By Jon Buzby
MaxPreps.com
The John Carroll School – MaxPreps No. 1 girls lacrosse team in the nation – came into last week with three games remaining in its quest for a perfect season.
In a span of five days, the Patriots blasted Archbishop Spalding (18-4) and St. Paul’s (16-4), then slipped by St. Mary’s, 13-9, to improve to 15-0.
“I knew there was something special about this team from the first day of tryouts,” Carroll head coach Krystin Porcella said. “Players go hard in tryouts trying to make the team, but the level of play and intensity at tryouts was unbelievable. We were actually stopping drills to give the players a chance to rest, because they were going at each other so hard.”
Porcella’s squad has attained its perfect record in dominant fashion, winning by an average of more than eight goals per game.
Boys: Clash of Unbeatens
Both Gilman and Loyola-Blakefield came into Tuesday’s game undefeated (5-0) in the powerful Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference.
Both teams came into the game on winning streaks – the Greyhounds with 13 in a row and the Dons with a five-game winning streak of their own.
Both teams anticipated a hard-fought, battle to the end.
And in the end, both teams hoped to be the last team standing at the top of the conference at the end of the day.
And Gilman is, following a surprisingly-lopsided 17-7 victory over Loyola.
Gilman didn’t need a second-half spark like in its previous two wins. The Greyhounds went on a four-goal splurge with less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter to deflate the Dons’ defense and take a 9-6 lead into halftime.
"Every year against Loyola is a big game," Gilman midfielder Davey Emala told the Baltimore Sun. "We lost to them last year in the semis and everyone was real excited for this game. We're the only undefeated team in the league, so we had to come out strong."
The closest Loyola came in the second half was when Trevor Dauses (two goals, one assist) found the net with 8:13 left in the third quarter to pull the Dons within four. Gilman then responded with a 6-0 scoring barrage to put the game away.
Emala led the powerful Greyhound offense with three goals and three assists. Jack Doyle added four goals and Duncan Hutchins chipped in with two goals. Gilman’s midfielders also held a 15-8 faceoff advantage which contributed to the lopsided score.
The Dons’ brilliant attackman, Virginia-bound Steele Stanwick, was held to just one goal and one assist.
“I was very proud of how our team played in terms of the energy and focus from start to finish,” Gilman coach Brooks Matthews said. “We had many guys make plays all over the field, and our riding and effort on ground balls made a big difference in helping generate offense and keep the ball away from Loyola’s talented attackmen.”
Gilman finished off its week upping their record to 14-0 with a 10-7 victory over rival Calvert Hall (11-2). Loyola (9-3) rebounded with a 15-11 victory against Severn (10-7).
Matt Cowdrey’s Number to be Retired Posthumously
Former McDonogh lacrosse player Matt Cowdrey died tragically during a hunting accident in January 2005. That season his team went on to win just their second MIAA A Conference title, playing in his memory.
Starting with the 2006 season, then-freshman Curtis Holmes, now a junior midfielder for the Eagles, donned Cowdrey’s No. 24 jersey in his honor and has since worn it during each game.
The McDonogh boys lacrosse program will pay one final tribute to Cowdrey when they retire the No. 24 jersey on May 9 when the Eagles host Mount St. Joseph in their final conference game of the regular season.
Holmes will have to get used to a new jersey and number next year as a senior. The act is a very unselfish move in honor of a fallen teammate. It’s one of the best stories you’ll hear about high school sports this season.
Player of the Week
John Carroll girls’ midfielder Ally Carey led the Patriots to an undefeated season. Carey, heading to Vanderbilt, tallied 12 goals and seven assists during three wins this past week. In addition, she won 10 ground balls and recorded 10 draw controls.
“Ally is a tremendous lacrosse player,” Carroll head coach Krystin Porcella said. “She controls the midfield offensively and defensively. We look for her leadership and poise in critical situations.”
