A year ago, the Bruins thoroughly routed Perry Hall in the state semifinal round. They jittered with confidence — after such carnage, how could the last obstacle to their state crown pose any threat?

By the end of their straight-set loss in the championship game, they knew the answer.

After sweeping Churchill (25-13, 25-22, 25-18) on Tuesday, the Bruins have never felt more ready to hoist a state trophy. They’ll face the winner of Richard Montgomery/Urbana on Saturday at AFGFCU Arena.

“It feels like we earned it more,” senior setter Sydney Lawrence said. “We prepared a lot for that game and our hard work really showed out there today.”

Defeat seasoned Broadneck. At the beginning of the fall, coach Tracey Regalbuto assumed the season would always boil down to her girls, Churchill, Urbana and Richard Montgomery. Even when the Bruins dropped losses to Annapolis Area Christian School and Howard, or gave up two sets to Severna Park and Arundel, the coach felt they were testing out different plays or strategies that simply didn’t pan out. No scientist throws out the whole mission if one experiment fails.

“Every set we lose, every match we lose is in preparation for playoffs,” she said. “I know we’re not failing. All season, we’ve been prepping for this.”

The Bruins (17-3) flattened Churchill in the first set on Urbana High’s floor. The Bulldogs complained to officials that the ball itself felt rock-hard.

Broadneck didn’t disagree, but junior setter Barrett Bolter shrugged. They both had to use the same ball, after all, and with a 6-0 lead and 25-13 win, the volleyball could’ve been a 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale for all it mattered.

Still, Bolter and Lawrence assumed the Bulldogs were still feeling out the competition and settling into their own play style.

They were right.

The Churchill front row flickered to life, buying its first tie at three points apiece, then four before surging ahead by the serve of freshman Angela Zhang. Suddenly, it was the Bulldogs peppering Broadneck’s floor with hard hits, aces and a kill. The Bruins long ago earned their reputation for their blocking abilities, but in this set, Churchill beat them at their own game.

After the Bulldogs secured another point on a two-minute volley, 12-7, Regalbuto drew her players in to talk. All she ever has to do, she said, is remind them that it was a playoff game and watch the transformation unfold.

“We knew how we play,” Bolter said. “We started playing our game, too. We knew how to beat them.”

A subsequent service error handed Broadneck the ball once more. Lawrence anchored them from the service line and helped shave some of the margin down to three points.

When Broadneck earned a side out again, it handed Bolter the ball. It wasn’t just that she knew how to deliver a scorching serve. Even the coaches told her that her penchant for giving every one of her teammates high-fives after each point instilled a comforting atmosphere.

Once they felt comfortable, they could regain their confidence.

“Having two setters on the court is also super helpful in every chaotic play,” Bolter said, gesturing to Lawrence.

Churchill over hit its serve receives, quickly placing control back in Broadneck hands, 18-17. Once the Bruins tasted victory in the air again, they wouldn’t let it pass them by.

Though the Bulldogs kept it a close game until the very end of the frame – even tying it up at 22 – the Bruins kept composure.

Senior Kennedy Smith’s kill secured the set point, and Churchill called timeout. It was clear in the strained looks they all exchanged that if they didn’t win then, they wouldn’t win at all.

Together, Smith and senior Addison Britton met them at the net and blocked those hopes from coming true.

Senior Anna Graves marked each one of those second-set runs with at least one kill. She figured she might as well break in the third set the same way.

Regalbuto quipped she would’ve liked a slightly cleaner ending. The Bulldogs gave a death rattle, scoring six after Broadneck hit the match point. But Broadneck had already dropped Churchill into such an insurmountable, double-digit ditch that even when its foes whittled the lead down to 24-18, all the Bruins needed was one good hit to advance. Freshman Camryn Bedell was happy to oblige.

“Playing better people makes us better,” Bolter said. “This helped us, for sure.”

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It had been the Severna Park girls’ collective mission to snap the average team time record, but evidently, that was unlikely to happen. But no soggy footing was going to stop them from pulling something off anyway.

“I think they were one of the closest teams, if not the closest team, particularly in the last four weeks, that I’ve seen in my time working with the girls,” said Alcombright, who took on the girls team in 2017. “They were just focused on accomplishing something special.”

That, they did. With 35 points, Severna Park’s girls set the lowest team points mark in Class 3A history, previously set at 37. The Falcons successfully defended their state championship, but slashed 11 points off last year’s winning cache in the process.

