B Conference

Archbishop Curley's Andrew Sellers is the consummate athlete. The senior dominated on the football field this season as a middle linebacker, registering 176 total tackles and shattering the school season record by nearly 50 in the process. He wrestled for three varsity seasons, too, but his favorite sport is lacrosse. He helped Curley win a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference title last year, and the Friars are expected to repeat this year, having reeled off 25 straight B Conference victories.

It's time for the adults who lead the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference to do the grown-up thing and end the David vs. Goliath farces to determine conference champions. Here's a quick recap of last week's action: Officials stripped the Harford Tech girls lacrosse team of its Susquehanna Division championship and suspended its coach after they decided last week to not play C. Milton Wright, the Chesapeake Division champions, in the UCBAC conference championship game. The UCBAC, as the conference is most commonly known, consists of all the public high schools in Harford and Cecil counties divided into two divisions to compete for championships in almost all sports; football is a notable exception.

After a slow start on offense in Saturday's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference football championship, Archbishop Spalding wanted a big second-half play to break through against Boys' Latin. The No. 14 Cavaliers got a handful of them. Among the highlights - Ryan Cochrane's 61-yard run that set up a touchdown by Scott Sharik and Zach Waller's 38-yard touchdown run off a fumble recovery. Those and several more big defensive plays fueled a 12-0 victory that avenged their only regular-season loss and spoiled the No. 8 Lakers' bid for a perfect record before a standing-room-only crowd at Mount St. Joseph.

Junior midfielder Sara Lessans scored six goals and added an assist to lead Park past Friends, 15-12, in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference championship game Saturday at Gerstell Academy in Finksburg. Senior midfielder Rachel Hettelman chipped in with four goals and an assist for the top-seeded Bruins (13-2), who earned a conference-best fifth title for coach Robin Cardin Lowe. Sophomore midfielders Sabina Diaz-Rimal (three goals) and Natalie Rudin (two)

With nine sophomores on a 13-player roster, a first-time head coach and a four-win season the previous year, Cardinal Gibbons couldn't have entered 1999 with many more bleak prospects.Two months, endless practice and 17 wins later, the Crusaders stand a win away from the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship after knocking off defending champion Chapelgate, 10-1, yesterday in the second round at Joe Cannon Stadium in Harmans.They have a bye into Thursday's championship round against the winner of today's game between St. Mary's and Chapelgate.

The presence of former Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick as a coach in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference has given it credibility, but he is the first to say that he is not the main reason for the perceived higher level of play in the league. "Just because I played with the Orioles doesn't mean I would come into the league and re-invent the wheel," said Bordick, who is in his second season as coach at Boys' Latin. "There are some really good players in this league, and it makes for great competition.

John Carroll rolled past St. Vincent Pallotti, 15-9, 15-1, 15-8, yesterday to win the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference volleyball title at Villa Julie. Setter Margaret Luppino made the defensive play of the match, a rally-saving dig in a third-game run that dug the Patriots out of a 7-1 hole and built their lead to 10-3. "Defense has been a huge factor," said Kayani Turner, a junior. "Without defense, you can't win volleyball games." Turner, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, kicked off the run with a kill, but the momentum really swung the Patriots' way after Luppino dove after a ball headed out of bounds and kept it in play.

Today was supposed to be Boys' Latin coach Butch Maisel's going away party. The only problem was, the Gilman boys soccer team decided to celebrate first. Z. Ross Fragapane's goal with just under 13 minutes left gave Gilman a 1-0 win and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship yesterday at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Field. It was the first and only loss of the season for No. 15 Boys' Latin (19-1-0). "That's all we wanted to do all year was to beat BL," said Fragapane, whose team lost to the Lakers twice in the regular season.

Last week's 42-22 rout by three-time Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B football champion McDonogh over A Conference power Mount St. Joseph renewed the call for the Eagles to move up to the A -- traditionally the stronger of the two leagues. McDonogh vacated the upper conference in 1995, after going 0-8. And its officials, despite past urgings of rivals in both conferences, had cited size and athletic disadvantages as reasons for resisting a return. But now, the Eagles (2-0)

The executive committee of the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League voted last week on a format for the upcoming playoffs. As in the past, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and the area's public high school teams will participate. Unlike last season, however, the MIAA B Conference champion also will earn a berth. "I think it's a great thing to have them," said MSHL commissioner Don Gensler of the B Conference teams. "It shows that we're all one big family. Now instead of saying they're the best team in a particular conference, they'll get a chance to show that they're one of the best in the state."

