By Ryan Minkrmink@digitalsports.comCLICK ABOVE FOR VIDEOS HIGHLIGHTS AND A PHOTO GALLERY FROM THIS GAME!It was
Megan Kowalski’s birthday Wednesday night, but 34-year Severna Park field hockey
Coach Lillian Shelton was the one asking for a gift.
Before the 4A state semifinal game in Gambrills, Md., Shelton asked her players for four goals in the first half.
Ta-da!
Severna Park scored four goals in the game’s first 17 minutes, beating 4A West champion Springbrook, 4-0, to advance to its sixth straight state championship game. Severna Park has won four of the six times, including three straight.
Last year was the Falcons’ first 4A state title after moving up from the 3A. Severna Park will face the same team as last season in Quince Orchard, whom they defeated 2-0.
Shelton said she figured that if she could get two goals from her attackers and her two attacking outside midfielders that would give the Falcons a nice first-half cushion.
“You just pull things out of your head and I just thought that would be good,” Shelton said.
Kowalski got things started, scoring 9 minutes, 19 seconds into the first half when she lifted and redirected a pass from junior attacker
Madison Thomas.
“It’s been a great birthday. It’s been awesome,” Kowalski said. When Shelton asked for the four goals, Kowalski said the team simply responded with a, “You got it.”
Junior
Hannah Bhlleza added a second goal just 2 minutes, 34 seconds later when she also deflected in a shot. It took just 5 minutes, 46 seconds to go up 3-0 on a goal by Thomas and then just 1 minutes, 15 seconds for the fourth, a blast off a penalty corner, by
Cassie Ballard from Bhlleza.
“I was just hoping we could get some in,” Bhlleza said. “They set it up perfectly and it just happened so quickly.”
Severna Park (18-1) rattled off 25 shots to Springbrook’s four and had nine penalty corners to the Blue Devils’ none. Springbrook goalie
Ashley Stennet, who led the Blue Devils (13-2-1) to consecutive playoff wins in strokes, had 14 saves.
As if the score wasn’t enough of an indicator, the Falcons simply peppered the Blue Devils with shot and offensive pressure. Shelton said the team has benefitted from being more cohesive and balanced. The girls don’t care who scores the goals, Shelton said.
As Bhlleza said, the team’s coaches tell the players to be piranhas out on the field. It certainly looked true as the Falcons swarmed to the ball wherever it was.
“I think their pace is terrific,” Springbrook
Coach Kearney Francis. “They are really, really intense as they transition from defense to offense. There’s a lot of really quick, nice one-touch passes that we haven’t seen yet this season. It was very difficult, I think for our kids to adjust to that pace."