Junior Josie Kamas, this year’s girls county champion, repeated her 2024 bronze medal effort in the 3A girls race with a time of 19 minutes, 9.6 seconds. Her teammate Lexi Fitzsimmons finished in fifth in 19:38.7. Sophomore Mari Matthews placed seventh (20:01.5), senior Kathryn Murphy 10th (20:12.9) and senior Lila Sandel 17th (20:42.1) to round out the scorers.

“They just executed their race plan to a tee. That’s the best race they’ve run all season,” Alcombright said. “For them to be able to do it on the biggest stage – though we were pretty overwhelming favorites to do so – it really just worked out.”

Recall the scene in the 2006 classic movie “Cars,” when race frontrunner Lightning McQueen stops just before winning his race to wait and help his opponent finish. That’s just what the Falcons do at practice. No one is trying to outrun the other. They run side by side, and if anyone’s straggling behind, they wait for her.

On the back of their shirts is the team motto: “‘We’ is greater than ‘me.’”

“They’re not concerned with individual efforts – that was beautifully on display when Josie won counties and talked about her teammate instead of herself,” Alcombright said.

With how isolated running in the woods can be, it’s easy to give up on yourself.

“But if there are other people counting on you, it gives you an extra boost,” the Falcons coach said.

In 3A, other top-50 results include South River’s Makenzie Phillips, who claimed 15th place (20:36.9) on the girls side. Arundel senior Ryan Fernandez finished fourth (16:29.7) in the 3A boys race. Severna Park senior Ty Maddox finished sixth (16:43.3), followed by Falcons junior Brenden Woods (13th, 17:04.0), Chesapeake sophomore Jacob Butcher (24th, 17:16.5), Severna Park junior Jared Briczinski (41st, 17:44.6) and Arundel senior Mason Tyus (43rd, 17:46.1) also finished in the top 50.

The Severna Park boys team placed fourth overall with 151 points. South River finished 15th (353 points), Arundel 16th (358) and Chesapeake 20th (477).

Severn Run’s Tre Kelly becomes first Wolves state champion

Severn Run senior Tre Kelly had only meant to do his best this season, to feel as though he’d competed with the pack.

But then in October, he took home the county championship and went on to take gold in regionals.

In the weeks leading up to the 4A state meet, Kelly visualized himself as a victor with every step he took.  When he woke up Saturday morning, his only thought was of winning.

“I thought I had a real shot,” Kelly said. “I had no regrets.”

The Wolves’ senior became the first state champion in his school’s short history and carried on the legacy of his mentor, Old Mill’s Tsedeke Jakovics, who was a 10-time state champ across the three running seasons before moving on to run at Princeton. While he wouldn’t beat the former 3A champ’s time, Kelly finished in 16:09.27 – just over a full second before the runner-up, Benjamin Burckle of Montgomery Blair — and the fastest time of all four classifications. The finishing mark also shaved 11 seconds off his region meet finish.

Kelly guessed correctly that the Hereford course would pose a challenge to his time, not only because it was a difficult path to begin with but because of the overnight rain, too. At the starter’s gun, the Wolf intended to settle into a 5:10 pace and lose his competitors in the woods. He did for a while – the third-place on down results reflect that, with nearly 30 seconds separating him from the rest.

Then, as he neared the finish, he felt Burckle haunting his shadow.

“I just had to finish hard,” Kelly said.

He’ll continue to race for Severn Run in the indoor season in the mile 1,600 and 3,200-meter races, with goals of dipping under 4:20 and 9:20 times. He predicts his outdoor season will run even faster.

Since Saturday, Kelly’s enjoyed the proverbial flowers the Severn Run community’s been showering him with.

“Even people I don’t even know, they come up to congratulate me in the hallway,” Kelly said. “It feels good that the hard work is being recognized.

Among the top 50 placements in the 4A boys mile race, Crofton had five: junior Scott Cunningham took 10th place with a time of 16:49.5, senior Noah Mazza-Bell (21st, 17:10.9), freshman Jordan Gelineau (25th, 17:18.3), senior Damola Olawode (38th, 17:35.7) and senior Carson Malone (47th, 17:51.2). North County saw three runners finish top-50: senior Cole Cosgrove (20th, 17:51.2), junior Tobi Olanrewaju (22nd, 17:11.0) and junior Dan’ye Keller (28th, 17:11.0). Broadneck sophomore Alexander Mancus placed 43rd overall (17:41.4).

The Cardinals secured fourth place on the team standings with 129 points. The Knights finished sixth (183) and Broadneck 11th (336).

On the girls side, Crofton finished 12th (296 points) and Broadneck 13th (342).

