With the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference as demanding as it is, every season is a test of wills to see which team can best handle adversity and shine when the lights are brightest.

Under Brandon Quaranta, who completed his sixth season as coach, No. 1 McDonogh (15-4-1) has shown a consistent knack for it.

History came with this year’s championship victory — a 3-2 win over Archbishop Curley — as McDonogh became the first school to win three straight titles since the MIAA A was formed in 1995. Overcoming early-season injuries and uneven play, Quaranta once again had the Eagles playing their best in the playoffs.

It was the second season in a row they knocked off the area’s No. 1-ranked team in the title game, this time avenging a 3-0 regular-season loss to Archbishop Curley. Following the setback, McDonogh won seven straight.

Quaranta, who had been an assistant under Steve Nichols before taking over in 2014, has guided the Eagles to four league crowns and owns a 103-18-3 mark since then. AJ Berry, George Campbell, Chuck Travis and Quaranta’s father, Jack, served as assistants and made big impacts on the team’s success.