The South River boys lacrosse team, unable to hide its disappointment, watched intently as the Linganore Lancers were presented with the Class 4A-3A state championship plaque Wednesday at UMBC Stadium.
The No. 10 Seahawks knew it could have easily been them hoisting the bigger award — it was that type of championship game, with fine efforts from both sides.
After an impressive third-quarter rally helped South River recover from a slow first half, the teams battled in a back-and-forth fourth quarter, and Linganore scored the game's final goal to come away with a thrilling 13-12 win.
South River, which was making its fourth title game appearance and seeking its second crown, finishes its season with a 16-4 mark, while Linganore (16-1) brings home Frederick County's first state championship in boys lacrosse.
Linganore senior Michael Kenski (four goals, one assist) snapped a 12-12 tie with 4:54 to play, and South River sophomore Ben Chisolm, who finished with six goals and an assist to lead the Seahawks rally, had three chances before the final whistle. His first shot sailed high, the second was turned away by Linganore goalie RJ Tischler and the third — coming with 16 seconds left — banged off the pole.
"We ran into a nice team — take no credit away from them. But these guys right here … I'll take these guys any day of the week and twice on Sundays," South River coach Paul Noone said. "It's a tough way to end the season, it's hard to swallow. But it's like we've talked all year — it's part of life, and when you get knocked down you got to get back up and keep plugging away."
Trailing 6-1 early in the second quarter and 8-5 at the half, the Seahawks scored six of the seven goals in the third quarter — with Chisolm accounting for three with precise shooting from the outside — to build an 11-9 lead going into the fourth quarter. But the Lancers were just as impressive in coming back, scoring three unanswered goals in the first 45 seconds of the quarter for a 12-11 lead.
South River's Michael Gibbs (three goals) got the Seahawks even at 12 with 10:11 to play before Kenski provided the eventual game-winner.
On the Seahawks' final chance to tie, Chisolm made a nice cut on the right side and shot one low for the far side, only to see it bounce off the post.
"I don't know what to say … I thought it was going in," Chisolm said.
Linganore got a five-goal performance from Alex Rice. Dylan Luiza had a strong game for the Seahawks, scoring one goal and dishing out four assists.
Goals: SR – Gibbs 3, B. Chisolm 6, Luiza, Papetti 2;
L – Rice 5, Sprague, Thompson 2, Kenski 4, Aldridge.
Assists: SR – Luiza 4, Papetti, Lee 2, Wagner 2, Chisolm, Gibbs;
L – Daly 2, Kenski.
Saves: SR – Sumpter 5; L – Tischler 7. Half: L, 8-5.