Severn Run freshman Adriana Vastag claimed ninth place individually (20:17.4), followed by Bruins freshman Audrey Fleishman (33rd, 21:25.5) and Crofton’s Katelyn Waters (49th, 21:50.0) in the top 50.

In the 2A boys mile, Southern finished overall in 17th place with 454 points, its highest placement being 75th.

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A year ago, then-senior Angus Lunt-Woodward prevailed in the same situation — a post-overtime shootout that would determine whether his team could claim the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C Conference title. LaPointe, Lunt-Woodward’s successor, moved up from junior varsity, suffering the expected bumps of the transition earlier this fall but surviving.

He filled his predecessor’s shoes nicely Sunday, helping win a second consecutive MIAA C championship with a 3-1 edge in penalty kicks over Friends. The teams played to a scoreless tie in regulation and overtime before the deciding shootout.

“I can’t believe we got this far honestly,” LaPointe said. “It’s amazing.”

Sophomore Ben Harcourt finished Key’s first penalty kick, the result of a “brain break” in the far corner of the pitch that Rainey had given him earlier in the game.

Nico Zapata, the center back who cramped Key’s offense all afternoon and suffered a bloody face for it, lined his shot directly down the middle and right into LaPointe’s arms and Key secured its advantage.

The Quakers stopped the second and third Key shots, but only landed one of their next two. Obezags senior Alex Bubnov drilled his between keeper Michael Shiner’s legs. LaPointe stuffed the next. Then, senior Jack Moran sent his top bins. When he turned to run, his teammates already rushed toward him, screaming.

“Full on grit, the entire team,” LaPointe said.

Last year’s win that garnered Key’s first title since 2013 felt special, coach Jake Rainey said. But this one, with all the adversity they faced, was different.

Eleven seniors will turn in their Key jerseys for the final time, including Bubnov, a Ukranian war refugee. A knee dislocation sidelined him in early September.

“Seeing him go down, we had to play the season for more than ourselves,” Fisher said.

The Obezags were without sophomore Anthony Aguilar, too, until the quarterfinal round on Monday, when he scored a goal and set up another to win, 2-1. Rainey returned his captain armband. Bubnov was cleared two days later and netted a hat trick over Beth Tfiloh. Their composure and leadership added new life to the rest of the team, Rainey said.

The coach always tells his team that they may not be the most technical on attack, might not be the cleanest on defense, but he didn’t need that from them. He wanted a team willing to learn.

He developed them to the point he could deploy all 25 of them in the final and keep his players’ legs fresh as a result. He brought in Key girls soccer coach Steve Horrigan, who led his team to a title last Sunday, for extra guidance, too.

“When it comes down to the playoffs and championships, you want your whole family,” Rainey said. “Anyone who’s contributed to this program, you want them there with you.”

The MIAA awarded LaPointe (seven saves) MVP honors. All season, other MIAA C Conference coaches asked Rainey where he kept making these keepers. He’d tell them they didn’t even have a backup. They’d simply find a talented athlete, teach him and refine him with feedback.

“He’s had challenging moments, blunders that can happen. But he’s growing and learning so quick,” Rainey said. “This was his most important game he’d ever played and he was so sure-handed.”

LaPointe did not stand alone.

In the first overtime, Friends sophomore Qadeer Aslam sprinted into the box, and LaPointe lunged forward to stop him. As they collided, the battle rattled loose, back into Quaker possession. The shot beat LaPointe. It did not, however, beat Fisher, who leapt between the posts and launched the would-be game-winner away.

The senior hunted down the next Friends drive, too, crashing senior Sebastian Egginton out of bounds. Fisher and other backs like Jeffrey Mullin, Harcourt and Alex Neenan, snuffed countless Friends attempts all game. A physical contest from the start, the Quakers channeled their aggression into heavily pressing the Obezags defense, upping in intensity in the second half to all but contain play to their attacking third.

Fisher and the other defenders read Friends’ offensive strategy plainly: a through-ball through the back line.

“They’d overcommit on offense, too,” Fisher said. “We tried to exploit that a bit. We didn’t get to it as we’d liked, but we were able to defend it pretty well and lock them down.”

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But the tears that wracked them afterward weren’t happy ones. Not with Bethesda Chevy-Chase celebrating a 2-0 victory several feet away.

Emotion struck sophomore Shayna Tobin, the hero of the state quarterfinal, too. As she returned to the bench after the postgame handshake, she donned a small smile. We got it next year, she told her fellow underclassmen.

“Everyone did it together. They’re emotional because of how hard they worked,” Wolves coach Theon Francis said.

One of the final two Anne Arundel teams still competing for a title on Saturday night has only existed for two seasons. The Wolves set a modest goal of winning the Class 4A East I Region — they did that.

