Smithsburg shut out in state semifinals
PASADENA, Md. — With no Sparrows Point in the way, this was the year for Smithsburg.
But there was another team that entered the Class 1A state semifinals with the same thought.
With an equally frustrating history against the former 1A powerhouse Pointers, Patterson Mill matched Smithsburg’s motivation and optimism, coming away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory Friday night at Northeast High in Anne Arundel County.
In a defensive struggle in which the goalkeepers needed to make just a combined four saves, the Huskies got the match’s lone goal with a remarkable tally in the 67th minute when junior Lauren Westbrook got her foot on a blistering cross from freshman Maya Pantezelos and one-timed a shot just under the crossbar.
“It was coming right at me. I didn’t know what to do, so I kicked it and it went right in,” Westbrook said. “It’s crazy. I never thought we’d get this far. But here we are.”
Westbrook’s tally came on the Huskies’ lone shot on goal in the second half.
“We were doing what we could to play the ball wide, keep it away from their center back (Ashley Davis) and try to finish,” said Huskies coach Mike Parker. “We got fortunate. It was a beautiful goal by Lauren. Just a fantastic finish.”
After opening the year with five straight losses and closing the regular season with four more defeats, Patterson Mill (6-11) is in the state championship match against the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between McDonough (8-7) and Loch Raven (7-8).
“Their record is not indicative of what kind of team they were,” said Smithsburg coach Bill Fowkes. “We knew they were a good, quality team. We knew they played a very tough schedule. That was just a great soccer match tonight.”
Smithsburg (9-9) and Patterson Mill entered with the same mindset. Over the previous six years, the Leopards and Huskies had reached state championship match three times each, losing all six games to Sparrows Point, which moved up to 2A competition this year.
Last year when Smithsburg and Patterson Mill met in the state semifinals, the Leopards won 2-1 on a goal by Taylor Mackrell with 31 seconds left.
Mackrell had a chance to be a hero again on Friday night as she lined up to take a last-gasp free kick from near the left sideline with 15 seconds left. But the Huskies cleared the ball into the cold night air and the Leopards crumpled to the turf, devastated in defeat.
“We played our hearts out in the second half,” said senior Bailey Grove. “We’re all heartbroken that we didn’t get the result.”
After Patterson Mill had the better of it in the first half, the tide turned after intermission as Mackrell controlled the middle of the field.
Senior Hannah Spinks made promising runs and Grove used her size and athleticism to create havoc.
But for all the Leopards’ efforts in the second half, they could not get a shot on frame against Huskies keeper MacKenzie Milstead, whose only save came in the first half.
The Patterson Mill defense — led by senior sweeper Evie Wysong with help from sophomore Kayla Barr and juniors Madison Dawson and Anna Salerno — was quick to the ball, consistently derailing Smithsburg opportunities.
“We pressured them hard in the second half,” Fowkes said. “I told the girls they left everything out there on that field. They can’t second-guess themselves for that. There at the end with that free kick, I thought we might pull one out. But they got the clear and won the game.”
Smithsburg’s freshman goalie Kayla Ward (three saves) kept Patterson Mill off the scoreboard in the first half. Her best save came when Westbrook fired from 25 yards out. Ward used her height to get a mitt on the ball, tip it up and secure it.
There was little Ward could do against the extraordinary bang-bang play made by Westbrook and Pantezelos.
At halftime, the Leopards figured out how to take control of the game.
“We got caught up playing their game in the first half,” Fowkes said. “They were playing physical. They were winning 50-50 balls and they were just playing so direct. We got caught up in playing that direct game with them. Second half, we possessed the ball, put it on the turf. Let’s roll it and pass it. I thought we were wearing them down there, but they were the ones who found the back of the net.”
Smithsburg was that team last year, when the Leopards edged the Huskies.
“This was the year for us to win that game,” Parker said.
“That’s the nature of the game. It just takes one goal,” Grove said. “They capitalized and unfortunately, we weren’t able to.”
It was another fine playoff run for Smithsburg that came up just short. For the Leopards’ four seniors, Grove, Spinks, Davis and Madison Ashbaugh, this was their third trip to the state final four.
“We were kind of underdogs this year,” Grove said. “I just want to say I feel so lucky and blessed to have been surrounded by such a great group of girls, our coaching staff and three other amazing seniors that I’ve been able to play with since our freshman year. To get this far and not get what we wanted is heartbreaking, but the memories will be there forever.”
