After Playoff Win, Falcons Finish Season In Ice Hockey State Quarterfinals

Severna Park could not keep up with the top-seeded Walt Whitman team during a 5-0 loss on February 25, but the Falcons expressed pride for a 9-6 season and second consecutive trip to the state quarterfinals.

Photo by Zach Sparks

Posted Thursday, March 13, 2025 1:05 pm

Extra Points

Severna Park’s goal of the year goes to Will Petrick, who had a highlight-reel play when he hit the "Michigan" goal against Dulaney High School in a 7-6 win on January 27.

The comeback of the season occurred against Harford County, with Severna Park down 4-2 with five minutes to go on January 10. Will Petrick and Pierce Brenner combined for four goals in four minutes to lead the team to victory, 6-4.

Goalie Maya Brenner recorded the only shutout of the season in a 7-0 win over Crofton on December 18.

Pierce Brenner finished his high school hockey career with 42 goals and 23 assists.

Liz Jones split time playing with Severna Park and also with the Eastern District girls team, totaling 50 goals and 41 assists in her four-year career.

“Declan Laughlin is a scrappy and versatile player with high hockey IQ,” coach Petrick said. “He put up five goals and four assists on the year and was asked to play all positions. Declan gave us hope in the Eastern semifinal game by tying up the game late in the third period on a breakaway goal after turning the defender inside out.”

Coach Petrick called Matty Butcher “a nuisance on the ice all season.” Butcher led the team in drawing penalties - which put Severna Park on the Power Play.

Freshman defenseman Owen Keefe played in 12 games and put up 10 points after coming off of an injury. “He is a dynamic player with a bright outlook playing for the Falcons,” Petrick said.

By Zach Sparks

The Severna Park ice hockey team could be forgiven for having a down season. After losing their already limited ice time due to Bowie rink renovations, the Falcons had to learn on the fly during games this winter.

But the team did not have a down year. They went 9-6 and won a playoff game against River Hill, 8-5, on February 18 before losing 5-0 on February 25 against the top-seeded Walt Whitman squad at The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland.

For the second straight year, the Falcons reached the second round of the Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL) state tournament.

“We had three months of no practice, so given that, I thought they worked through that adversity and came together,” said first-year head coach Dave Petrick. “The practices were unfortunately happening in the games, but overall, I am really happy.”

The players were just as happy after their playoff success. Pierce Brenner propelled his team to a win in the first round of the Eastern conference playoffs, recording three goals in a 5-4 overtime win over Dulaney on February 10. A team captain, Pierce also had a hat trick in the playoff win over River Hill. Declan Laughlin added two goals, and Max Grotheer, Matthew “Matty” Butcher and Griffin Grotheer had one apiece.

“That game, we ran three solid lines, and everyone showed up and played with 100% effort,” coach Petrick said about the game against River Hill. “We went up against two of the best individual players in the state in that game, and we were able to figure out how to hold them to five goals.”

Throughout the season, the Falcons got contributions up and down the lineup. Center Will Petrick led all scorers with 18 goals and 13 assists. Right wing Pierce Brenner had 15 goals and a team-high 14 assists. Beckett Dickson led the defense with 14 goals and five assists.

“Those three combined for 80 points in 15 games,” coach Petrick said. “All three recorded hat tricks, seven total between the three of them.”

Dickson made the Eastern Conference second team.

“Beckett Dickson has explosive speed and a cannon for a shot,” coach Petrick said. “He can shoot a puck 80-plus miles per hour.”

Will Petrick and Pierce Brenner earned MSHL honorable mentions. The team also got solid goalie play from Liam Bohlayer, Jake Beaver and Maya Brenner.

The Falcons will lose four seniors, with eight or nine freshmen potentially joining next year’s team. Not all of the players compete for club teams, so coach Petrick is asking them to spend time on the ice this offseason for Severna Park to take the next step.

“Half the team is on the ice seven nights a week; the other half, only when they’re with us,” he said. “So, practices will make a difference. The effort is there. The skill is there.”

Along with Petrick as head coach, the team was led by assistant coaches Matt Holben, Adam Brenner and Eric Haagenson.

Petrick coached many of the kids on his Junior Black Bears club team and enjoyed seeing their love of ice hockey grow in high school.

“It’s an awesome group of kids,” he said. “They are all high-class individuals, and I don’t have to deal with any dumb stuff. We will miss the seniors, we have four really good seniors we are losing, but they will be replaced by the next generation.”