatur Seahawks football team was the class of the Bayside Conference this season, as they went unbeaten through the regular season. And they did it in impressive fashion, leaving no doubt as to who was the top team in the Bayside this year.

Decatur allowed only 67 points through the regular season, stifling teams defensively. And the offense, led by quarterback Brycen Coleman, was equally as potent, pouring on the points as they proved too much for their opponents. Even the teams that were closest to them in the Bayside could not stop the Seahawks, winning handily over the Bayside’s other top contenders just as they did with the lesser teams they overmatched.

The Seahawks season is still going on, as they prepare for the state quarterfinals this Friday, and hope to make it all the way to Annapolis in two weeks for the Class 2A State Championship Game. But no matter how exactly the season ends, its been yet another memorable year for Decatur football, as they’ve continued to turn their team into not just the Bayside’s best, but one of the best in Maryland high school football.

Undefeated runs in soccer by the Bennett Clippers

There were a lot of wins and zero losses at the Shipyard this year for the James M. Bennett Clippers, as both their boys and girls soccer teams went unbeaten on their way towards each winning Bayside Conference Cchampionships.

Both soccer teams at Bennett have been dominant in the last few seasons, bringing home Bayside South titles, Bayside Conference championships, Regional titles and even a state championship in 2021 for the boys team. And the reasons for their success were on full display during each of their unbeaten Bayside Conference Championship campaigns this year.

The girls team went back-to-back as conference champions, winning their second in a row in their second straight undefeated regular season, while only allowing three goals total on the year. And the boys team, led by leading goal scorer and Bayside South Player of the Year Noah Blankensop, matched the same excellence, grabbing their second Bayside title in the last three seasons.

While both teams ended up falling in their regional final games, the dominance on the soccer field from the Bennett Clippers was something you’ll rarely see — unless they do it all over again next year.

More:Soccer stars net top honors as Bayside South announces boys and girls season awards

More:Field hockey awards honor Bayside South players, coach of year and more standouts

History makers all around

There were a lot of firsts and plenty of history makers in this fall sports season, with players and coaches taking their programs to heights that they’ve never reached before. And with unprecedented success comes memories that will last a long time, and trophies to put on display in the school.

As highlighted earlier, Decatur’s football team went undefeated for the first time in the team’s history, rolling through the Bayside with ease. But they were not the only Decatur team to make history this fall.

Decatur’s field hockey team made history of their own this season, grabbing their first winning season since 1999. And it didn’t stop there for the Seahawks, as they went into the playoffs and grabbed their first regional title in the team’s history with a thrilling 1-0 win over Parkside in the regional final.

Mardela’s girls soccer team made a thrilling run to the Class 1A state semifinals this year, grabbing a regional title and a state quarterfinals win. And their playoff run was built on the foundation they set in the regular season, as they won 10 games for the first time in the team’s history. With Samantha Witte also winning Bayside South Girls Soccer Player of the Year for the Warriors, it was a great year on the soccer field this fall for Mardela.

More Bayside South teams that brought home hardware

Parkside volleyball

Parkside’s volleyball team was the top Bayside South squad on the year, running through the competition en route to an appearance in the Conference Championship Game.

Crisfield Boys Soccer

The Crisfield boys soccer team grabbed a regional championship in Class 1A this season, bringing a regional title back to Crisfield after a huge 2-1 over Pocomoke. Big saves by goalie Caleb Gragg and two goals by AJ Swift led the way for the Crabbers as they grabbed the clutch road playoff win over the Warriors.

Pocomoke field hockey

The Pocomoke field hockey team also grabbed a 1A Regional Title this year, and also were the top team in the Bayside South, clinching a spot in the Bayside title game, where they fell just short in a close overtime battle.

The Warriors, coming off of two straight state championships, made a bid for a third, falling just short in a 2-1 loss to South Carroll in the State Championship Game. But their Bayside South title, Regional title, and Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards for stars Dakotah Trader and Maddie Cornwell, respectively, show just how great of a season this was for one of Maryland’s most successful high school sports programs.

Parkside cross country

In this year’s Cross Country Bayside Championship, Parkside’s Logan Newton finished in first place in the girls cross country race.

Stephen Decatur golf team

The golf team at Stephen Decatur also finished their own season undefeated, winning the District VIII championship and Bayside Championships this year on the golf course.