The 1991 high school boys lacrosse season rewarded fans with a long-overdue change of pace -- a competitive spring.
First, someone other than Mount Hebron got to rule the roost.
The Howard Lions made sure of that six weeks ago, when they beat the five-time, defending-champion Vikings, 7-4. It was the first timeWarren Michael dropped a county game in his four-year coaching tenure. Howard went on to win its first county championship in seven yearsunder coach Dan Ross.
But what seemed like Howard's most celebrated season became its most bittersweet.
Ten games into a perfect season, the Lions lost senior goalie Milton Lee for the season after hesuffered serious injuries in an automobile accident. The Lions initially responded heroically by whipping Glenelg, 15-6, while Lee lay inthe hospital fighting for his life.
The Lions then dropped their next two games.
Howard regrouped to beat Centennial and claim the county title on the regular season's final day, but the party was brief. Howard discovered hours after receiving the county title plaque it had barely missed making the Class 3A/4A state playoffs.
Hebron,meanwhile, battled injuries all season, and on the strength of a strong non-league showing, the Vikings made the 1A/2A playoffs as the fourth seed.
The Vikings then whipped Hammond -- making its first playoff appearance -- before dumping previously undefeated Towson in the semifinals. Hebron then edged defending state champion North Harford in overtime, 8-7, to win its fourth state championship, and its second under Michael.
Then there were the Glenelg Gladiators, perhapsthe spring's best lacrosse story.
A 1-13 doormat two years ago, the Gladiators, under Coach Rick Kincaid, came on strong to post a 10-4 record and produced their biggest victory ever, a 9-8 overtime victory at Hebron. Glenelg also just missed the playoffs.
What marked the county season most was its competitive nature. Unlike previous seasons, when Hebron and Howard drew away from the field to conduct their own two-team duel for the league title, this year nearly produced a five-way tie for first place.
Had Centennial beaten Howard, thatwould have happened. As it turned out, Howard finished with a 6-1 record, while Hebron, Hammond and Glenelg finished in a three-way tie for second place, each a game in front of Centennial.
The Howard County Sun's All-County first-team selections reflect the level playingfield that characterized the county.
Howard placed a league-leading four players on the team, followed by two each from Hebron and Glenelg and one apiece from Hammond and Centennial.
Here are the first-team picks:
Attack: Scott Frye of Howard, Nevin Hilliard of Glenelg and Jeff Freimanis of Centennial.
Frye's banner season is covered elsewhere (see story on Player of the Year), so we'll move on to Hilliard.
As Glenelg's senior co-captain, Hilliard had a way of sneaking up on teams with his deceptive quickness and underrated stickwork. He also had a way of burning teams when it was time to shoot.
Hilliard scored 32 goals and had 11 assists on 52 percent shooting.
He was the team's second-leading scorer behind midfielder Jason Pett. He had several big days -- against Atholton (four goals, three assists), Oakland Mills (three goals, two assists) and Hammond (three goals, one assist) -- but none was bigger than the three-goal afternoon he enjoyed in the Gladiators' 9-8 overtime upset of Mount Hebron.
"He was very quiet, not very flashy, but he was great with ball control. He did a superb job all year," said Kincaid. "He was our true go-to guy underneath."
Freimanis was the brightest spot on Centennial's disappointing 6-6 team, which lost four games by one or two goals.
The senior crease attackman scored in every game and wound up with a team-high 35 goals and four assists. He was also third on the team in ground balls with 48.
Freimanis scored four goals in an overtime defeat against C. Milton Wright of Harford County, then scored three in the Eagles' 11-8 victory over Glenelg, which put them in position to gain a share of the county title. Freimanis scored two goalsin Centennial's 9-5 loss to Howard.
Midfield: Jason Pett of Glenelg, Mike McQuaid of Mount Hebron and Ricky Matthews of Hammond.
Pett, Glenelg's 6-foot-5 senior captain, received heavy consideration for Player of the Year honors. He was the leader of the county's most surprising team.
"It seemed like whenever we needed someone to pick us up, he (Pett) was there to guide us," said Kincaid. "He's the best captain I've ever had. He did everything but carry the water."
It seemed like Pett was everywhere.
He broke the single-season school record for ground balls with 149. He handled faceoff duties skillfully, controlling 70 percent of them.
