SEVERNA PARK-ANNAPOLIS: THE COUNTRY'S BEST GIRLS' LACROSSE RIVALRY

By Al Mattei

Founder, TopOfTheCircle.com

Of the hundreds of thousands of high school contests played every year, there are a few thousand which are known as "rivalry" games.

Of those, however, only a few truly define their sport.

In swimming, such a rivalry is Germantown (Pa.) Academy and Hightstown Peddie School (N.J.). In football, there is the tradition of Canton McKinley(Ohio) and neighboring Massillon (Ohio). Boys' lacrosse has Corning (N.Y.) East against Camillus West Genessee (N.Y.).

And in girls' lacrosse, there is one scholastic rivalry that outshines all others: Severna Park (Md.) vs. Annapolis (Md.).

Why, exactly, are do these two schools form the best American high school girls' lacrosse rivalry? It does not have the long-range history of some football or swimming rivalries: few people know exactly how many times the teams have met over the years.

What does give this rivalry its intensity is the fact that the schools are about 15 miles apart from each other on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

Too, these two teams have dominated Maryland state championship play and have sent numerous athletes to championship-caliber college programs. Over the years, it has not been difficult to find a Severna Park or Annapolis alumna on Top 10 lacrosse or field hockey teams.

As such, this has developed into the type of rivalry where games between the two are often more important than the sum total of the rest of the season.

"We've worked ever since March 1 for this game," said Loyola attacker Christy McNew, an Annapolis alumna. "This is our biggest rivalry: Severna Park is The Game."

In the spring of 1999, the two teams played the latest game in this storied rivalry. More, however, was at stake, as both teams came into the April 27 contest with 9-0 records. Some 1,000 fans packed the football stadium at Annapolis High as two of the country's best attacks tested each other's defenses.

But, as is typical for this rivalry, the contest did not come off as you might have expected.

While both teams have averaged more than 15 goals a game, the defenses were the big winners in Annapolis' 7-5 win. Both defenses dropped all 11 field players within 25 yards of the goal, playing a mixed zone-man defense, pressuring and doubling whenever possible.

Since neither Severna Park nor Annapolis sent all 11 players into the attack, execution in the set offense was at a premium. The occasional surprise foray into the attack by an alert third man or cover point was not unwelcome, either.

"They were playing everyone back," said Duke's Meg Miller, a Severna Park graduate, "and they were doubling the ball. Usually, it was my girl who was doubling, so I had to help out up top."

"Defense means everything to our team," McNew said. "Once we're back on defense, if the other team can't score, they can't win. The defense has got to be there."

"It's not very often that you can hold an offensive team like (Severna Park) to five goals," said Annapolis coach David Gehrdes. "Our interior defense played extremely well, and our goalkeeper -- who nobody gives credit to -- had some tremendous saves for us."

Indeed, Emily Childs was a much different high school goalie than you might have seen even five years ago on the high-school level. She was not a passive netminder who lets shots hit her and hopes to save more than she lets in. Instead, Childs was an aggressive shot-stuffer who read and followed shots like few others on the high school level.

And she needed every save, as she had to come up with some spectacular stops against a Falcon attack which showed amazing skill and daring all afternoon.

"She also hit the outlet passes very well," Gehrdes said of his goalie. "We've been getting (assistant coach) Joe Griffith to work with her in that respect."

For the most part, the host Panthers were the better executors. McNew led the Annapolis attack with two goals, but what she did all over the field was outstanding. Though she was listed as an attacker, she checked like a cover point, passed like a first home, ran like a center, and finished like an attack wing.

"Everything was perfect today," McNew said. "The transitions, our shooting, everything was 100 percent."

Severna Park fell behind by four goals in the second half, but mounted somewhat of a comeback thanks to the play of Miller. She doubled effectively all afternoon, and jumped into the attack to score three goals.

"Every time we play Annapolis it is a big game," Miller said. "The playoffs are more important, but for the regular season, it is as important as any other game."

"She had an unbelievable game on both sides of the field," said Severna Park head coach Carin Peterson. "I have to take my hat off to her: she was tremendous."

"This was a typical Severna Park-Annapolis game," Gehrdes said. "It was a barnburner."

EPILOGUE: Three weeks later, the Falcons and Panthers had at it again, this time in the Anne Arundel county championship. This annual contest has always featured the county's top two teams which, naturally, were Severna Park and Annapolis.

As you might expect under the Jim Davis Rule, the Falcons came out on top in this second game. Severna Park's Beth Davis pumped in a goal in the second half of extra time to give her team a 6-5 victory.

After the game, both teams were 14-1 and looking forward to the third round of the state tournament, where the teams, thanks to the blind draw that determines the bracket, were destined to meet.

When they met for a chance at the Maryland 3A/4A Final Four, it was yet another taut contest which saw Annapolis come out with a 6-4 victory. Two games (and two blowouts) later, the Panthers took home yet another state championship.

However, Annapolis did not have a perfect season: the "1" in the loss column was Severna Park's doing. Which, is, of course, par for America's greatest girls' lacrosse rivalry. In three games, the combined final score for the three 1999 games was Annapolis 18, Severna Park 15.