While the host Northern High School boys lacrosse team opened last Friday’s Southern Maryland Athletic Conference game against Leonardtown High in promising fashion on a goal roughly two minutes in, it was the visiting Raiders who eventually departed with a 13-2 victory courtesy of a dominant second half defensively. Leonardtown (8-2 overall, 8-1 in SMAC) has lost two games this spring by a combined sum of four goals, including a 9-8, overtime setback against SMAC front-runner Huntingtown. On April 24, the Raiders yielded the game’s first goal early, but their defense limited the Patriots to only one more goal in the first half and held the hosts scoreless in the entire second half. “Defensively, we’ve played very well all season,” said longtime Leonardtown boys lacrosse coach Bart Rogers. “Tonight we held them scoreless in the second half and the other day against Chesapeake we gave up 10 goals in the first half [in a 10-7 loss] then held them scoreless in the second half and almost came back to win that game.” Leonardtown countered Northern sophomore Evan Russell’s early goal with a 7-0 run over the next 21 minutes with three goals from junior Cody Raley when one goal each from sophomore Henry Smith and seniors Parker Norris and Garrett Reynolds. Northern (6-4, 6-2) invariably ended its long drought and Raiders’ skein on a late goal from sophomore Holden Schleper. Despite heading into the intermission with a hint of momentum, Northern was unable to sustain it in the second half. In fact, the Patriots’ scoring chances were limited and the Raiders eventually blanked them over the last 24 minutes of play as Raley and Smith each scored twice and Norris and sophomore Paxten Burgen each added another goal. “We’re really young,” Northern coach Ryan Endress said. “We’ve graduated 26 seniors over the last two years. A lot of these guys are sophomores. We fell behind big in the second half, but our guys kept their composure. That’s something the coaches are proud of and that’s something the community should be proud of. Our goalie [senior Dylan Wink] is a beast. He made some incredibly tough saves tonight.” The Leonardtown and Huntingtown boys lacrosse teams appear headed for a rematch in the SMAC Championship game at Great Mills on May 4, as do the respective girls lacrosse teams from the same two schools. The Raiders’ girls won the previous meeting with the Hurricanes 14-11 three weeks ago.
While the host Northern High School boys lacrosse team opened last Friday’s Southern Maryland Athletic Conference game against Leonardtown High in promising fashion on a goal roughly two minutes in, it was the visiting Raiders who eventually departed with a 13-2 victory courtesy of a dominant second half defensively.
