What an opening week the Prophet had, sports fans!
Your humble rage of a sage turned out a 6-0 slate to commence the 1991 high school spring sports season.
In his stick picks, the Prophet hit on three girls and two boys games, including an important Class 4A clash between the Annapolis and Arundel boys.
Severna Park, Broadneck and Chesapeake all were tabbed by the Prophet to open in a breeze in girls lacrosse and did just that. The four-time defending state 4A-3A champion Falcons opened Friday with a 17-4 rout of Old Mill.
The sage had the Falcons by at least four goals. He had Broadneck by five or more over Archbishop Spalding, and the Bruins easily covered, 17-6, while Chesapeake, a six-goal favorite over Meade, obliged by 17-3.
On the boys side, the Prophet said that Annapolis would take its opener by a goal over Arundel. Annapolis won, 5-4.
Also, in boys action, the Prophet said it would be "a long afternoon for the northern visitors on the Saints' cozy Weems-Whelan Field," and it was, as St. Mary's hammered John Carroll of Harford County, 13-6. The Saints were a four-point Prophet pick.
In baseball, the Prophet was right on the mark as Old Mill opened its season blasting Randallstown of Baltimore County, 15-6, Tuesday. The Prophet took the Patriots by three runs or more.
With Easter tournaments providing top-caliber competition in baseball and lacrosse, the Prophet's chances of a second straight 6-0 card are much tougher.
Baseball
Eighth annual Bruin Holiday Tournament
All games Saturday on two fields at Broadneck High School. First-round games at 10 a.m.
Archbishop Curley vs. Old Mill
Both of these perennial metro-area powers opened with victories on the road. Curley (2-0) belted Lutheran, 10-0, Monday and was a 9-5 winner at Severna Park (0-1) Tuesday while the Patriots (1-0) ripped Randallstown, 15-6.
Under veteran 29-year coach Al Frank, the Friars of East Baltimore are almost always in the Maryland Scholastic Association A Conference hunt, and this year looks like another typical year.
With senior pitcher Bryan Bowen heading a good nucleus of returnees, the Friars expect to get back to their typical winning ways after two sub-par seasons. Three years ago the Friars went 19-8, finishing as MSA A conference runner-up to Calvert Hall (23-4).
Frank doesn't appear to have a club as strong in 1988, but possibly an A Conference playoff team if his pitching comes through.
Bowen went the distance against Severna Park, scattering eight hits and giving up a dinger to John Milicitz. Curley got homers from Jimmy Libber and Bowen.
The Friars will find out how good Bowen is Saturday against Old Mill's hard-hitting lineup. Shortstop Eric Scott led the Patriots' 12-hit attack against Randallstown with two doubles and three RBI, but is just one of an army of menacing hitters on the club.
In addition, Coach Mel Montgomery has an outstanding, deep pitching staff. Curley is improved but not yet ready for arguably the metro area's top baseball team.
Old Mill plus 2 over Curley.
Broadneck vs. Loyola
The host Bruins of Coach Mark Stover didn't get off to a good start with a surprise 6-5 loss Monday to Meade, a club that was 4-14 a year ago.
However, Meade has a lot of experience and should be a much better ballclub this spring. It is one of those teams that annually give good teams trouble, and it seems like every good club has trouble with a team that has been down, and for Broadneck that team is the Mustangs.
The Mustangs have beaten the Bruins three times in the last four years despite doing poorly against the rest of the Class 4A competition.
Look for Broadneck to bounce back this weekend. The Bruins have too much talent to go on a long losing streak.
Loyola (1-1) could be the remedy for the Bruins in this tournament, which has been dominated by Old Mill. The Dons from Towson took their season-opener Monday by 4-3 over Atholton of Howard County, but lost the next day to Centennial of Howard, 8-1.
In each of its two games, the Dons committed two errors, so their defense looks shabby and the Bruins should put the ball in play.
Broadneck plus 1 over Loyola.
Bonus pick: championship game at 1 p.m.; Old Mill to repeat as tournament champion by 2 over Broadneck.
Boys lacrosse
Second annual Al Laramore Memorial Lacrosse Tourney at Broadneck High.
Severn vs. Annapolis
5 p.m.Thursday: The two private schools in this unique tournament, Severn (3-0) and St. Mary's, are expected to go 2-0 each against their public-school counterparts, Annapolis and Broadneck. However, the Prophet doesn't believe it will be as easy as most think.
The Panthers (2-0) of Coach Dan Hart just might surprise the Admirals of Peter Trau, because Annapolis plays good defense as evidenced in its season-opening 5-4 win over Arundel.
Annapolis gave up nine goals in its second game Tuesday, a 12-9 win over Queen Anne's, but the last four came in the final period with Annapolis leading, 11-5.
Hart is aware that his offense will have to work overtime to out-score the Admirals, who will get their share with the likes of Matt Long, Jason Wade and Dudley Dixon firing away at the Panther cage.
The Prophet feels that Severn will score just enough to win but not dominate this game.
Severn plus 2 over Annapolis.
St. Mary's vs. Broadneck
7 p.m.: There is no question that the host Bruins will be sky high for thisone coming off Tuesday night's 8-6 win over Severna Park (1-1). It was Broadneck's home- and season-opener and a big win in terms of qualifying for the 4A-3A playoffs.
Severna Park has been tabbed by many to be one of the top 4A schools in the area, and now Broadneck has joined the club with its impressive victory.
Broadneck senior tri-captain and defenseman Bryan Bowman said before the Severna Park gamethat "Annapolis and Severna Park are always contenders. Arundel has a really tough team this year and North County should be tough, but I think Broadneck is the team to beat."
Let's say that Bowman sure looked like a prophet on Tuesday night, but these next two games are a different story as the Bruins face two MSA A Conference powers.
The Prophet looks for Broadneck to give St. Mary's (2-0) a battle in the first half, but the Saints will take control in the second half with seniors Rob Chomo and David Jones leading the way.
"Broadneck has a real good defense and this will be a test for our offense," said Saints' coach Jim Moorhead.
"Rob certainly has improved each of the past three years (42 goals, 21 assists last season) and is off to a great start for us with six goals and five assists already in two games," said Moorhead of Chomo, a four-year starter and leader who has earned a scholarship to the University of Maryland.
Broadneck's problem here is not just Chomo, because the Saints have a lot of other firepower, more than the Bruins.
St. Mary's plus 4 over Broadneck.
St. Mary's vs. Annapolis
5 p.m. Saturday: Take the Saints because Annapolis never beats St. Mary's. The Saints are closing in on 30 straight wins over the Panthers.
Hart's Panthers will hang in there, but when all is said and done, the streak will be alive.
St.Mary's plus 4 over Annapolis.
Severn vs. Broadneck
7 p.m. Saturday: If one of the public schools is going to win one in this tournament, here it is, stick fans. Broadneck's defense, led by Bowman, might give the usually potent Admirals fits.
Severn barely survived with a 10-9 win over St. Alban's of D.C. Tuesday on a late goal by junior Milford Marchant, and the Prophet's Cap City scouts tell him thatSt. Alban's may not be the team Broadneck is.
Look for a thriller to cap off a great tournament.
Severn plus 1 over Broadneck.
The Prophet to date
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