by Todd Karpovich

After Maryvale Prep forward Sophia Thomas scored just four minutes into Sunday’s IAAM B Conference championship Game against second seeded Severn, it appeared the Lions were ready to coast to their second straight conference crown.
    
However, the Admirals settled down and continued to attack Maryvale, and narrowly missed tying the game on several scoring opportunities. Those missed chances wound up costing Severn as Thomas scored again and Lauren Federline added another in a four-minute span late in the second half to secure the Lions’ 3-0 victory.
    
“The backbone of our team is fitness, so I knew if we could get that quick goal and last the first half, we could wear them down,” Maryvale coach Billy Reinhardt said. “I don’t think we came into season expecting to win back-to-back championships. But, I knew everyone came back expecting to get back to the championship. Once you do that, anything can happen.”
    
Thomas was Maryvale’s top playmaker and she created several chances in the opening minutes by dribbling past Severn’s defenders and pushing several dangerous balls through the mouth of the goal. Thomas opened the scoring when she collected a long clear that soared over the Admiral defense and fired a shot from 20-yards out that tucked just under the cross bar for a 1-0 Lions lead.
    
“Our players did a nice job clearing the ball, and I just got under it and was able to chip it over the goalie,” Thomas said. “We really wanted to win back-to-back championships.”
    
Severn forward Jordy Bathras came close to tying the score 10 minutes into the game, but her shot from just outside the penalty area was saved by Maryvale goalie Sarah Mather.  Mather then came up big again with 16 minutes left in the first half when she knocked away a free kick by Alex Priddy that was heading toward the low, near post. .
    
The Admirals (9-7-3, 6-2-1) also had the better end of play in the early part of the second half and Mackenzie Carroll hit the post in the 43rd minute and Bathras’ low shot six minutes later was stopped by Mather.
    
Maryvale (12-3-4, 7-0-2), however, was able to put the game out of reach midway through the second half when Laura Renaud’s shot was knocked away by Severn goalie Rachel Hough, but Thomas headed in the rebound with 17 minutes left in the game.  Federline struck again for the Lions four minutes later when she took a pass from Thomas across the penalty area and slotted the ball into the near corner.
    
It was the third conference crown for Maryvale in the past five years as the Lions also won the championship in 2002. Severn’s last title came in 2005 when they beat Maryvale in the final.

Maryvale Prep 3 , Severn 0
Goals: MP-Thomas 2, Federline.
Assists: MP-Thomas, Renaud, Clothier.
Saves: MP-Mather 9 ; S-Hough 13.
Half: Mayvale Prep, 1-0.