Severna Park girls lacrosse overwhelms Northern, 17-4, in 3A state semifinal

Once Maria Bragg logged her first of three goals, the Falcons flooded a Northern team dangerous through the first half into submission.

Severna Park’s shots sprayed off Northern sticks like geysers. The Falcons’ offense had seen and flattened nearly every kind of defense imaginable, but had yet to encounter a trick like Northern’s.

A Patriots defender hung off the crease, which, if the Falcons had just one playmaker, could have thrown a serious wrench into their playoff hopes. But this Severna Park girls lacrosse team is anything but one track.

The minute sophomore Maria Bragg logged her first of three goals, the scoring flooded a Northern team dangerous through the first half into submission, 17-4.

Led by Erin Hussey (four goals, two assists), nine Falcons joined forces to score, ensuring a well-balanced front to head into the Class 3A state final next week. The Falcons seek their second straight crown and a Maryland-record 16th overall.

“Last year’s team was great, but I think we’re really seeing the girls develop confidence to the point we have multiple weapons at any time,” Severna Park coach Annie Houghton said. “I think next week, we just need to play our game, keep our tempo and our positive attitude.”

This year’s blowout couldn’t compare with the same round last spring, one that nearly knocked the Falcons from contention if not for a timely set of comeback goals.

But Houghton tried not to look at this one differently.

“We don’t take anyone lightly and we always make sure we’re focused and play our game,” she said.

A slow first quarter start proved that, despite the final outcome, Northern was not going to just allow Severna Park to breeze past it without a fight. The Falcons’ typically quick attacking style bogged in the Patriots’ defense. Severna Park didn’t help itself by forcing nearly every shot it took and led only 1-0 for much of the first quarter.

“We talked about it at the first- and second-quarter break and just made some adjustments. Yeah, you might throw it to somebody in the middle, but if somebody’s right on your back, what can your teammate do with the ball?” Houghton said. “Let’s not put them in that situation.”

Goalkeeper Allison Schiavone (four saves) and the swarming defenders before her fended off the Patriots as long as they could, but the whistle worked against them. By the third 8-meter shot, Northern had its tying goal.

The balance between an effective defense and avoiding penalties has been Severna Park’s burden all season long. It cost the Falcons the advantage in their sole loss to Archbishop Spalding last month.

On Saturday, officials pinned the Falcons with 11 fouls in the first quarter alone.

“This can’t happen,” Houghton told them. “We’ve got to play smart, disciplined defense, even in the midfield. It’s not worth giving up a possession behind and it’s seven on six coming down. I feel like they just needed to take a breath.”

Two quickfire goals by Hussey and Bella Van Gieson certainly had the Falcons breathing more easily in the second quarter. And it didn’t stop.

Patriots sophomore midfielder Mia Barber crept closer with her second goal, and junior midfielder Nina Williams with Northern’s third, but it was not enough to deter Severna Park’s momentum. By halftime, the Falcons led 7-3. By three minutes into the second half, it was 10-3.

“Our team works really well together,” Hussey said. “We all have faith in each other that anyone can drive, anyone can go on the field and score or take a one-v-one on defense and run it down.”

A swiftly acquired running clock should’ve given the Falcons less time to pile on, but Severna Park’s offense seemed to bend time itself in pursuit of a dominant victory. It scored its last goal — Sarah Stefancik’s — in the final 93 seconds, just because it could.

That’s the level of intensity Houghton wants her squad to maintain next week, knowing full well Dulaney or Marriotts Ridge is unlikely to bend as much as Northern did.

“We gotta just keep our heads on and stay ready because we never know if a team can come out strong,” Hussey. “So, we just gotta come out even stronger.”

Northern — 2-0-0-1 — 4

Severna Park — 1-6-7-3 — 17

Goals: NO — Barber 2, Williams 1, Walls 1; SP — Hussey 4, Bragg 3, Van Gieson 2, Dunoyer 2, Evans 1, Kreis 1, Jeffers 1, Thompson 1, Stefancik 1.

Assists: NO — Regan 1; SP — Evans 5, Bragg 2, Hussey 2, Van Gieson 1.