Seahawks Fall In Bayside Title Game In Double OT

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team lost a heartbreaker this week, falling to Queen Anne’s, 9-8, in double overtime in the Bayside Conference championship game at Wicomico County Stadium on Monday.

Something had to give with Decatur and Queen Anne’s facing each other again in the Bayside Conference championship game. The Seahawks had won the last two, beating the Lions each time, but Queen Anne’s had won five of the last seven. Queen Anne’s beat Decatur 14-5 in the two teams’ regular season meeting in March, but each went on to win their respective divisions, putting them on a collision course for another epic battle in the conference championship game.

Things started well for Decatur in the title game on Monday. Early goals by Claire Porter, Lexie VanKirk and Victoria Kerkovich staked the Seahawks to a 3-0 first half lead. Queen Anne’s got on the board at the 11-minute mark to cut the lead to 3-1 and scored again nine seconds later to cut the lead to 3-2. A goal by Kerkovich with eight minutes left in the first extended the Seahawk lead to 4-2, but Queen Anne’s scored again just before the half to cut the lead to 4-3 at intermission.

Queen Anne’s tied the game just 20 seconds into the second half and took its first lead of the game at 5-4 with 27 minutes remaining. The two teams then swapped goals through much of the second half. Queen Anne’s scored to take a 6-4 lead, but another goal by Kerkovich cut it to 6-5. After another goal by the Lions, Decatur’s Logan Figgs cut the lead to 7-6.

Queen Anne’s appeared to pull away with another goal to extend the lead to 8-6, but late goals by Brigitte Ardis and Kerkovich, her third of the game, tied the game at 8-8 and sent it into overtime. Both teams had opportunities during the first overtime period, but neither could break through. With just over two minutes remaining in the second overtime period, Queen Anne’s scored to capture the dramatic Bayside Conference title.

Decatur earned the number-two seed in the state 3A-East tournament when the brackets were released this week and will face third-seeded Easton in its opener. Lurking on the other side of the bracket is top-seeded Kent Island, which will face the winner of the opening round game between Parkside and Bennett.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.