They underwent the transformations they needed to journey that far, not only from the beginning of this season but from last fall. They scored on recent champion Severn, on last season’s 4A East Region I champ Crofton. They tallied nine wins.

Though Severn Run only loses three seniors from a 24-player varsity roster, they were essential components in blending the different Meade, Glen Burnie, Old Mill and North County players into one culture. They grew confidence together and realized, Francis said, that they were, in fact, a very good team. Francis said that he and his staff grew as coaches, too, to better understand how to “get more out of them.”

“Building this team was challenging,” Francis said, “but those seniors and leaders, they were a huge part of that.”

The first BCC goal seemed inevitable. As steadfast as Severn Run’s defense was in hunting Barons ball-handlers down, its captain Claire Yonly gunned for her shot from the very first whistle. Goalkeeper Destini Thomas, a midseason junior varsity callup, collected a save before an injury claimed her. But then, Yonly launched a long, high, unstoppable shot from the right side in the 17th minute, making it 1-0.

That wasn’t the score that hampered the Wolves’ odds at victory. Severn Run players like juniors Izzy Martin and Niaya Brezial (who competed for Glen Burnie’s state semifinal squad three years ago) attacked the ball, pushing possessions up the field with the same gusto that they hounded the Barons in the midfield and on defense.

But a lone wolf doesn’t often fare well. It needs a pack. And when a ball was driven to the box, the Severn Run players rarely had another teammate to dish to.

The ferocity that Severn Run offered in the middle and defending thirds was never quite right in the attacking third. While BCC grew more aggressive in taking its shots in the second half, the Wolves struggled to consistently step to the ball until the end.

“That was one of those things we improved on as the season progressed, and to me, it just went a little backwards today,” Francis said. “But they were a little bit physical and that made it more challenging.”

That didn’t mean the Wolves weren’t without their chances. Its closest shave was Tobin’s about 15 minutes in, a hard-fought shot that grazed the outside of the cage, immediately followed by a corner that was also fended off.

For that to immediately be followed by a second Barons goal stung.

Brezial and BCC senior Amelia Tatelbaum both sprinted for a 50-50 ball and collided. Tatelbaum kneed Brezial in the face in honest pursuit, and won it. But while Brezial clutched her head on the ground, no card was offered and the Barons’ possession surged toward the box. Once again, Yonly took aim and potted it behind the second Severn Run keeper, Juliette Mann (five saves).

Both Martin and Brezial nearly scored after that but BCC goaltender Brooke Doukouris swooped upon both. Tobin chased another fast break but was forced to swerve it just out of bounds. So much of Saturday’s downfall, Francis said, simply came down to being unlucky.

“But we’re learning how to win,” he said. “And they have a taste for it now.”

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“You are the winner today,” Albayrak told them. “There is no discussion about it.”

Chesapeake Science Point opened in 2005 but didn’t add athletics until 2013. Since then, no Tigers team has been able to battle to the state tournament. At least, not until now.

Albayrak has led the program for a decade, nearly its entire existence. He fondly remembers the scraggly patch of grass down the street from the school they used to practice on in the early years. He recalls only carrying six players on the roster after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

They had fun, he remembered, but they weren’t exactly skilled soccer players. Once in a while, he’d have a talented player come along. One typically wasn’t enough. The county, stacked with elite Class 4A and 3A programs, gave the team its bruises every season.

But he and his staff — Franko Albayrak, Ariel Balestrieri and John Roberts — devoted themselves for the long haul. They invested in middle school students, building clubs, coaching and playing alongside the kids.

This season, a team listing 10 sophomores, six freshmen and a handful upperclassmen competed further than any other public school team in Anne Arundel County.

“It makes a big difference,” Albayrak said. “It brought us here.”

Battling through the first few stages of the season was an adjustment, he admitted. The coaches worked to implement different defenses. They suffered lopsided losses in the first week.

But on Sept. 25, the Tigers turned a corner. They beat Old Mill, 1-0.They beat CMIT North (which they’d meet again in the postseason) 4-2. Even defeats to Meade and Glen Burnie were one or two goal-games. They capped the regular season with a 3-0 shutout of Southern.

CSP amassed 11 goals through the region playoffs – mostly off senior Jayden Antwi’s foot or head – and topped International HS at Langley, 4-2 in their first ever state quarterfinal.

The Tigers looked to power through their star senior again.

Antwi replied to the Railroaders’ icebreaker within two minutes, an opportunistic header to knot the game at 1 for most of the first half.

