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Bethesda-Chevy Chase boys soccer striker David Williams was one of several Barons sitting with his head hung low following their double-overtime battle at Poolesville Thursday. The sight is a familiar one to anyone who follows sports; that unmistakable look of pure dejection.

Only it usually comes in defeat.

The Barons and Falcons played to a 1-1 tie in Poolesville, but it didn't feel like one on either sideline. While the hosts celebrated, the reigning Class 3A state champions looked like their season had just ended.

"This is a loss to us," said Williams, a senior who led the team in goals a year ago. "We've said it since first practice: You have good teams and you have great teams. Good teams come out like, ‘O.K., we think we can win.' Great teams, no matter what, expect to win. We feel we're the best team in the county and I don't know what happened tonight."

It may have looked melodramatic, but the angst on the B-CC faces shows just how far they've come in two years.

Last year at this time, the Barons (1-0-1) were simply out to prove they were competitive after winning just three games in 2006. But then they boarded a magic carpet ride, including two postseason overtime victories, to the 3A title. And everything changed.

Now, they're shocked when they even give up a goal. When Poolesville (0-0-2) striker Jeyson Ventura ran onto a through-ball and found the lower left corner of the net in the 47th minute, the Barons had allowed their first goal since the 3A state semifinals against Northern (Baltimore County) last November.

Senior striker Willy Koue struck the equalizer two minutes later, but B-CC couldn't quite find the second gear that hallmarked its 2007 run.

"They're so competitive; they're hating this," said B-CC head coach Sean Karns. "I'll tell you what, Poolesville's good. They have a lot of athleticism, a lot of skill, they were dangerous on corners."

B-CC's agony was Poolesville's ecstasy. A tie against a 3A powerhouse, not to mention a scoreless opening-day tie with Class 4A Quince Orchard, proves it's on the right track to one-upping its near-miss a year ago.

Not 10 months ago, the Falcons lost, 2-1, in the 1A state title game to Worcester County's Pocomoke, a game they led until the 70th minute.

"I think we're much stronger this year," said Falcons head coach Christos Nicholas. "My boys were on fire until the end. I think the guys were determined to prove every one of us was as good as the man next to him. I admire B-CC, I respect B-CC, but I think we got their respect tonight."

Nicholas felt his team's first two games could be their toughest of the season. If they can push B-CC and Quince Orchard to the limit, what Class 1A team can beat them?

That's why there were smiles aplenty on the Poolesville side after 110 minutes. This was no fluke; it had played just as well as the Barons. Ventura and senior midfielder Matt Capozzi put shots on goal all night, almost netting the game-winner multiple times.

"We knew they had a couple superstars, but we had faith in our own players," said Capozzi. "It feels different this year. We know we're ready to do it."

"It" means a title, which the Barons have the weapons to win back-to-back. As Capozzi alluded to, they have the stars: senior midfielder Ethan White, a first-team All-Gazette performer a year ago, has committed to University of Maryland. Williams is one of the most explosive forwards in the county. And all but one starter off last year's team are back.

Their 3-0 victory over Wootton in the opener served notice that they're going to be a force once again. But their success has upped the expectations, which is why a tie feels so hollow.

"We completely turned this program around to where we feel we can't be beat, we have to beat ourselves every time we go on the field," said back Chinelo Harvey. "It's us versus us to the state finals, us versus us in games versus Poolesville or Wootton. We're building a dynasty now, and we expect to be on top. We expect B-CC to be on top of the tables every single year from now to infinity. That's what we're upset about now."