Poly boys lacrosse edges City for Baltimore City title
Poly boys lacrosse coach Phil Thompson doesn’t hesitate in calling the Engineers’ defense the heart of the team.
In Monday’s Baltimore City championship game against rival City, the unit showed why.
Trailing early, the Engineers hunkered down impressively, keeping the Knights from scoring for a stretch that lasted over three quarters.
With sophomore Bowen Valery igniting the attack — enjoying a two-goal, one-assist performance — Poly had just enough to come away with a 6-5 win over the Knights at Dunbar.
It was Poly’s fourth league crown and first since 2014.
One by one, Thompson proudly named his defensive unit — seniors Dylan Buise, Roman Dombrowski, junior Nathan Gordon and freshman goalie Jacob Harburger, who shined with eight saves.
“Man, I love my guys on defense,” Thompson said.
Poly needed overtime to claim an 8-7 win in the teams’ regular-season meeting April 19 and City looked primed to avenge the loss on Monday.
After falling behind 1-0, the Knights got goals from Ben Riga, Benjamin Caplan, James Lane and Ansen Park to claim a 4-1 lead with 9:18 to play in the second quarter.
The Knights successfully fended off three minutes of penalty time throughout the second quarter to maintain the three-goal lead, then Engineers’ attack got on track behind Valery. He scored with 25 seconds left until the half and then again with 2.7 seconds left to cut the lead to 4-3.
The breakthrough proved vital.
“They were pretty quick, just ground balls from midfield and fast-break goals. I think it really built up the team’s morale and we got back into the game,” he said. “Everyone really helped out, the defense did great. They really saved us a couple times. This was my first year playing in the City championship because of COVID last year, and I’m just really happy and I want to do it again next year.”
For City, Park finished with one goal and two assists and goalie Abraham Caplan making seven stops.
Catonsville 8, Herford 7: Catonsville senior Byron Newman scored the game-winning goal with 13.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the unbeaten Comets (15-0) an 8-7 victory over Hereford (10-3) in the Baltimore County championship game held at Catonsville.
Newman, who scored the Comets’ first three goals, came from behind the crease and took the shot while being double-teamed.
“I saw 15 on the clock and I thought I was going to get a step on him with my left hand because he’s a lefty defender and we had been battling it out all day, I was just like ‘I’ve got to take it to the rack.’ ” Newman said.
Hereford jumped ahead, 7-6, on a goal by Logan Sinsebox 12 seconds into the fourth quarter, but the Comets’ defense, fueled by James Azbill, Will Roberson, John Gorski and Josh Williams and goalie Brian Ruppel, shut the Bulls out the rest of the way.
Brian Ruppel had four of his 10 saves in the final eight minutes.
— Craig Clary
Severna Park 13, Broadneck 6: Broadneck boys lacrosse took something from Severna Park eight days ago: a 61-game public school winning streak.
It was a momentary lapse, a mix of poor choices on the coaching and playing sides against a talented team that wouldn’t suffer any mistakes.
So to capture its fifth consecutive county championship, 13-6, the Falcons redesigned their game plan around one simple idea: working together as a team instead of trying to win it as individuals.
Parker Sealey and Joaquin Villagomez each scored three goals for Severna Park, while Jake Schroll led Broadneck with two goals.
— Katherine Fominykh
Wilde Lake 8, Atholton 5: Rowley Jackson led the way for Wilde Lake (4-8) with a hat trick and two assists. Evan Robinson also had a pair of goals and an assist, as Dom Facchiano handed out two assists.
Girls lacrosse
Hereford 13, Towson 12, OT: Hereford junior Maddy Izzo scored the game-winning goal with 2:12 left in the second overtime to lift Hereford (13-1) to a 13-12 victory over Towson (10-3) in the Baltimore County girls championship game held at Catonsville High.
Izzo’s only goal of the night, off a feed from Kennedy Ziegler, helped the Bulls erase a 10-goal deficit in the first half.
“We had this play where we look for the iso behind and I saw her eyes looking at me and I saw her open, and I cut and I wasn’t open and I cut back and I was open and I finished,” Izzo said. “It was one of the most exciting moments of my life.”
Swift passing and pinpoint shooting helped the Generals jump out to an 11-1 lead in the first half with two goals each from Mary Clare Heubeck, Brigid Vaikness and Finlay Harmon and two assists each from Vaikness and Avery Briggs.
A goal by Hereford’s Jordan Peterson, off an assist by Bailey Berquist with one second left in the half, started the Bulls’ rally.
— Craig Clary
Severna Park 11, Broadneck 9: As if bringing down the defending state champions wasn’t proof enough a week-and-a-half ago, Severna Park girls lacrosse reminded everyone of a crucial fact: they are the queens of Anne Arundel County again.
With a powerful start and clutch timing late, the Falcons fended off their fiercest foes, Broadneck, 11-9, in the 2022 Anne Arundel County girls lacrosse championship Monday in Cape St. Claire. Eight Falcons scored for Severna Park, which last won the county title in 2017, marking a perfect end to their unbeaten in-county season.
