Boys' Latin wanted to stop Severn's high-scoring offense, so it went to a five-man midfield to slow down the Admirals.

The move paid off as the Lakers held Severn scoreless for the first time all season and earned a share of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference boys soccer title yesterday at UMBC. The final score after two 10-minute overtimes was 0-0.

"That was the first time we've seen a five-man midfield all season," said Admirals coach Ian Carr. "And it worked for them."

Severn (12-4-4) handed Boys' Latin (12-4-3) its only league loss earlier this season, and the teams tied in another meeting.

Severn likes to play to its leading scorer, Mike Phipps (23 goals, 13 assists), but intended to use him to draw the defense out so that he could play the ball back to the weak side.

"Our two outside midfielders are strong, but they had them covered," Carr said. "We had trouble switching the ball in the air, because it's hard to control the ball with one touch on this artificial turf."

This was Severn's first trip to the final since it was co-champ in 1997. Boys' Latin lost the 2001 final to Gilman in overtime.

"The kids are a little upset about sharing the title, but ... I'd rather share it than finish second," Carr said.

Said Boys' Latin goalkeeper Chris Maisel: "It's almost demoralizing to share it."

Lakers midfielder Adam Hagelin played a strong game.

C Conference

Chapelgate 1, Sts. Peter and Paul 1: Coming alive for the playoffs, the Flames used a strong defense to tie the Sabres for a share of the C Conference title.

The Flames (10-7-3) finished fifth in the league with a 5-6-2 record, but they shut out fourth-seeded Gibbons and top-seeded Baltimore Lutheran in the playoffs to advance.

The Flames' Rob Spikes scored in the first five minutes into the second half on a floater from 18 yards out.

The Sabres (14-4-1) scored with eight minutes left in the game when leading scorer Brandon Cooke (25 goals, eight assists), off an assist by Mike Walsh, sent a shot off a Chapelgate defender.

Chapelgate goalkeeper Mike Schuit made 19 saves.

The Sabres almost won it with 13 seconds left when Spikes sent a beautiful cross to Mike Saunders, but he hit the post.

"We're happy to share the title since we were the fifth seed, but it was disappointing to come so close at the end," said Chapelgate coach Jason Bennett.