Offensively, he was as adept at scoring (team-high 39 goals on 47 percent shooting) as he was atfinding the open man (team-high 32 assists).
Pett's top games included a three-goal, two-assist effort in a 15-6 victory over Hammond and a two-goal, four-assist day against Mount Hebron. He is headed toNotre Dame University, where he plans to study economics and play lacrosse.
"If we isolated him more, he could have put up awesome numbers," Kincaid said. "But that would have hurt the team, and he understood that."
McQuaid, a second-team selection last year, was an easy first-team pick this year.
He led Hebron's offense with a team-high 39 goals and 22 assists. McQuaid was the league's premier dodger, and used each hand equally well to fire one of the county's harder shots. He was the Vikings' toughest offensive player to stop.
"He has the fastest split dodge of any senior in the county. He's the best dodger the county has ever produced," said Coach Warren Michael.
McQuaid, who is headed to Virginia on a lacrosse scholarship, had numerous outstanding games.
He scored five goals and dished out two assists to lead Hebron to a 9-8 victory over St. Alban's.
He scored the first three goals in the Vikings' 11-3 victory over Centennial.And, in maybe his most impressive regular-season game, he scored three goals and had three assists in a 12-7 loss to MSA power St. Paul's.
McQuaid spent most of that game double- and triple-teamed, sinceattackman Jason Vettori and midfielder Bob Sites were out with injuries.
Ricky Matthews was the leader of a Hammond team that contended for the county title and made the playoffs for the first time.
Matthews, who possessed the hardest shot in the league -- he was clocked in the low 90s earlier this season -- led the Bears in goals (36),ground balls (146), added 26 assists and won 68 percent of his faceoffs.
Matthews, who started every game since the third one of his freshman year, had many notable games, but his greatest day was way back on March 28. In an 11-9 victory over Fallston, he scored three goals, had two assists, scooped 32 ground balls and won 21 of 23 faceoffs.
Defense: Joe Wilson of Howard, Reggie Gaither of Howard and Nathan Kealey of Mount Hebron.
Defense was Howard's strong suit -- the Lions surrendered just 4.6 goals a game -- and the anchors of the defense were Wilson and Gaither.
What more can we say about Wilson that hasn't been said?
Last year's Player of the Year and Howard County All-American earned another All-American honor and nearly walked away with Player of the Year honors again.
A four-year starter and arguably the best player the county has ever produced, Wilson did the things he did so well last year on defense.
He led the league in ground balls with 202. He played every team's toughest scorer and ran the Howard defense. He even added six goals and seven assists.
"We always talk about doing the extra things," said Coach Ross. "I remember one of our practices was cut short by a storm this year, and everybody went home. As I was leaving, there was Joe out by the wall,working on ground balls. That's how I'll remember him. Always working."
Wilson is also headed to Virginia, where he'll room with Mike McQuaid.
Gaither, the most improved player on the Lions, might have been the league's most improved player as well.
A 6-3, 195-poundsenior with speed and above-average stick skills, Gaither complemented Wilson beautifully, often playing near the midfield. He scooped 149 ground balls and had four goals and four assists.
"He had the potential last year, but he needed to do two things -- get stronger in the upper body and play another sport to toughen himself. He played tight end on the football team, and he came into the season benching 250," Ross said. "This year, he ran over people. He found out he couldgive some shots. Sometimes, he overshadowed Joe (Wilson)."
Kealeywas the backbone of a Hebron defense that allowed five goals a game in the regular season, then permitted just 19 goals in its three-game, postseason drive to the state title.
One of the county's more athletic defensemen, Kealey combined rough checking with the uncanny ability to steal the ball, even after he appeared to be beaten.
He forced seven turnovers by Scott Frye, before Frye turned in a great fourth quarter to lead Howard to a 7-4 victory in April. In the Vikings' 12-7 loss to St. Paul's, Kealey held All-Metro attackman Tim Whiteley scoreless.
Kealey played superbly in the playoffs. He held Towson All-Metro attackman Chad Henry scoreless in the state semifinals.
Goalie: Milton Lee of Howard. Before his season ended prematurely,Lee helped spark Howard to a 10-0 start with steady, unheralded play.
The Lions defense didn't allow many shot opportunities, but whenthey did, Lee was usually in the right place.
He averaged eight saves and had a save ratio of 70 percent.