St. Paul’s rallies past Spalding for girls lacrosse win

Top-ranked St. Paul’s girls lacrosse knows everyone will throw their best effort against it. The Gators are considered one of the best lacrosse teams in America, and every one of their girls knows what competing to win feels like.

What they didn’t expect Tuesday was just how yellow cards, free shots and a wily No. 6 Archbishop Spalding offense and defense would knit together a frustrating storm, throwing them behind from the first half through part of the second.

But this Gators crew, stabilized by its talented, Division I-bound senior class, composed itself between halves. For much of the final 20 minutes, St. Paul’s owned the draw and caused quick turnovers when it didn’t, repelling Spalding shots and solving the Cavaliers’ defense to rally for a 12-7 win to preserve its unbeaten record.

“We were just a little flustered, out of it,” said senior Natalie Shurtleff, whose three goals all came in the second half. “But I think once we gathered at halftime, looked at each other like, ‘We got this,’ it’s a lot easier to go back out there and make plays.”

Being so far removed from its comfort zone is easier for St. Paul’s to swallow after a win, but a game like that might prove necessary as St. Paul’s (9-0) faces top Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference rival McDonogh (7-1) on Thursday.

“We talked about any time you’re the visiting team, you’re going to have to play through a hostile environment. I think they were trying to be poised,” Gators coach Mary Gagnon said. “I told them, ‘Let me be the one who gets frustrated,’ and I think they did a good job. They didn’t panic.”

Other girls lacrosse scores

Garrison Forest 11, Mount de Sales 5: Junior Livy LaVerghetta scored six goals and added two assists, while her twin sister, Gabby, had a pair of goals to lead visiting Garrison Forest girls lacrosse to an 11-5 victory over Mount de Sales on Tuesday.

Neither team led by more than a goal through the first 18 minutes.

Maddie Herman started the scoring for Mount de Sales, off a Sarah Litz assist, before Gabby and Livy LaVerghetta pulled the Grizzlies ahead, 2-1. Herman scored her second to tie the game at 2.

Livy LaVerghetta and Taylor Vizcarrando exchanged goals, but Allison Fling scored to start an 8-0 Garrison Forest run over the next 17:35.

“I think we just settled down and focused on working as a team instead of more individual work and we definitely did better in transition getting the ball up to the offense,” Livy LaVerghetta said.

The Sailors went scoreless for 20 minutes until Mackenzie Conley scored the first of her two goals late in the game.

The key to the run was draw and time of possession dominance. Fling took a majority of the draws and Livy LaVerghetta scooped up several ground balls from the circle.

Garrison Forest coach Liza Blue said that is something her squad needed to improve.

“Draws have been a little bit of a weak point for us the last few games and so that has been our focus in practice and not just the draw taker, but the girls on the circle as well,” Blue said.

Livy LaVerghetta scored the last two goals of the first half and the first two of the second half before Annie Marshall chipped in one, making it 9-3. The final two goals for the Grizzlies came off assists from Livy to her twin sister Gabby.

Baseball

Centennial 5, Pikesville 2: Before their at-bats in the top of the seventh inning, Centennial coach Denis Ahearn emphasized that his players remain disciplined in their approach.

Facing Pikesville starter Michael Payne for the third and fourth time, the Eagles knew the strike zone well. Payne retired the first batter, but then No. 9 hitter David Herzberger laced a base hit up the middle to start the rally. Leadoff hitter Jackson Corrao and Charlie Wentker worked back-to-back walks, setting up Qwynn Ahearn with the bases loaded and one out.

Qwynn was 3-for-3 entering that at-bat, and the Panthers brought on Jack Millman in relief. Maintaining that discipline, Qwynn worked a walk to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead. Then, two batters later, Cadeyrn Ahearn laced an opposite-field single through the left side for two more runs.

That was all the Eagles needed in the 5-2 win, their first of two games in the Xposure Sports Spring Break Showcase.

“I wanted to square up something,” Cadeyrn said. “I had three at-bats earlier, rolled over two of them and shot one pop up not well hit. So, I knew I wanted to just slap something and get my barrel on it and hopefully find a hole. I don’t love rolling over and luckily finding a hole, I wanted to earn a single and a couple of RBIs.”

— Jacob Steinberg

Aberdeen 11, Elkton 2

River Hill 11, Fallston 0

Marriotts Ridge 9, Paint Branch 0 Marriotts Ridge 14, Annapolis 3 Glen Burnie 8 Wilde Lake 2 Gerstell 5, Friends 0

Crofton 10, Winston Churchill 0

Boys lacrosse

Bel Air 8, Arundel 7

Loyola Blakefield 11, St. Mary’s 8 Severn 14, Mount St. Joseph 10 Broadneck 20, Sherwood 5

St. Paul’s 13, Archbishop Spalding 10 Severna Park 13, Catonsville 5 Manchester Valley 7, South Carroll 5 Winters Mill 11, Century 10

Softball

North Harford 17, Havre de Grace 11

Tennis

Glenelg Country 4, AACS 1

Golf

Severn 15, John Carroll 6

Baltimore Sun Media staff contributed to this article.