Loyola-Blakefield Advance to MIAA Championship Final

After a regular season with its ups and downs, Loyola-Blakefield squeezed their way into the sixth and last seed of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs. So far, the Dons, who rank 29^th in the DigitalSports National Lacrosse Rankings, have made the most out of their playoff opportunity.

Loyola kicked off the playoffs in the quarterfinal in a game against the Gilman Greyhounds, the 3^rd seed in the MIAA and 8^th rank in DigitalSports National Lacrosse Ranking. It was a close game, but Loyola-Blakefield pulled through in a 17-14 victory, sending them to the semifinals.

The Dons took all of the momentum from the Gilman game to the field as they faced MIAA’s 2^nd seed and nation’s 4^th rank, McDonogh on May 14. Earlier in the year, Loyola lost their game to the Eagles in a close 8-6 match. In a superb performance, Loyola-Blakefield dominated the McDonogh in a 13-4 victory.

At the half, the game was still close, as the teams entered with Loyola up 4-2. The second was not as close. Senior midfielder Alex Rosener scored three of his four goals in the second half. Along with that, senior Devin McNamara scored two goals and three of his five assists after the halftime break.

Loyola-Blakefield had many other strong offensive displays throughout the game. Senior Kevin Johnson netted a hat trick and added on an assist, and Ryan Conrad scored two goals and an assist. Tim Nordbrook and Kevin O’Toole displayed great ball movement, combining for three assists.

Even with all of their offensive displays, Loyola’s defense was perhaps the most impressive exhibit of the Dons skills. McDonogh, one of the best teams in the country, scored in the double digits in 10 of their 18 games. On top of that, McDonogh entered the game on an eight game win streak with a +26 goal difference. Even with McDonogh’s offensive capabilities, Loyola completely shut them down, holding them to only four goals.

The combination of Loyola’s excellent offense and flawless defense completely overpowered McDonogh. Now advancing to the MIAA finals, Loyola-Blakefield faces the top ranked team in the nation, the Boys’ Latin Lakers.

The Lakers earned the 1^st seed in the MIAA playoffs and nation by going undefeated for the entire season. They play Calvert Hall in their semifinal matchup, winning the game 12-10.

The championship game is on Friday May 17 at 8pm. A win for Loyola-Blakefield completes the true underdog story. It will not be easy, as Boys’ Latin will be fighting to complete their perfect season. With another game like the McDonogh performance, Loyola-Blakefield can make a strong run for the championship title.