Maryland 3A girls" soccer: River Hill claims its third straight state championship Two early goals and timely defense help Hawks clinch third straight championship. River Hill midfielder Jessica Hopkins (25) heads the ball over Linganore midfielder Sabrina Moxley (16) in the Maryland 3A state girls' soccer final. River Hill beat Linganore 2-1. BALTIMORE - It was cold Thursday evening, and snow fell on the field at Loyola University as the No. 3 River Hill Hawks girls" soccer team warmed up. But neither the chill nor the fact that they'd arrived just a half hour before game time much concerned the two-time defending Maryland 3A champions. Despite the traffic-induced bustle, senior Alex Hamer and junior Jess Hopkins were enjoying themselves as usual. The leaders who had shouldered the program's weighty tradition were laughing, jumping and joking as they jostled for loose balls in warmups. Hamer and Hopkins put the Hawks at relative ease immediately. With two goals in the first seven minutes - first Hamer to Hopkins, then Hopkins to Hamer - River Hill nabbed a 2-1 victory, and its third straight 3A state championship. "I think all of the diverse situations we've been in have all prepared us in leading up to moments like these, when it's crucial that no matter what comes up, you still need to score, still need to pull the win through," Hamer said. Given how the season played out and how often the pair combined to save the Hawks (17-2), the state final could hardly have gone any other way. But it might have gone differently were it not for a spectacular diving save by senior goalkeeper Julia Caine, who turned away what would have been the tying goal on a penalty kick midway through the second half. Things also might have gone differently if freshman Megan Chun hadn't cleared a dangerous corner off the line a few minutes later. Junior Becca Higgins later cleared a ball off the line, into the post, and out of harm's way. "Something that really helps is their experience being here in the past," River Hill Coach Brian Song said. The seniors now have played in three finals. My juniors, they've already played in three finals. The three-title streak is the third for River Hill. The Hawks won three straight state titles from 2006 to 2008 and also from 1999 to 2001. River Hill has played in 10 state finals. The Hawks have never lost.