Boys Lacrosse: Loch Raven Moves On to State Semifinals

The goal for this year's boys lacrosse team at Loch Raven High School has been clear since day one: bring home a state title. After a business-like 16-8 win over Pikesville High School on the Raiders' rain-soaked field that goal has almost reached its fruition.

"Last year we didn't quite make that next jump [losing to Queen Anne's in the semifinal game]," said Loch Raven head coach John Hanley. "This time around that's what we are really looking for."

The Raiders' chances to bring home that title rely strongly on an amazing trio of attackmen, JB Cardorette, Wes Dingman, and the hero of the May 18 game, Kevin Friant. The three combined for 12 goals and five assists, with Friant putting the ball in, and even through, the net, seven times. Cardorette added three goals and an assist, while Dingman netted two goals and three helpers.

Hanley had nothing but high praise for his offensive stars.

"Our whole attack is very, very talented. Wes and JB had some big games for us earlier this year, which I think caused Pikesville to focus a little more on them, so Kevin just stepped up and had his big day today."

Friant felt good about his play, as well as his team's play of late.

"I was shooting well today. I wasn't really shooting off side hip, but I was catching the goalie on the off side. We have been playing well lately—just gotta keep rolling," he said.

Loch Raven started off a bit slow, trying to adjust to the rather difficult field conditions. Two early penalties led to Pikesville controlling the ball for the first six minutes of action, but three clutch saves from Raider goalie Brandon Glorioso kept the game scoreless until the offense could get on track.

Dingman lit the scoreboard first at 6:40 into the first quarter when he took a feed from Bryce Spruill, put a juke move on his defender, and found the back of the net. The Raiders then scored two goals in the last 1:15 of the quarter, one from Taylor Powell and Friant's first, to take a 3-0 lead into the second quarter.

Cardorette notched his first goal on a worm burner from the top right side to up the Raider lead to 4-0, but unlike their first two playoff games, this opponent would not lay down.

Pikesville responded with two goals in a span of 30 seconds to cut the Raider lead to 4-2. Jory Parson scored his first of three goals to get the Panthers on the board, and Kevin Saval also added his first of three on a shot that was deflected before going past Glorioso.

Friant and Saval then traded goals before Friant scored on a fast break off a nice feed from Zach Surock to close out the half with Loch Raven leading 6-3.

The third quarter was when Loch Raven took control of the game. The Raiders outscored Pikesville 5-2 and totally dominated the ground ball facet of the game with a 19-4 advantage in the quarter.

Friant scored three goals in the third quarter, the first being an outright laser from the top left side of the box. His second came on a perfect tic-tac-toe fastbreak with the ball going from Jack Voelker to Powell to Friant. The third came on somewhat of a fluke play when Cardorette looked to shoot wide of Pikesville goalie Sam Frallicciardi, but the ball bounced perfectly to a wide-open Friant on the left side of the crease for an empty netter.

Loch Raven led 11-5 after the third and never led by fewer than six goals the rest of the way.

Hanley was thoroughly impressed with his team's performance coming out of the break.

"One of our mottos this season has been head, heart and hustle, and at halftime we reminded the kids that if we just focused a little more on the hustle aspect, things would become a lot easier. I think that ground ball stat shows how they responded."

Glorioso, who finished with 10 saves, was also given great praise from his coach. "Brandon is only a sophomore and last year he played defense," said Hanley, "but he really matured from the off season to now and I just can't wait to see him grow."

The win gives the Raiders the 2A-1A North Region title and they will next face the winner of the Harford Tech - Patterson Mill contest. That game will be played either Friday or Saturday at Bel Air High School with the winner of that game advancing to the MPSSAA State Finals next week at UMBC.

For Loch Raven, that's the game they have been looking forward to since last year.

Box Score:

Loch Raven-  3   3   5   5 -  16

Pikesville-      0   3   2   3 -    8

Goals: LR- Friant 7, Cardorette 3, Dingman 2, Voelker 2, Powell, Spruill. Pikes- Saval 3, Parson 3, Locke, Amoyal.

Assists: LR- Dingman 3, Spruill, Cardorette, Friant, Kight, Surock, Powell. Pikes- Amoyal 5, Saval.

Saves: LR- Glorioso 10.  Pikes- Frallicciardi 9.

Ground Balls: LR- 54. Pikes- 27

Shots: LR- 42.  Pikes- 25

Faceoffs: LR- 17. Pikes- 10

Penalties: LR- 12. Pikes- 4