By Jon Buzby
MaxPreps.com
The IAAM ‘A’ conference championship game is scripted the way it should be – with the two top-ranked teams ready to square off in Saturday’s 3 p.m. showdown at the St. Paul's School for Girls in Brooklandville.
Top-seeded John Carroll, ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps, advanced to the finals by defeating No.3 Notre Dame Prep, 13-12, in a semifinal round game. For Carroll, the result was its second-straight, one-goal overtime victory.
McDonogh, ranked No. 3 nationally, beat Severn, 10-8, in the other semifinal A game.
Both Carroll and Notre Dame were coming off close calls in the quarterfinals, with Notre Dame beating Archbishop Spalding, 10-8, while Carroll barely got by St. Paul’s in a 12-11 overtime thriller.
The Patriots won the regular-season game against the Blazers on April 14, 16-7, and coach Krysten Porcella’s team may have been looking back, rather than playing in the present. Or looking forward to Saturday’s final.
Carroll had to rally from a four-goal deficit to force the game into overtime, and Katie Kiriazoglou scored with 1:32 left to give Carroll a 13-11 cushion. Kiriazoglou’s goal would prove to be crucial because Notre Dame Prep’s Kelsie Bozel, who scored twice late in regulation, scored again with just over a minute to go in the overtime to pull her team within 13-12.
However, Brittany Dashiell won the ensuing faceoff and the undefeated Patriots (17-0) were able to hold off a determined Prep team to advance to Saturday’s championship against McDonogh (18-2).
The Eagles from McDonogh advanced by avenging last year’s semifinal upset loss to Severn and defeating the Admirals, 10-8.
Both teams were coming off tough wins in the quarterfinals and the Eagles had one thing in mind – they weren’t going to be upset by the Admirals like last year, when they were beaten for the first time at home all season in a 10-9 loss.
Defending their home-field again, the Eagles scorched the Admirals with four straight goals midway through the second half to take a 9-5 lead. Melanie Weingart scored what would prove to be the game-winner with 10:40 left on an assist from Hannah Franklin. Colby Rhea, Molly Fernandez and Kira Paterakis also scored during that stretch.
Alex Priddy responded for the Admirals by scoring twice, but just as the momentum was shifting, Kitty Cullen put the game out of reach with a goal to increase the Eagles’ lead to 10-7.
Severn would score once more, but McDonogh’s goalie Meg Fiorito had several key saves to catapult her team into Saturday’s finals against Carroll. Fiorito finished the game with 12 saves for the Eagles.
Looking ahead to the championship game, John Carroll won the regular-season game against McDonogh, 14-9. But as any coach or player in this tough conference will tell you, come playoff time, it’s a brand new season.
Also on tap at St. Paul’s on Saturday, Garrison Forest will square off against Park at 1 p.m. in the IAAM ‘B’ championship, and Baltimore Lutheran plays St. Vincent Pallotti in the ‘C’ final at 11 a.m.
Please mail your player-of-the week nominations to MaxPreps' Maryland correspondent Jon Buzby at JonBuzby@hotmail.com.
