With six players, including their starting goalkeeper and two of their three leading scorers, sidelined for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, the sixth-ranked Broadneck Bruins were ripe for picking last night at Annapolis.
And unranked Annapolis (7-1) had a feast.
The Panthers scored early, then often in the second half, in dealing the previously unbeaten Bruins a punishing, 17-7 defeat before a boisterous crowd at Al Laramore Field.
"The cards are dealt and you play the hand that's dealt to you or whatever. If you [reporters] want to make an excuse for them, why maybe they didn't play too well, go ahead and do that," Annapolis coach Dan Hart said when asked about Broadneck's not being at full strength.
"I thought we were very sloppy and we didn't play the way we were capable of playing. If we finished better, it could have been basically a wash early on."
"I was very proud of the way we played tonight," said Bruins coach Clay White, who enforced the suspension of the players. "We held our heads high, and I got 110 percent effort from my kids. I can't ask for more than that.
"You have to give Annapolis all the credit in the world. They have a tremendous offense, one of the best offenses in the state, and they certainly showed it tonight. We have no excuses. It was an old-fashioned butt-kicking."
Broadneck senior Matt Atkinson kept the Bruins (6-1) in the game early by matching Annapolis' first two goals.
Sophomore attackman Bret McConnaughhay (two goals) regained the lead for the Panthers by converting a feed from senior Craig Rentch (four goals, two assists) late in the first quarter.
From there, it got ugly.
Dan Marcellus (one, four) got things started for Annapolis in the second quarter by assisting Rentch with a short pass in traffic.
Steve Brianas closed out the half by sandwiching a pair of goals around another by Rentch to give the Panthers an 8-3 lead.
The Panthers (7-1) stretched it to 11-3 midway through the third quarter on the first of two goals by sophomore Josh Lesko.
Pub Date: 4/16/98
