Falcons Brushing Competition Aside In Early Season

The Severna Park boys lacrosse machine is up and running. Again.

The Falcons aren’t about to rest on their laurels, though.

Though they’ve breezed through the first five games of the season, allowing two or fewer goals in each game and scoring in double figures in each as well, they know there are even stiffer tests in store.

They seem well positioned to run at yet another state championship, but even though they’ve blown out every opponent so far, the first few minutes have been cagey in each. The offense, thus far, seems to be a large boulder — it takes a while to get the thing rolling, but once it starts, it runs downhill and doesn’t stop.

“Every time we come out, it’s in the first three, four minutes and we’re making turnovers, moving picks, things like that,” said Severna Park head coach Bob Zichelli. “Our defense is really good, but teams like Landon, Broadneck, South River are going to punish those mistakes. We just want to do a little bit better with our possession and shots.”

That’s not to say Severna Park hasn’t done well. But the margins between victory and defeat against longtime rivals Broadneck and South River, as well as one of the nation’s premier programs in the Landon School, are as fine as they come.

The Falcons’ 14-2 demolition of reigning 2A champion Glenelg on April 1 was a positive sign. It took a few minutes to get things going offensively, but once it started, it was an onslaught. Jack Fish got the team on the board after Merric Warren caused a turnover and raced the other way, both doing what they do best to put Severna Park ahead.

After that, multiple attackers got in on the bit. Colin Whitacre and Timmy Sullivan both netted hat tricks, and two goals each came from Mason Pugh and Ben Ruppert. Landon Williams and Warren rounded out the scoring.

“We’ve got three short-stick defensive midfielders who are really good, and our poles are great too. They’re so strong, and they clear the ball well. That might be the strongest part of our team,” Zichelli said. “We want to challenge from behind. We want to be a little unorthodox, because we want all six guys (in the attacking zone) to be able to score. Every game, it’s been a little bit different guys scoring.”

Fish, the UMBC-bound attack man who has spearheaded the last two championship runs, was a peripheral figure against Glenelg, playing his role in setting up others for the attack. Every cog is going in the machine that is Severna Park lacrosse. From disruptive sticks in the midfield — Williams, Warren, Landon Zawartka, Dash Havens and a host of others — to the six-man attack, every person is doing his part.

A lot of that has to do with playing together so long. In addition to their varsity experience, some of the seniors have been playing together for 12 or 13 years, dating back to before elementary school.

“It’s kind of a magical feeling, when you’re just consistent and playing with guys for so long, you’re consistent and everything just clicks,” Warren said.

That connection helps keep the team up, but it might pay an extra dividend as their loaded schedule’s teeth begin to bear in earnest. The Falcons went to Landon on April 8 and will travel to Broadneck on April 11, James W. Robinson (Virginia) on April 16, and South River on April 23.

It’s a stretch that will really show the Falcons’ mettle.

“We’ve got a tough schedule, going away, hostile environments, and we’re looking forward to seeing how we can do in those situations. Playing against higher level teams is good for our program,” Fish said. “Sometimes folks say, ‘Oh yeah, Severna Park’s good, but sometimes they don’t play the best competition,’ so if you get the chance to play teams like that, it’s a good thing. I’m excited to see how it goes.”