A couple weeks ago after another tough loss that came down to the final moments, Glen Burnie boys basketball coach Terry Bogle agreed with a reporter that his Gophers were "one player )) away," and that player is at Arundel High School.
All-County center Marquise Farmer had transferred to Arundel this season after leading Bogle's Gophers to the 4A East Region title and the final four at Cole Field House as a junior. Glen Burnie's height, depth and overall attack suddenly was diminished.
Repeating as a region champion seemed to be an impossibility. Just making the playoffs was going to be difficult, and it wasn't until the final regular-season game Friday night against Old Mill that the Gophers did make it.
Junior Desmond Dailey took on the offensive burden and responded by leading the county in scoring with 22.5 points a game.
Friday's 69-59 victory over Old Mill (11-11) featuring 30 points by Dailey earned the Gophers (12-10) the sixth and final seed.
No truer words than "we're happy to be here" were uttered by Bogle.
The Gophers visit third seed Annapolis (18-4) at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The No. 13 Panthers have beaten the Gophers twice.
Annapolis has not won the region since 1991 after winning it 11 of coach John Brady's first 14 seasons. Old Mill, Meade and Glen Burnie have won the last three.
A Panthers victory tomorrow would be No. 375 for Brady, whose winning percentage (.848, 374-67) is the highest in county history.
The other 4A East game tomorrow finds No. 5 seed North County (13-9) making its first playoff appearance in its five-year history at No. 4 seed Calvert (15- 7).
Sixth-ranked Arundel (19-3) clinched the top seed with a 67-43 win over Severna Park (4-18) Friday. That game included six technical free throws in the final moments because of players fighting and the coaches exchanging expletives. The Wildcats have a first-round bye and will play host to the North County-Calvert winner Wednesday.
Second-seeded Northern (20-2) of Calvert County will play host to the other second-round game Wednesday against the Annapolis/Glen Burnie winner. Northern owns victories over both, defeating Glen Burnie in the regular season and Annapolis in the Cap City Classic during the Christmas holidays.
The Knights could be the sleeper in the 4A East with their horde of superb athletes led by acrobatic guard Lou Brown.
North County squandered a 17-point third-period lead and was nipped at the buzzer, 74-72, in its last meeting with Arundel on Feb. 7 and lost, 70-67, in overtime at Annapolis Tuesday.
The Knights have proven they can play with anybody and just need to prove to themselves that they can finish the close games. They have lost five heart-breakers.
The region championship will be decided Friday at the home of the highest seed still alive.
Three other county boys teams are in postseason play in this the final qualifying season. Next year the open tournament format includes everybody.
rTC No. 8 Broadneck (20-2) nailed down the top seed in the 3A East Region and will play host to tomorrow's Poly-Northern of Baltimore winner on Wednesday. The Bruins are the favorite but No. 20 Douglass is the defending champion and upset Broadneck last season.
South River (14-8), picking up the pieces after losing the 2A-3A title to Broadneck, 73-56, Friday, is third seed in the 2A East and plays host to sixth-seeded Southern of Harwood (7-15).
The two county teams are in same region as defending state champion and No. 2 Dunbar (21-1) of Baltimore.
The girls region playoffs are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and No. 7 Arundel, No. 8 Severna Park and No. 19 Broadneck have first-round byes.
Arundel (22-0) completed a perfect regular season by taking the big showdown and top seed in the girls 4A East by 58-55 over Severna Park (19-3). The Falcons are No. 2 seed and play host to a second-round game as do the Wildcats on Thursday.
Third seed and 12th-ranked Old Mill (16-6) plays host to No. 6 seed and defending region champion Annapolis (13-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday with the winner traveling to Severna Park Thursday.
Broadneck (16-6) earned the No. 2 seed in the 3A East and also plays host to a Thursday semifinal.
Northeast (12-10) qualified for the 2A East as the No. 3 seed and will play host to sixth seed Forest Park at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The winner goes to No. 2 seed Parkside (20-2) on Thursday.