Gilman coach Zach Collins said his team "got hammered" when Boys' Latin beat the Greyhounds, 9-4, about two weeks ago. This time, the outcome was much different in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship Friday as Gilman posted a 6-2 victory over the Lakers at Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton.  The Greyhounds' intensity made the difference. "It was by far the hardest they have worked all year," Collins said. "They were willing to do all the small things that don't always show up on the score sheet.

MIAA championships At Johnny Unitas Stadium, Towson University A Conference No. 1 Gilman (8-2) vs. No. 2 Calvert Hall (8-2) When: Saturday, 7 p.m. Coaches: Biff Poggi, Gilman; Donald Davis, Calvert Hall Last meeting: Gilman won, 24-14, Oct. 21 Outlook: The A Conference playoffs are only 2 years old and for the second time, the title game features the same No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown. The defending champion Greyhounds are looking for their 11th MIAA title, while the 2010 champion Cardinals go after their second.

There was no mystery about Seton Keough's strategy entering the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference volleyball championship at Roland Park on Friday night. It was another night of feed the monster. The Monster - otherwise known as senior outside hitter Ijeoma Igwe - delivered, giving the No. 3 Gators their first-ever IAAM championship in volleyball with a victory over defending champion Archbishop Spalding, 27-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-18. Igwe finished with 21 kills on the night.

Steve Erxleben has coached high school football in Anne Arundel County for 12 years, and in his second season as coach at St. Mary's, he said the Saints are ready for a playoff run in the MIAAB Conference. Erxleben, a Bowie High graduate who played college football at Frostburg, spent 10 years at South River, seven as head coach. He still teaches social studies at South River, but left the Seahawks football team after the 2010 season and moved to the Saints program to join offensive coordinator Mick Suplee.

The Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland's A Conference will have a new look with former B Conference powers Bryn Mawr and Severn making the jump up and the league splitting into two divisions this season. Two-time A Conference champion McDonogh will be the team to beat in the new Gold Division, which also consists of Bryn Mawr, champions of the past three B Conference crowns, Mercy and Mount de Sales. The Red Division will consist of last year's league runner-up Archbishop Spalding, John Carroll, Notre Dame Prep and Severn, which reached last year's 'B' title game.

Archbishop Spalding football coach Mike Whittles, whose inspirational 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer touched many far beyond the Severn school's community, died of the disease Thursday. He was 58. Diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer on Feb. 22, 2011, Whittles continued to coach the Cavaliers, remaining upbeat and confident that he could beat it. "This is the day that I knew was inevitable but didn't want to face," Spalding athletic director and long-time Whittles friend Lee Dove said.

With nine sophomores on a 13-player roster, a first-time head coach and a four-win season the previous year, Cardinal Gibbons couldn't have entered 1999 with many more bleak prospects.Two months, endless practice and 17 wins later, the Crusaders stand a win away from the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship after knocking off defending champion Chapelgate, 10-1, yesterday in the second round at Joe Cannon Stadium in Harmans.They have a bye into Thursday's championship round against the winner of today's game between St. Mary's and Chapelgate.

Quarterback Peter Athens' fourth touchdown pass of the night, a 10-yarder to Dan Rogers with 8:42 remaining, gave St. Mary's a 26-20 victory over Archbishop Spalding for the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship last night at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. It was the first appearance in the B Conference final for the Saints (8-3), while the Cavaliers (7-4) were going for their third consecutive crown. But they were held scoreless by the Marlon Johnson-led defense in the second half after holding a 20-12 halftime lead.

The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A and B Championship games are set.  The A Conference game will be 5 p.m. at Ripken Stadium Sunday. It will match Calvert Hall, the No. 2 seed that made its way through the loser's bracket to reach the final,  against  unbeated No. 4 seed Archbishop Curley.  To win the title in the double elimination tournament, Calvert Hall would have to win Sunday and again Monday in a second championship game, scheduled for Ripken Stadium at 7 p.m.  The B Conference game will be played Monday at 4 p.m., between Annapolis Area Christian School and Pallotti . A second game, if necessary, will be Tuesday, May 22 at Calvert Hall.

Going into the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs, Calvert Hall coach Bryan Kelly said a team has to be playing great lacrosse and also have some breaks go its way to claim one of the country's most prized championships. In Friday's title game against No. 2 Loyola, his No. 1 Cardinals skipped the good fortune and were just plain great. Taking charge with a precise second quarter that finished with four unanswered goals, the Cardinals proved better in every facet in earning a 17-3 win over the Dons in front of an announced 5,684 Johnny Unitas Stadium.