CSP could only bar the door for Brunswick senior forward Chris Vasquez Molina for so long. The tallest figure on the field at 6-foot-4 camped at the threshold of the box while his teammates ushered the ball down field.

Even down by three goals at the half, the Tigers kettled the field of play to the attacking third. Players like senior Olamide Makinde and Darnell Witten surged toward the box repeatedly but nothing had the strength to bite.

“We couldn’t hold the position we wanted,” Albayrak said. “Earlier games, we could. We lost too many balls on the sides and couldn’t go through Jayden. Our opponent studied us.”

With 14 minutes left, Witten careened at Brunswick freshman goalkeeper Alex Tully, beating one Railroader back and picking off another when he’d try to steal the ball away from him. He lined what could’ve been a tide-turner 10 yards out from the net to the corner. Tully dove to stop it.

Shortly after, Antwi tried his luck again, firing a bullet from his toe despite the horde of four Brunswick defenders crowding him. Tully was there again.

But for the four seniors on the roster, Albayrak adamantly assured his players that this was not a blip.

“This,” he said, “is the beginning for CSP boys soccer.”

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On Friday, he tensed in the pocket, awaiting a snap. It was the fourth quarter of his first public school playoff football game, the first time it ever fell upon his shoulders to advance his team. His Severna Park Falcons led Crofton, 21-16 with less than two minute to go. But if Howell couldn’t convert a first down, he’d give the Cardinals the ball back for a drive that could potentially spoil Severna Park’s unlikely season.

Upon the snap, Howell danced left to right before shooting forward. He claimed the first down and killed 11 seconds before a handful of Cardinals wrapped him up.

“I always fall back on my legs,” he said. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But majority of the time, it works.”

He’d done enough. It took a beat for the celebratory jumps to begin. These Falcons had never celebrated a football playoff win before – nor had any of the classes before in a long, long time.

“You just won Severna Park’s first playoff game since 2008,” coach Nick Marks informed his huddle postgame.

The Falcons likely would not be travelling to the neutral site of Severn Run to face Old Mill (the top seed in Class 4A/3A East) next week had Howell not transferred from Spalding in September. The program had defensive playmakers like senior edge rusher Noah Croghan, who served his usual diet of sacks and tackles for loss on Friday yet again. It had wily wide receivers like Graham Guenther, sturdy running backs like Jonathan Wark (71 yards). But when it lost senior Isaac Graves to injury in the first game – an injury that haunted him throughout the season – it lost its final piece. Until its prodigal son returned.

“I love it here,” Howell said. “This is my home.”

Howell became what the Falcons needed and more, carrying them through a historic six-game win streak. A loss to rival Broadneck last week denied Severna Park its region’s top seed.

The Bruins’ defense dragged him and his passes down. He’d not suffered a beating like that since his first week as Spalding’s starter in August, a rough loss to Brownsburg of Indiana that caused the Cavaliers to start freshman Brian Snowden the following week.

When Crofton’s defense hauled Howell down thrice in the first half – once for a safety – the Severna Park quarterback felt his confidence dimming.

“I had to remind myself I’m still a good football player,” he said, “and my goal is to win. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

Howell sat with his coaches this past week and devoured film. He drilled untimed quarterback scrambles, a segment of what Marks considered a calm, composed week of practice.

Moreover, Howell reminded himself he had teammates to rely on.

Howell rolled his ankle when he spun to try and elude a tackle in the first second-half drive. He thought, just run it on the next play.

“Then I was like, ‘Nah,” Howell said. “I just gotta throw it to my playmakers. That was the motto of the game, let my playmakers make a play.”

Howell scrabbled out of the pocket, pumping his legs until he found Guenther in the end zone. Then, the quarterback released his 29-yard bomb.

“GG knows where to go. He’s a hell of a player,” Howell said.

Where offense may have responded calmly to the first half, Marks felt his defense was a little more “fired up.”

“Felt like they got a little embarrassed on the first drive,” he said.

The Cardinals all but walked to their first touchdown and initial lead. In the second quarter, a holding call nixed what could’ve been a long pass from Logan Davis to Dominic Jackson for another one.

Severna Park’s defense wouldn’t allow such a spark again, thanks in part to Charlie Cavanaugh’s interception.

Croghan christened the second half with a tackle for loss, the next Crofton drive with a sack and the fourth quarter with another sack and forced fumble. Though the Cardinals managed to eke a score in the third quarter, the Falcons simply didn’t give them enough room to do much more.

When the Cardinals reached their final fourth down of the season, Davis cranked a long ball toward his receivers, Severna Park senior Tyler Lawhorne snatched it before he could.