— Katherine Fominykh
Atholton 15, Wilde Lake 12: In the loss, Cassy Montgomery and Kayla Hunter each finished with four goals for the Wildecats (4-7, 4-6 Howard County). Safaa Sattar had a hat trick as Romee Kamphuis had six saves.
Baseball
C. Milton Wright 8, South Carroll 7: The Cavaliers took the lead with seven-run fourth inning and led 7-3 going into the seventh. But the Mustangs scored five in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win.
Aberdeen 7, Joppatowne 0: Tyler Kenney, KJ Miller, Will Hart and Evan Jones combined on a one-hitter. Tyler Sampson had three hits, including a triple, and three RBIs.
John Carroll 13, Mount Saint Joseph 3: The Patriots broke a tie with 10 runs over the final three innings. Frank Adamski had three hits and three RBIs. Griffin Shirk singled, doubled and drove in three.
New Town 10, Woodlawn 0: Jaden Tatum threw a three-hit shutout. Kamar Johnson went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs.
Parkville 14, Loch Raven 0: Jerriel Lacy collected three RBIs for the Knights. Owen Evans, Blake Bolger and Brian Crispin De La Cruz each drove in two runs.
Pikesville11,McDonogh4: The Panthers scored six runs in the third to take the lead en route to the victory. Jack Millman and Ronald Jenkins each had two hits and two RBIs for Pikesville.
ManchesterValley11,FrancisScottKey8: The Mavericks broke open the game with seven runs in the third inning. Jacob Gouge went 4-for-4 and scored three runs. Ben Stevens drove in three for FSK.
North County 5, Northeast 4: John Sheets singled home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh in the walk-off victory. Thor Hildebrand and Kevin Santos each collected two hits for the Knights.
Broadneck 12, South River 2: The Bruins posted five runs in the first inning, and followed up with three in the second. Nolan Banwell had a pair of doubles and three RBIs.
Glen Burnie 10 Crofton 6: Caleb Hartwell delivered a go-ahead two-run double during a six-run rally in the top of the seventh to help Glen Burnie (12-8) rally. Ayden Szydlik had two hits and drove in two runs for Crofton.
Chesapeake 9, Southern 3: Nick Karls threw five shutout innings, earning the win for the Cougars. Dillon Stevens led the way offensively with three hits and four RBIs.
Poly10,Mervo0: Isaiah Jones pitched a five-inning no-hitter for the Engineers, striking out 11. Jacob Aldouby drove in three runs for Poly, as Chance Johnson and Darius Lee each had two hits.
Atholton 4, Oakland Mills 1: The Raiders (8-10, 7-7 Howard County) scored a pair of runs in the opening inning to take the lead. Tra Evans finished 3-for-3 with an RBI.
Softball
Francis Scott Key 15, Manchester Valley 4: Jordan Kline had four hits, including a double and triple, driving in four runs in the Eagles’ win. She also got the win with eight strikeouts. Jules Lynott had two RBIs for the Mavericks.
Liberty 13, Marriotts Ridge 8: The Lions broke open the game with five runs in the top of the sixth and added to more in the seventh. Evelyn Connor had two hits and drove in four runs for the Lions.
Winters Mill 23, Atholton 7: The Falcons started strong with nine runs in the first inning. Waverly Moffett went 5-for-5 with four doubles, a home run and seven RBIs.
Howard 13, Centennial 1: Jordan Howard singled, doubled and drove in six runs to lead the Lions (11-5). Erin Gorschboth added two hits and two RBIs. Katie Green struck out six in a three-hitter.
Long Reach 13, Hammond 0: Sierra Sims had three hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs for the Lightning.
Arundel 7, Old Mill 4: After surrendering two runs in the top of the first, the Wildcats came back to take the lead by the end of the third inning. Madison Hamolia had three hits and an RBI for Arundel. Savannah Brooks struck out seven, earning the win in the circle.
Northeast 12, North County 2: Kayleigh Fyffe threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts for the Eagles. Taylor Castle had four hits and two RBIs to lead the offense.
Carver A&T 14, Dundalk 5: Emily Hamp had four hits, including two doubles, and drove in two in the win. Maddie Golt added a double and an RBI, while Lilly Dennis got the win.
North Harford 2, Aberdeen 1: Carmen Santoro threw a four-hitter, striking out 14 to lead the Hawks. Abby Buckland went 2-for-3 in the win.
Marriotts Ridge 6, Mt. Hebron 4: Sarah Fan spearheaded the Mustangs’ offense, finishing 3-for-3 with four RBIs, including a triple. Lauren Tolle closed the game with 2 ⅓ scoreless innings for the Mustangs (4-10). For Mt. Hebron (10-6, 9-6 Howard County), Emma Kim, Becca Hutchinson and Alison Scoli each had hits.
Chesapeake 16, Southern 2: Ali Pollack went 3-for-3, including a double, and three RBIs to lead the Cougars. Alana Watts went 2-for-3 with a home run.
JohnCarroll6,HarfordTech1: Brianna Botkin earned the win, striking out 10. She also hit a two-run home run in the first inning.