Falcon Boys Defeat Broadneck, Round Into Form On Eve Of Playoffs

It’s been a different kind of season for the Severna Park boys lacrosse team.

The days of undefeated domination that characterized much of the Falcons’ success over the past two state-title years are now recent memories; this year’s squad has two losses and has been challenged by teams close and far.

Still, the Falcons haven’t slowed their roll.

An 18-13 win over Broadneck at home on April 20 was a recent strong result in the 2018 campaign for Severna Park, which looked nearly unstoppable for much of the day in a goal-scoring outburst against the Bruins.

Josh Coffman and Jack Thomas each netted five goals for Severna Park, which got two-score games from Dean Draughn, Mikey Harmeyer and Hans Hansen. Drew Betch and Chase Cope added goals for Severna Park, and Cope had a team-high four assists.

Freshman Colin Shadowens won 22 face-offs, and goalie Shane Carr had 10 saves for the Falcons, who won the rivalry matchup with the Bruins for the third straight season.

Vinny Facciponti scored five goals for the Bruins, who got four goals from Keegan Houser, two from Hayden Gourley and one each from Carter Hall and Brian Schwob. Schwob also had a team-high four assists for Broadneck, which defended Severna Park effectively in the early going, even taking a 2-0 lead in the first quarter, before the Falcons adjusted, getting goals from Draughn, Coffman (twice) and Harmeyer to turn a 6-5 lead in the second quarter into a sizable 10-5 edge after halftime.

“In the first quarter they threw a zone at us, and it took us awhile to adjust, but we came together, came out in the second half and started rolling on them,” said Draughn, a senior. “We really put it together in the second half.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Severna Park vs. Broadneck boys lacrosse, 4.20.18

The shooting prowess of Severna Park — the Falcons mixed corner-pinging lasers and outside cranks with a variety of highlight-reel dodges — was complemented nicely by its transition game and ball movement, making for a complete offensive performance.

“Transition-wise, we started to move the ball, and we were just pushing it and finding the open man and finishing them,” said Cope, who noted the team’s youth, particularly on defense, but said the varied ages of this year’s squad has been a good mix. “We’re really a young team. We’ve got a lot of young players who are all going to be on the field soon. Missing [goalkeeper] Shane [Carr, who was out with illness to begin the year], he was a big factor, but now we’ve got him back, so we’re starting to roll.”

The Falcons also capitalized on the precocious circle prowess of Shadowens. Just a freshman, Shadowens was a wrestler in the 132-pound weight class for the Falcons this winter and is thus accustomed to fighting for leverage mano-a-mano. He got the better of Facciponti, a junior who is also a wrestler for the Bruins and who managed 12 face-off victories, despite giving up two years and about 60 pounds to Facciponti. Shadowens had a team-high 11 loose balls controlled in the midfield.

“I’m really happy with Colin Shadowens’ development,” said Severna Park head coach Dave Earl. “He’s done a great job for us.”

Draughn noted the importance of winning the rivalry matchup with the Bruins. Broadneck last won the head-to-head in 2015 and also notched wins in 2014 and 2013, including a playoff win over Severna Park in 2013. Since then, it’s been all Falcons, as much of this year’s senior class defeated Broadneck on JV as freshmen in 2015 and on varsity the past three seasons.

“Going out 4-0 in high school against the rivalry from down the road is really special,” said Draughn. “We’re really passionate about it. Huge community out here, and we’re really proud.”

Added Cope, “I think it’s awesome. Last year I had a concussion and missed both games against Broadneck, so just to play them this year, I was super excited. It’s one of the biggest rivalries right now, so it’s awesome.”

Broadneck left its matchup with Severna Park impressed by the Falcons’ offensive ability yet proud to have played to the final buzzer. The Bruins closed the game with four unanswered goals to make the final score respectable, and they never relented at any point.

“We didn’t quit, and I’m very proud of that,” said Bruins coach Clay White. “Severna Park sets the bar really high, because their shooters have done all that extra work in the offseason, and they’ve got four major shooters. We tell our kids, if you want to be good, that’s how hard you’ve got to work. And when you’ve got four major guns like that, that makes it pretty tough.”

Severna Park followed its win over the Bruins with a 10-4 win over Arundel, getting four goals from Harmeyer, four assists from Coffman, two goals from Hansen, a goal and assist from Thomas, and goals by Cameron Bear, Kyle Griffith and Jimmy Maher. The Falcons moved to 9-2 with a win over Southern on April 27 and face South River and Old Mill in the first week of May before their quest for a state three-peat begins with the county championship game on May 7.

Earl said losses to Severn and Hereford this season have afforded the Falcons openings to improve their weaknesses, and they’ve largely made good on those opportunities.

“After Hereford, we realized a lot of the teams are going to zone us up, so we’ve been working on that,” said Earl. “I think the output tonight showed the results of that, and that it’s going to work. Broadneck did a hell of a job. It’s always a dog fight with those guys, it’s a battle. I’m just proud of the way we came out in the second half and really executed our offense. We’ve got a few things to clean up defensively, but overall I’m very pleased. … I think [the growth] has been excellent. We had a little bit of a setback today defensively and we’ve got some things we’ve got to work on. We’ll look at film and see how we can work on it. But, we’re moving in the right direction.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Severna Park vs. Broadneck boys lacrosse, 4.20.18