“I felt like they bailed us out in the end,” Marks said.

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Passing yards leaders

1. Ben Raines, South River: 2,520

2. Ty Bussard, Severn: 2,171

3. Brian Snowden, Archbishop Spalding: 1,685

4. Trey Martini, Old Mill: 1,525

5. Nate Kropkowski, Broadneck: 1,444

6. K’dyn Rogers, Meade: 1,259

7. DJ Hitaffer, St. Mary’s: 1,168

8. Bub Townsend, Northeast: 1,066

9. Kaden Schurr, Arundel: 924

10. Vinny Zimmerman, Southern: 913

11. Blake Howell, Severna Park: 781

12. Rob Saunders, Glen Burnie: 716

13. Naseem Tention, Arundel: 712

14. Logan Davis, Crofton: 653

15. Zyhir Neal, Annapolis: 341

Rushing yards leaders

1. Noah Mitchell, Glen Burnie: 1,296

2. Antonio Ledbetter, Archbishop Spalding: 1,205

3. Naseem Tention, Arundel: 1,148

4. Jayden Rumley, Meade: 691

5. JoeVon Walker, Crofton: 683

6. Jules Floyd, Severn: 666

7. Cam Pinson, Archbishop Spalding: 652

8. Jamal Epps, St. Mary’s: 634

9. Meech Jones, Old Mill: 605

10. Jonathan Wark, Severna Park: 603

11. Aaron Foote, Broadneck: 594

12. Gabe Denius, Broadneck: 585

13. Christian Doss, Crofton: 555

14. Blake Howell, Severna Park: 469

15. Zyhir Neal, Annapolis: 457

Receiving yards leaders

1. Jaden McDuffie, South River: 1,012

2. Jack Fowler, Severn: 814

3. Makel Wilder, Old Mill: 810

4. Xander Dowell, South River: 752

5. Dylin Jackson, St. Mary’s: 693

6. Johnathon Coleman, Arundel: 683

7. Kam Miller, Archbishop Spalding: 674

8. Aidan Tupper, Broadneck: 658

9. Zaire Willard, Meade: 552

10. Aaron Igwebe, Archbishop Spalding: 497

11. JP Simpson, South River: 444

12. Jack Schlein, Severn: 442

13. Darius Burton, Arundel: 408

14. Nate Dooms, Northeast: 333

15. Landyn Hardnett, Severn: 331

Tackling leaders

1. Evan Paximadas, South River: 107

2. Travon Pinkey, Old Mill: 105

3. Jemere Branch, Severn: 88

4. Connor McAndrew, St. Mary’s: 76

5. Mason Johnson, St. Mary’s: 75

6. Roman Stramanak, Annapolis: 70

7. Cullen Rigby, St. Mary’s: 68

8. Joey Scheffers, Archbishop Spalding: 67

9. Jonah Lewis, Archbishop Spalding: 66

T10. Zack Philpott, South River: 63

T10. Kayden Tasker, Glen Burnie: 63

T12. Kendall Jones, Broadneck: 62

T12. Kayden McDuffie, Meade: 62

T14. Kamari Brown, Severna Park: 61

T14. Trent Shipley, South River: 61

Then, Sophia Weber took one step, rebounded the ball and fired. A beat later, the sound of the shot smacking the back of the cage and roaring cheers blended together over the 2-1 final.

“I just think about my team. If I let it get to me, I’m making more mistakes and I’m letting my team down,” Weber said. “I have to think that I have to recover to help them.”

The Falcons advance to face Leonardtown in the 4A championship game at Stevenson University at 5 p.m. Sunday. The unbeaten Raiders, who advanced with a 5-1 win over Urbana, shut out Severna Park’s rival Broadneck over a week ago with 43 shots on goal.

Falcons coach Shannon Garden smiled. “We’re enjoying tonight,” she said.

After badgering Severna Park’s defense early on and managing to deposit a goal in the second quarter, Churchill’s chances began to fade. Severna Park’s attack, led by Remond, flushed the Bulldogs defense repeatedly. Finally, junior Addy Hill ended the drought four minutes before the end of regulation.

Falcons keeper Tessa Norris only needed to make one save after that. Vernugopal handled the rest, performing exactly as Garden expected – gliding, making turnovers appear “effortless.”

“She can dodge, shoot – we call her ‘Trusty Leela’ because she does her job,” Garden said. “She’s not flashy, but man, she does her job and she does it well.”

Severna Park stalked and hammered Churchill’s circle through the first overtime and into the second. Garden estimated her players were more athletic than their opponents, able to endure the extended game with first-half energy. It didn’t hurt that the Falcons practiced 7-v-7 all the time in anticipation of this situation.

