Elvaton Junior Lax Girls Cap Youth Careers With County Title

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The Elvaton girls closed their youth careers with a county championship.

Evlaton’s junior girls lacrosse team, the Icebreakers, defeated Broadneck 9-8 in overtime in the Junior A Division championship game at Chesapeake High School on May 18.

The Icebreakers clinched the title on Charlotte Diez’s winning goal following a crucial draw control by Sophia Miller at the start of overtime.

The Icebreakers were all eighth-graders, now rising ninth-graders, who primarily attended Severna Park Middle School. The team is made up of Diez, Miller, Stella Bordone, Sophia Bordone, Olivia Tramontana, Isabel Baselga, Izzy Ubriaco, Emma Boyle, Madi Holden, Molly Goeller, Meghan DeFeo, Lola Blumenberg, Isabella Joyce, Colleen Berardino, Maddie Evans, Karli Kirchenheiter, Lily Spilker, Abby Kavanaugh, Rachael Zabko, Charlotte Astle and Sam Koppe, all of whom live in Severna Park and Millersville.

Miller was named playoff MVP by the Broadneck coaches. Broadneck’s Lexi Dupcak was named BAYS MVP by Elvaton head coach Paul Joyce.

Joyce, who coached the Icebreakers with Karen Boyle, Bob Berardino and Catina Bordone, said the core of the team has been together since they were second-, third- and fourth-graders in 2012-2014. As the players developed their skills and branched out to play for various club teams, they committed to still play rec ball with Elvaton through eighth grade with a specific goal in mind.

“We have always put our teams in the older league or best level available and encouraged our players to be loyal to the team all the way through eighth grade,” said Joyce. “Our goal was always to be the best county team in eighth grade and send our players to high school on a positive note. The team represented Elvaton Rec and the Severna Park/Millersville communities in an exemplary sportsmanlike manner and has left many families and players with great memories of youth girls lacrosse.”

Closing the Icebreakers’ middle school careers on a high note required wins against rivals Broadneck and South River; Elvaton won two of three contests against South River during the season and two of three against Broadneck, including the championship. They avenged a 10-8 regular-season loss to South River by defeating the Seahawks 8-7 in the playoff semifinals. The championship win over Broadneck avenged an 8-7 loss to BAYS earlier in the year.

They did it on the strength of standout play from all points on the field. Goalies Berardino and Zabko took up playing goalie in fifth grade and, as multi-sport athletes, excelled in the position to help lead the team. The defense was a super-athletic and team-oriented group featuring Spilker, Tramontana, Astle, Boyle, Bordone and DeFeo, and the outfit held its final three opponents (Andover, South River and Broadneck) to under nine goals each.

The team’s fast-paced, freewheeling offense was led by middies Miller, Kirchenheiter, Koppe, Diez, Blumenberg and Bordone. The attack included Baselga, Joyce, Ubriaco, Evans, Holden, Kavanaugh and Goeller.

As a team, the Icebreakers outscored the opposition 117-73, scoring an average of 10.6 goals per game and allowing an average of 6.6 in going 9-2 overall.

“An amazing and fun team to coach and be around,” said coach Joyce. “All of these players also were playing two club games per week and attending two to three club practices. All of the players had to be able to play two positions in a game. Every player had a great ‘moment’ in our playoff run, whether it was a key assist, ground ball, save or solid dodge or pass to keep the ball moving.”

Joyce also noted the contributions of coaches Bordon, Berardino and Boyle.

“Coach Bordone did a fantastic job running the box and keeping our matchups with the opponents strong,” he said. “Coach Berardino took both of our goalies under his wings and had them ready for anything that our opponent could throw at us. Coach Boyle provided a great insight to the team’s defense and a great even-keel feel for all of the coaches and players, no matter what the score was at the time. All three played college lacrosse and were great enthusiastic role models for all of our players.”

He likewise said the progression of the girls from Scoopers as second-graders to now has been immense, as the players have all branched out to play super competitive club lacrosse with noted clubs Maryland United, Bay Area, Integrity, and M&D.

Throughout, they kept their Elvaton roots thriving.

“By 2019, we were able to put a team on the field that consisted of all club players that wanted to continue playing rec lacrosse with their good friends and classmates,” said Joyce, who said he knows many of the players from teaching at Severna Park Middle School and sees continued success for them. “I was lucky enough to also teach many of these players in class at Severna Park Middle and I will say that the future for all of these young ladies is going to be fantastic.”

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