South Carroll’s run ends in 1A final
The South Carroll field hockey team turned many heads on its way to the Class 1A state final, rallying from a deflating fivegame losing streak to resurrect its season in the playoffs.
On Saturday, however, the players turning heads wore a different uniform.
The seventh-seeded Cavaliers battled but had no answer for Pocomoke senior Marli McDorman and junior Dakota Trader, who combined for five goals and two assists as the Carroll County team fell to the Warriors, 5-1.
“Just coming back from our little rut that we were in four weeks ago to now ... I’m proud of these girls and I hope they’re proud of themselves,” South Carroll coach Kayla Holston said. “[Pocomoke is] a very talented team.”
Pocomoke (16-3) claimed its second straight state title and 29th overall, tying it with Westminster for the second most in state history, behind only Severna Park (34).
Pocomoke took the lead with 5:18 left in the first quarter when McDorman dribbled downfield, faked out a defender and fired a hard shot from just inside the top of the circle that found the back of the cage.
South Carroll, however, stayed competitive, drawing four corners in the first half and tying the game midway through the second quarter when sophomore Audrey Lillycrop tapped a loose ball through the legs of keeper Ella Esham.
“I was standing in front of the goalie and I got a tip in from Shannon [McTavish] and Caroline [Laur], and I hit it through the goalie’s legs,” Lillycrop said.
Cavaliers goalie Lily Sheaffer did all she could to keep her team in it. She finished with 20 saves, including several from close range.
Regardless of the outcome, South Carroll’s players said they were proud to have made it to the final. It was a goal that once, not too long ago, seemed well out of reach.
South Carroll entered the playoffs at .500 but went on a run, beating two county rivals, Liberty and Francis Scott Key, that got the best of the Cavaliers in the regular season.
“We all were really motivated to just beat our record from last year,” Lillycrop said. “We wanted to beat our rivals from in county, and that really pushed us to go above and beyond.”
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