Seahawks Fall To Bennett In Section Final

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity lacrosse team fell to Bayside South rival Bennett, 10-9, in overtime in the state 3A-East Section II final on Monday on the road, putting the wraps on what was otherwise a successful season for the Seahawks.

Decatur was seeded second in the state 3A-East Section II bracket and opened its playoff run with an 11-7 win over Chesapeake of Anne Arundel County last Friday. The Seahawks led early and withstood a late charge by Chesapeake to advance to the sectional final.

Looming in Monday’s sectional final was Bayside South rival Bennett, which was vastly improved this year. The Clippers beat the Seahawks, 12-8, back on May 2 to essentially wrap up the Bayside South championship. Bennett then knocked off perennial champion Kent Island to win the Bayside Conference championship.

Nonetheless, Decatur knew Bennett closely from their prior matchup and Monday’s sectional final could have gone either way with both teams closely matched. The game lived up to expectations with a tooth-and-nail battle all afternoon that ultimately ended with a Bennett 10-9 win in overtime.

The loss did little to tarnish what was an exceptional season for the 9-5 Seahawks. Decatur started 1-2, but reeled off four straight wins in the middle of the season, most of which came against tough Bayside North teams. The season also included a three-game winning streak late and a second-round win the state playoffs.

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.