Dyke bursts for Huskies
His record 8 goals provide 2nd crown for Patterson Mill
BURTONSVILLE — One of three fouryear starters on the field for the Patterson Mill boys lacrosse team in Monday’s state championship game, senior midfielder Kevin Dyke started his career as a defensive-minded midfielder and developed a more complete game over the years.
So it was fitting, and an example of how far Dyke and the Huskies program have come, that he enjoyed a record-breaking offensive performance in his final high school game.
Dyke scored eight goals, the most ever in a Class 1A final, to help Patterson Mill claim a second straight championship with a dominant 14-3 win over Sparrows Point at Paint Branch High School.
Back in 2016, Dyke played with fellow freshmen Connor Madsen and Chase Urban on the Huskies’ second midfield unit, and the team won five games that season.
Now, the tri-captains closed out their high school careers with a 17-1 senior season and a second straight state crown. Madsen finished with three goals, while Urban and fellow senior Nick Repke each had one goal and one assist.
Dyke, who surpassed Pikesville standout Andrew Schwartzman’s mark of seven goals in the 2001 1A title game, couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
“All-around team effort — this is unbelievable and incomparable,” he said. “Just to have this group of guys — a bunch of brothers — working together and then achieving a goal that we set at the beginning of the year and knew we could accomplish, it’s just indescribable. It was a helluva ride. I wouldn’t want to end my career with anybody else. These are my brothers and I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
Fine early work in the cage from Sparrows Point goalie Zach Barnickel (14 saves) kept the game close, with the Huskies leading 3-1 after the first quarter.
With the score 4-2 reaching the midway point of the second quarter, Dyke found his spot up top and took over. He scored four goals in the final 7:09 of the half and opened the third-quarter scoring as the Huskies pulled away with a 9-2 advantage that was never threatened.
“I can’t even imagine,” said Dyke, who finished with 53 goals and nine assists while also leading the Huskies in ground balls. “Credit to Sparrows Point for a great game, and credit my teammates. Any one of our players could have gone out there and did the same thing. I just happened to be at the right spot. I was hot today. It was just a great game plan and great effort by everyone.”
With the game well in hand in the fourth quarter, Patterson Mill coach Jason Bellamy had time to appreciate what a special senior class he had the pleasure of working with. Earlier Monday, Madsen (57 goals, 24 assists) was named a US Lacrosse All-American, and Dyke and Urban were selected to the US Lacrosse All-Academic team.
“Great group — eight kids that had incredible careers here,” Bellamy said. “I turned to my coaches as soon as it over and said, ‘The worst part about this is we’re never going to coach these guys again.’ Great group of kids.”
After reaching the state semifinals last season, the Pointers (9-9) took one more step in reaching this year’s final. With only one senior graduating, coach Matthew Wickman believes the potential for even more in the coming years is there. Sophomore attackman Jeremy Smith scored twice for the Pointers on Monday.
“We got hot at the right time, made a nice run at the right time of the season. Playing against teams like Hereford, Towson and Dulaney in the Baltimore County league really prepares you for a run like this in the playoffs,” Wickman said.
“I think we’re one of the lucky teams out here in that we’re only graduating one senior, so we’re bringing back the exact same team next year with a couple younger guys we’ll be pulling up to varsity as well. So we’re really excited to try to get back here again next year, and hopefully with a different outcome.”