May 14, 1997|By Lem Satterfield | Lem Satterfield,SUN STAFF
Friends will return to the title game of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference after yesterday's 14-5 semifinal lacrosse victory over Curley.
That's not good enough for the Quakers, though.
Neither are their two regular-season wins over defending champion John Carroll, which came by a combined 22-12 score.
Under 13th-year coach Jon Garman, Friends won B Conference titles in 1987 and in '92 and '93, but John Carroll was in the A Conference on those occasions. So the Quakers -- winners of six straight games since a 9-6 loss to sixth-ranked A Conference power St. Paul's -- are looking for a win over the Patriots in the title game.
"Beating them twice was great, but it doesn't cut it," said Garman, whose Quakers meet John Carroll, an 11-6 winner over Park yesterday, for the title Friday at 5: 30 p.m. at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Field.
Last year, John Carroll battled from behind to beat Friends, 8-7, in the regular season, and then throttled the Quakers, 15-6, for its third straight B crown and seventh in nine seasons.
"We got clocked in the final," Garman recalled. "Until we beat John Carroll for the title, our kids feel we haven't accomplished what we'd like to."
Among yesterday's nine different contributors for the Quakers (12-4), who broke a 2-2 first-period tie with a 6-0 second-period run, were Matt Swann (two goals, three assists), Jamie Hubbard (three goals), Rob Travieso (two, one), Guy Furman (two, one) and Jake Martin (one, two).
Frank Cole added a goal and an assist, and Jim Nicholas, Brian Valle and Mike Malin each scored a goal for Friends, which has averaged 15 goals against its 11 league opponents.
Travieso (33 goals, 12 assists), Swann (26, 23), Hubbard (24, 18) and Martin (20, 22) are the top scorers.
The Quakers' defense of keeper Bob Michel and defenders Jesse Paulson, Joe Johnston and David Sensinger has yielded on average of just four goals against league rivals. That contingent held Curley's top scorers -- Andy Brownlee (23 goals, 39 assists), Tom Gallup (46, eight) and Andy O'Hara (30, 19) -- to a combined single assist.
Friars keeper Tim Flanagan had 32 saves, 10 of which helped to keep it close in the first period. But the Quakers led 10-2 before Curley's Brad Russell netted the first of his three goals with 35 seconds left in the third period. Also contributing were Mike Tyler (one goal, one assist) and Brian Rahley (one goal).
Referring to losses to St. Paul's, No. 7 McDonogh, No. 15 Mount St. Joseph and Georgetown Prep, which is ranked No. 1 by The Washington Post, Swann said, "Our schedule helped our confidence and experience."
Noting the Quakers' earlier 6-5 victory over defending 1A-2A champ Hereford, Hubbard said, "We wanted some respect, and I think we've earned it. Now we want John Carroll."
Pub Date: 5/14/97