She told them with every break: keep knocking on the door. Eventually, it’ll open.

“We’re down there. We’re dominating. We just have to punch it in,” she said. “You have to get hungrier, scrappier. It was just a matter of time.”

Linganore defeats South River field hockey | PHOTOS

South River’s season ends in double overtime

South River field hockey hoped to end its Cinderella story in 2025. There were plenty of storybook chances to extend the season past Wednesday’s Class 3A state semifinal against Linganore at Glen Burnie High and into the Class 3A state championship game — freshman Blake O’Connell sprinting in open space, shot loaded on her stick, just to be fended out of bounds.

Even the press box crew was fooled into thinking Seahawks sophomore Addyson Parker’s shot on goal in the fourth quarter had scored, flicking on the flashing stadium lights in celebration. Instead, the ball fell just short.

Officials awarded the Seahawks a stroke which Liberty-bound Linganore goaltender Allena Jaworski blocked.

Just before the end of regulation, sophomore Reese Johnson drove a potential game-winner but was warded out.

Three consecutive South River shots in overtime broke upon the keeper like waves upon a cliffside.

Then, two minutes into the second overtime, Lancers midfielder Addison Ridgely received the input off a corner and found the back of the net for a 2-1 victory, sending Linganore into Saturday’s 3A state championship game against Westminster.

“I couldn’t have asked for more from them,” Seahawks coach Kate Norman said. “They killed it today. They gave 100% and honestly, I think either team could’ve won that. It just was gonna be who put it in the goal at the end of the day and they did that.”

The Seahawks reclaimed its seat on the upper tier of Anne Arundel County field hockey this season. South River recorded wins against every other perennial power — Broadneck and Crofton in the regular season, Severna Park in the county championship — garnering the program’s first county title since 2013.

In the offseason, South River players more fully committed themselves to playing club and honing the skills that brought them so much success this time around.

“They came back completely different players,” Norman said, “completely mature, on and off the field. It’s all we can ask – keep playing.”

Six seniors depart, including Angelina Lutterbie, who netted the tying goal four minutes into the second quarter. Still, the Seahawks will return the bulk of its talent next fall, including sophomore goalkeeper Emma Bonnacorsy, who made constant saves throughout each period. Norman likened her to a “brick wall.”

“We have the talent and we can get them where they need to be. We’re gonna be good. We’re gonna rebuild and we’ll come back and hopefully win a state championship,” Norman said.

Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.

Three seasons ago, the Saints dominated the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference to an undefeated season and title. When the league reshuffled prior to the 2024 campaign, St. Mary’s elevated to the A Conference with a young squad and cautious optimism.

Their first season didn’t go well — 0-10

“Losing hurts,” Budroni said. “Losing all your games hurts a lot.”

The season culminated in giving up a lead to rival Severn, watching as the Admirals celebrated on the field. But now, it’s difficult for the Saints to feel any kind of pain. Beating A Conference elders like Calvert Hall and punching a ticket to the highest level of football playoff in Maryland soothes all aches.

Before the season, Budroni believed St. Mary’s would “surprise some people.”

“I think we’ve done that,” he said.

Around them, the St. Mary’s players took nothing but “disrespect” — a word several players used in interviews with the Capital last week — from others, through social media or their own class hallways.

But internally, the Saints never felt like they weren’t any good. They simply felt like they were a step away.

“Twenty-eight seniors graduated from [the 2022] season. We were all sophomores last year,” Junior wide receiver Dylin Jackson said. “I knew we were gonna get better.”

Following last year’s disappointing run, Budroni asked his players which of their games was the most enjoyable. The answer: Archbishop Spalding — a 41-0 loss. They reveled in the breakneck speed of the game, the high-level college scouts dotting the sidelines, the bleachers twice their own home field’s size jammed and overflowing with screaming spectators.

Truthfully, Budroni felt his players cleaved through the first game, Bishop Ireton, like sandwich bread, posting a 48-0 shutout.

A come-from-behind 21-6 win over Broadneck, a Class 4A playoff and county title staple, was the true first chapter.

“We wouldn’t have won that game last year,” Budroni said. “We would’ve felt like we were down and lost. Coming back to win set the tone for the year.”

In the offseason, the Saints players worked constantly (save for lacrosse season) and prioritized chemistry. Forging those bonds wasn’t difficult to do. They had a year of learning the playbook behind them. They hadn’t returned to their home schools, either.

Those efforts paid off in connections like quarterback DJ Hitaffer and Jackson, who have connected for six touchdowns and 321 yards in the past month alone. They’re in a “flow state.”

