Just when it appeared second-seeded Catonsville was about to waltz into the Class 4A North Region finals against Perry Hall, visiting Kenwood almost had the home fans doing the Bernie Dance to relieve their nervous shakes on Friday night.

The dance, inspired by the movie "Weekend at Bernies," was in the news recently when the Perry Hall boys soccer team did it celebrating a win over Dulaney and the Gators almost ended up forfeiting their next game.

Unlike Bernie, who died in the movie, Kenwood's season was only on life support, when they trailed 3-0 after the first 60 minutes.

But the speedy Bluebird attack sprung to life in the final 20 minutes when they scored a pair of goals before falling, 3-2.

Catonsville (12-3) will play at top-seeded Perry Hall on Tuesday.

Kenwood (11-5) goes home — leaving the Comets with a valuable lesson — play the full 80 minutes.

"I thought we had a lot of mental letdowns in the second half," Catonsville coach James Fitzpatrick said. "We had that 30-minute time frame where we just lost our team shape and lost our focus a little bit."

Kenwood coach Chris Mattern felt the same about his team in the first half, when the Bluebirds attempted only one shot — from 55 yards out.

"I think their were some nerves to start the game and that probably cost us a little bit of focus on the corner kick they scored on.

The first goal came after senior Rachel Woods' corner kick.

Woods, playing her final home game on the Comet stadium field, along with senior starters Nicolina Felts, Danielle Southwell and Olivia Nicolaus and senior reserves Alyssa Judson, Jessie Van Hooser and Molly Curry, lofted the ball from the left corner to junior Bria Benner, who headed it home for a 1-0 lead with 29:30 left in the half.

"Bria's header was pure composure," Fitzpatrick said. "All she had to do was bounce it off her head."

Ten minutes later, freshman reserve Renee Gast hit a shot off the post and freshman Lauren McDonald had a shot that was punched away by Kenwood keeper Katlynn Red.

With 11:33 remaining in the half, Woods set up another goal when she stole a Kenwood throw-in pass deep in the left corner and fed junior Deb Milani, who redirected it to Judson for a 2-0 lead.

"I was trying to hit it to Deb and she flicked it to someone else and it worked out pretty nice," Woods said.

Milani (5 goals, 4 assists), who made a verbal commitment to play lacrosse at the University of Maryland earlier in the week and who is the soccer team's second leading goal-scorer behind freshman Jennifer Nonn (17 goals), added the third unanswered goal on a breakaway 5:05 into the second half.

After that tally, the Comet defense of backs Southwell, Nicolaus, Felts and sophomore Anna Higdon and freshman goalie Natalie Croom was severely tested by the speed of Kenwood junior Cierra Wilson and senior Rakiya Ratliff.

The Bluebirds also got more physical, as evidenced by four second-half yellow cards.

"I think we were rattled a little bit in the first half, but in the second half I told them you can't score two goals without getting one," Mattern said. "I told them to forget about the score and forget about the time and they did a nice job, they showed a lot of heart and fought back."

Senior Pam Critcher assisted Wilson for the first goal with 26:33 left in regulation and, less than eight minutes later, Wilson scored again off a Ratliff assist.

Catonsville couldn't stretch the lead despite four shots from McDonald and two from Nonn and some solid midfield play from freshman Allison Dingle.

Instead, it was the Bluebirds who nearly netted the equalizer.

With 5:45 left, Ratliff's shot hit the left post and Wilson's rebound attempt leaked wide.

"You feel the nerves, but it's more the adrenaline of the game that keeps you going," said McDonald, who cleared two balls with crucial headers after a Kenwood corner kick with under 30 seconds remaining.

After the second one, Kenwood's Emjay Fletcher volleyed a ball at the goal with 10 seconds left, but it was saved by Croom and the Comets held on for the victory.

"Just knowing that we had to win, especially for our seniors, it's a big game," McDonald said. "It's the last home game for them and we really wanted to come out with a win and we really want to see Perry Hall again."

That took some of the sting off it being the last home game for Woods.

"It's pretty depressing, but I'm glad we came out with a win," said Woods, knowing Perry Hall lurks ahead. "Third time is a charm"

The Comets dropped a regular-season meeting on Sept. 15 to the Gators, 5-2, and fell in the Baltimore County championship game on Oct. 26, 2-0.