GLENELG, Md. — There are five high schools with both their boys and girls lacrosse teams in this week’s Maryland state championship games: Fallston, Severna Park, Broadneck, Urbana and Glenelg.
The Gladiators boys and girls programs try for class 2A state titles. First up is the girls team. They kick off state championship week on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Glenelg is the No. 4 seed and plays No. 6 Queen Anne’s. It has been a magical tournament run for the Gladiators, complete with knocking off the defending state champs, No. 1 Manchester Valley, in the semifinals.
"We’re so happy. We’re so excited," said senior midfielder Kamryn Henson. "There is not really a lot of nerves. It’s really just excitement. We’ve been trying to do this for the past three years and we finally got over that hump of losing at regions to a Carroll County team."
Now they go for their sixth state title in program history and first since winning three straight between 2016-18.
"The feeling is surreal because we have worked so hard to get here," said senior defender Lara Hoeflich. "The past couple years this team hasn’t really gotten the attention it’s deserved. We’ve had incredible talent. Our chemistry has been the reason we are going to be able to go all the way this year and it is just deserved."
"There is something special going on here," added head coach Alex Pagnotta. "We could feel that as we were getting through some games, we had some tough games early on, we didn’t play our greatest but we still found a way to win."
On the boys side the Gladiators are seeded third. They take on No. 5 Hereford on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
"We are confident. We have had a great season," said head coach Josh Hatmaker. "We’ve got a tall task in front of us in Hereford. They are a great program. But I think we are a great program also."
The boys are vying for their fifth state title in program history and first since 2019. Tim Iannarino wants to get it done in the worst way. The senior’s oldest brother, Cole, was part of that title team five years ago. Another brother, Connor, lost to the Hereford in the 2021 state semifinal.
"This is just something I have been picturing my whole life to be doing," said Tim. "So, I think it would be the perfect way to end off my whole lacrosse career."
The state title games run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Stevenson University.
State Championship Schedule:
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Class 2A Girls - No. 4 Glenelg vs. No. 6 Queen Anne's - 4:00 p.m.
Class 3A Boys - No. 2 Towson vs. No. 5 Severna Park - 6:00 p.m.
Class 3A Girls - No. 2 Severna Park vs. No. 8 Dulaney - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Class 1A Boys - No. 4 Fallston vs. No. 6 Liberty - 4:00 p.m.
Class 1A Girls - No. 6 Fallston vs. No. 8 Southern-AA - 6:00 p.m.
Class 2A Boys - No. 3 Glenelg vs. No. 5 Hereford - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Class 4A Girls - No. 3 Broadneck vs. No. 4 Urbana - 6:00 p.m.
Class 4A Boys - No. 1 Urbana vs. No. 3 Broadneck - 8:00 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