“Everyone had that chip on their shoulder,” Hitaffer said. “Everyone wanted to take back what we lost — that respect we deserved.”

St. Mary’s put forth some sturdy individual defensive players in recent years, including players that went on to compete at the FBS level. Overall, the seniors were sparse. It’s still not the biggest group now, said defensive end Connor McAndrew, the team tackling leader (76), but they’ve collectively grown. After giving up 98 points between mid-September and early October, the Saints defense has held its last four opponents to 68 points – half of which belonged to Loyola Blakefield.

“We always tell each other we believe we’re the best defense in the MIAA,” McAndrews said. “If they don’t score, they don’t win.”

Junior linebacker Mason Johnson led the county in tackles a few weeks ago, but missed two games to an infraction, while injuries limited other starters. Their teammates stepped up, including linebacker Cullen Rigby, who now stands third on the team with 68 tackles

After beating Concordia Prep had the Saints 3-0, they began to stumble. Gilman edged out a 6-0 win, before McDonogh and Spalding – last year’s championship finalist and victor – won lopsided 41-0 and 51-7 decisions, respectively.

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It would’ve been easy for the Saints to reel back into a losing mindset. McAndrew recalled a point last season that he felt like he was going to lose every game he stepped into.

This year, every game is simply “a battle.” You win some, you lose others. Still, they knew if they lost to Loyola Blakefield, their season would end on Halloween. The team’s leaders reminded their teammates of that fact repeatedly.

So on Oct. 10, St. Mary’s offense stomped upon the Dons, unleashing 50 points for a decisive win. It proved to them that they could stretch high enough to reach that next rung on the ladder.

“Nobody thought we were gonna beat Calvert Hall,” Jackson said. “Well, actually, we did.”

The following week, St. Mary’s outlasted the Cardinals in double overtime, 14-13. It felt then like they’d arrived.

The next Saturday, the Saints traveled to Baltimore, crushed Mount Saint Joseph 20-7, and celebrated the unlikeliest season extension under a cool afternoon sun.

“It was a relief,” Jackson said.

Should St. Mary’s prevail on Friday in their conference semifinal against McDonogh, it could earn another shot at county rival – unbeaten in the league and shooting for a fourth consecutive title – in the championship game on Nov. 15.

“We know every game is gonna be rough,” Jackson said. “But we can beat anyone.”

Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.

Last week’s results

Anne Arundel County voted in favor of St. Mary’s Cullen Rigby, who received 43.04% of the vote. Second place goes to Erick Perla of Meade, who claimed 16.86% and third goes to Broadneck’s Cate Imber, who had 10.38% of the vote.

This week’s top 10

Shayna Tobin, Severn Run, girls soccer

On Saturday, the sophomore forward fired two goals and a penalty kick in a shootout to lead the Wolves over Montgomery Blair and to a 4A state semifinal.

Josslyn Gorham, Arundel, cheerleading

The four-year vet was the core of the Wildcats’ title-winning performance at the Class 3A East Regionals on Saturday, providing not only the main base of Arundel’s difficult pyramids but also centered many of its tumbles and cheer.

Kendall Jones, Broadneck, football

The senior safety intercepted Severna Park twice and made a slew of other significant stops — including a pass breakup on fourth down — to lead the Bruins over the Falcons, 30-13.

Alaina Subong, Severn, girls soccer

The senior scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the Admirals to a 3-2 victory over Mount de Sales and the IAAM B Conference title on Nov. 1.

Kendall McMillan, Key, girls soccer

The sophomore shook off a jaw injury to quickly score the lone goal needed to lead the Obezags to the IAAM C Conference title over Beth Tfiloh on Saturday.

Ben Coe, Broadneck, golf

With a score of 70 (-2), the senior went post to post to easily take the Class 4A/3A individual boys title, nine strokes clear of the field.

Elizabeth Schummer, St. Mary’s, girls soccer

The senior netted a goal and an assist to force overtime with Mount de Sales in the IAAM B Conference semifinals.

Antonio Ledbetter, Spalding, football

The senior running back rushed for four touchdowns and over 200 yards on his senior night 56-20 triumph over Mount St. Joseph.

Trish Maloney, Broadneck, field hockey

Despite the loss, the junior goalkeeper made a whopping 38 saves against Leonardtown in the 4A East II Region finals on Oct. 28.

Kylie Outen, Glen Burnie, cheerleading

The sophomore’s difficult performance as a flyer helped guide the Gophers to the Class 4A East Regional title and clinch an automatic state championship berth.

Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.