Girls Lacrosse State Finals Preview
The girls state lacrosse tournament finals will take place from Monday, 5/20 through Wednesday, 5/22 at Paint Branch High School. Read about each matchup, including game times and how each team got here, below.
The undefeated Severna Park (18-0) girls will take on Dulaney on Wednesday for the 4A state title championship, which would be the school's first title since winning four out of five from 2011-2015. The school's 13 current lacrosse state championships are second to Mount Hebron (15) in MPSSAA history. Severna Park has rolled in the playoffs so far, outscoring opponents 64-15.
Dulaney (11-6) will try to avenge their loss to South River in last year's state finals on Wednesday evening. The Lions have gathered three state trophies in their program's history, including one three years ago in 2016. Dulaney is coming off a convincing 17-1 victory over Eleanor Roosevelt in the state semi-finals. The two state finalists met earlier this year, with Severna Park winning, 20-6.
C. Milton Wright has cruised through the 3A playoffs so far, outscoring their opponents 71-24 (including an 18-8 win over Huntingtown in the state semi-finals). This will be the Mustangs' second state finals appearance in the past three years; they will try to win their second state title in program history, the first coming back in 2004 - when they defeated their 2019 opponent, Westminster.
The Westminster (13-6) girls will try to defend their 3A state lacrosse title on Monday evening after defeating Stephen Decatur 15-5 in the state semi-finals. The Owls did not receive a first-round bye this year, but have looked strong in the postseason nonetheless, with only one of their games being decided by less than 10 goals.
The Hereford girls avenged their 2018 state finals loss to Glenelg in the state semi-finals on Saturday (and ended Glenelg's shot at a four-peat). They received a double bye in the 2A North region, and topped the Gladiators 9-8 after winning their first two games by identical 18-3 scores. Hereford won all three of their program's state titles consecutively from 2001-03.
The South Carroll (15-1) girls have stifled their opponents on their march to the program's second state finals appearance, giving up more than five goals just once in the playoffs. The Cavaliers last made it to the state finals in 1993, in just the fourth year of the MPSSAA girls lacrosse state tournament.
Loch Raven came in as a four seed in the 1A North region but has dominated the playoffs so far, outscoring opponents 72-15 over the first four games. A state juggernaut during the 1990s, it is the program's first state finals appearance since 2011 as they look to capture the fifth title in the team's history.
Having only opened in 2007, the Patterson Mill girls lacrosse program has but one state title in its history, but it came last May. Both the girls and boys lacrosse programs are seeking to repeat as 1A state champions this week, and despite entering the postseason as a three seed, they have certainly played like defending state champions, having won all four of their games by double digits this postseason.
Find all of the information about this week's state championship games here: https://www.mpssaa.org/lax-to-the-max-state-finals-set-for-monday-520-through-wednesday-522/
4A: (2) DULANey v. (1) Severna Park (Wednesday at 6 p.m.)
The undefeated Severna Park (18-0) girls will take on Dulaney on Wednesday for the 4A state title championship, which would be the school's first title since winning four out of five from 2011-2015. The school's 13 current lacrosse state championships are second to Mount Hebron (15) in MPSSAA history. Severna Park has rolled in the playoffs so far, outscoring opponents 64-15.
Dulaney (11-6) will try to avenge their loss to South River in last year's state finals on Wednesday evening. The Lions have gathered three state trophies in their program's history, including one three years ago in 2016. Dulaney is coming off a convincing 17-1 victory over Eleanor Roosevelt in the state semi-finals. The two state finalists met earlier this year, with Severna Park winning, 20-6.
3A: (1) C. Milton Wright v. (3) Westminster (Monday at 7 p.m.)
C. Milton Wright has cruised through the 3A playoffs so far, outscoring their opponents 71-24 (including an 18-8 win over Huntingtown in the state semi-finals). This will be the Mustangs' second state finals appearance in the past three years; they will try to win their second state title in program history, the first coming back in 2004 - when they defeated their 2019 opponent, Westminster.
The Westminster (13-6) girls will try to defend their 3A state lacrosse title on Monday evening after defeating Stephen Decatur 15-5 in the state semi-finals. The Owls did not receive a first-round bye this year, but have looked strong in the postseason nonetheless, with only one of their games being decided by less than 10 goals.
2A: (1) Hereford v. (2) South Carroll (Tuesday at 8 p.m.)
The Hereford girls avenged their 2018 state finals loss to Glenelg in the state semi-finals on Saturday (and ended Glenelg's shot at a four-peat). They received a double bye in the 2A North region, and topped the Gladiators 9-8 after winning their first two games by identical 18-3 scores. Hereford won all three of their program's state titles consecutively from 2001-03.
The South Carroll (15-1) girls have stifled their opponents on their march to the program's second state finals appearance, giving up more than five goals just once in the playoffs. The Cavaliers last made it to the state finals in 1993, in just the fourth year of the MPSSAA girls lacrosse state tournament.
1A: (4) Loch Raven v. (3) Patterson Mill (tuesday at 4 p.m.)
Loch Raven came in as a four seed in the 1A North region but has dominated the playoffs so far, outscoring opponents 72-15 over the first four games. A state juggernaut during the 1990s, it is the program's first state finals appearance since 2011 as they look to capture the fifth title in the team's history.
Having only opened in 2007, the Patterson Mill girls lacrosse program has but one state title in its history, but it came last May. Both the girls and boys lacrosse programs are seeking to repeat as 1A state champions this week, and despite entering the postseason as a three seed, they have certainly played like defending state champions, having won all four of their games by double digits this postseason.
Find all of the information about this week's state championship games here: https://www.mpssaa.org/lax-to-the-max-state-finals-set-for-monday-520-through-wednesday-522/
| May 20th, 2019 | By: Ed Waldman |