Severna Park boys lacrosse doesn’t need any extra motivation to rout another team. Still, the Falcons tend to perform better when someone angers them. As they walked into Stevenson’s Mustang Stadium on Wednesday night for the Class 3A state final, Towson’s fans gave them that boost.
“They were booing us as we were walking onto the field,” senior Jack Fish said. “They probably shouldn’t have done that.”
The members of Severna Park’s ninth-straight state championship squad have no illusions that they’re well-liked outside of their community. They’ve mercilessly tattered so many postseason dreams over the past decade, including the Generals’ for the second consecutive season after Wednesday’s 11-4 victory.
Junior Joey Viskocil sees it like this: Any game against Severna Park is another team’s “Super Bowl.”
“Everyone hates us,” Fish said. “We’re the New York Yankees. We’re the New England Patriots. They’re all coming after us, and they want what’s ours. We don’t want that.”
At the final horn, the Falcons tossed their helmets and sticks like graduation caps, leapt into each other’s arms and twirled around. They let all their emotion rush through them — the joy and sweet satisfaction that can only come with being hated, winning anyway, and doing it with lifelong friends.
“We have each other’s backs,” junior Duke Sealey said. “Always.”
Severna Park (16-1) knew Towson would try to hold the ball early, much like rival Broadneck did. Faceoff specialist Davis Bates didn’t allow it. He fueled Severna Park’s onslaught, winning 11 battles at the X. Defensive midfielders like Will Mazcko, Merric Warren, Dimitri Bardone and Landon Williams took up the call, either causing turnovers, winning 50-50 balls or pummeling Towson players into misfires all night.
“We always say it: Our defensive midfielders are excellent,” Falcons coach Bob Zichelli said. “You see how much they create for us.”
Letting the other team score early and taking time to boot up in response was the only recurring blemish on their otherwise polished season. Zichelli warned them that eventually, a good team would make them pay for it. Only Landon was able to do it on April 8.
The Falcons kicked the habit for good against Linganore in the state semifinal, burying two goals in three minutes. Fish made sure to do it again, stinging his first goal to the top shelf. Towson tied it up twice, at 1-1 and 3-3, but couldn’t keep up. Fish replied to the first Towson goal with his own, then assisted Timmy Sullivan on the other. They led 5-3 at halftime.
But Severna Park loves a second half the way a wrecking ball loves a building. Towson was just the latest victim in a string of blowouts that the Falcons so happily unloaded on every single playoff opponent this spring — and most of their regular season opponents, too.
Benny Ruppert, Sullivan, Sealey and senior Mason Pugh all partook in the second-half scoring parade, while the defense limited Towson to just one, despite committing several penalties. Most times, five flags on a team in a single game would derail it. It only seemed to empower Severna Park more.
“We didn’t like it,” Zichelli said.
Towson never scored during a power play. During its longest, as two Falcons sat in the box, Severna Park ripped away a turnover and ran circles around the opposing goal until the penalty time expired. Sealey knocked a goal away the second it did.
“We practice for situations like that,” Viskocil said.
Thirteen seniors depart after winning four titles in their four years. It means more to them knowing how many years their brotherhood has grown since they were little kids, running around the field gripping plastic sticks. Having Merrick Wood and Jack Thomas return to coach as well, after kickstarting the title streak almost a decade ago as players, just amplified the gravity of it all.
“It’s been really great because these guys are unbelievable,” Zichelli said. “I love these guys. They mean so much.”
Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.
TOWSON — 1-2-1-0 — 4
SEVERNA PARK — 3-2-4-2 — 11
GOALS — SP: Timmy Sullivan 3, Duke Sealey 3, Jack Fish 2, Benny Ruppert 2, Mason Pugh 1
ASSISTS — SP: Jack Fish 1, Landon Williams 1, Colin Whitacre 1, Will Mazcko 1