By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
On paper, it looked like Wootton had the upper hand in Friday’s 4A/3A boys lacrosse state semifinal.
Urbana entered the game with five losses while Wootton hadn’t lost a game since last season’s state semifinals, standing at a perfect 17-0.
But that didn’t faze the Hawks one bit as Urbana took a big early lead and weathered a Wootton comeback to win 7-4 Friday night at Arundel High School.
Urbana will now take on 4A/3A East champion South River, who defeated Catonsville, 11-5, in the other semifinal.
The Hawks (13-5) are prepared for tough competition. They faced off against MIAA power Archbishop Spalding, WCAC champion DeMatha, IAC co-champion Georgetown Prep and Anne Arundel’s Broadneck just to name a few this season.
While Urbana lost every game it played outside of its conference, the Hawks feel they are the better for it now.
“It makes the game feel a lot easier when you play a bunch of Division I kids and then you come here,” sophomore attackman Matt Tarrant said.
Tarrant scored three goals while senior midfielder Blake Bing notched two. Neither of Urbana’s big scorers – Ronjohn Dadd or Jamie Lowe – scored a goal but the Hawks had enough offense otherwise.
Urbana dominated the first quarter as Tarrant scored the game’s first goal on an assist from Lowe just 39 seconds into the game. Urbana had a 3-0 lead at the end of the quarter.
Wootton (17-1) struck first in the second quarter on a long-distance rip by senior midfielder Mike Cresham but Urbana scored the next two goals – both by Tarrant – to take a 5-1 halftime lead.
“We just set the tone and pulled through,” Tarrant said.
Wootton Coach Colin Thomson made a switch midway through the second quarter to play Urbana’s midfielder’s tight and let the long poles take the attackmen one-on-one. The move paid off but by then the Hawks were already up three goals, which proved to be the difference.
“We were on defense a lot,” Thomson said. “We just made an adjustment too late in the game.”
Wootton scored the only two goals of the third quarter, the first from sophomore Chris Doran and second by junior Jeff Zifrony to pull to within two goals.
The two teams traded goals and Wootton trailed by just two with eight minutes, four seconds remaining but Urbana’s Bing notched the game’s final goal with 4:52 remaining to give the Hawks some breathing room.
Bing was checked by Wootton’s Mark Jutkowitz (Maryland) for the majority of the game but broke out a bit late.
“I don’t think I made a move towards the goal when he was on me. But when I had a short stick I opened my eyes and had a golden opportunity.”
Wootton, who won its fourth straight 4A West region championship this year, has still reached the state finals a single time in 2007.
Even though Montgomery County competition is getting better, Thomson said afterwards that the Patriots’ schedule will be beefed up next season.
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