Falcons

The River Hill boys basketball team cut down its nets last night, celebrating the program's first regional title with a win that typified its season to this point. Relentless in their zone defense and unselfish on offense, the Hawks stayed a step ahead of visiting Severna Park all game and then counted on senior captain Tommy Brenton's near-perfect work from the foul line to close out a 48-37 win in the Class 3A East final. Brenton hit 13 of 14 free throws in the final 2:37 to take game-high honors with 19 points.

While coach Larry Kramer called Severna Park's senior attack of Eric Lusby, Colby Rhodes and Randy Waugh "the best I've ever coached," a rival called the trio "the best I've ever seen" out of the Falcons. Their talents were on full display in last night's 15-6 rout of Wootton (18-1), in which they combined for 10 goals and three assists to earn the program's second consecutive Class 4A-3A state title and its fourth overall, including crowns in 1999 and 2004. Tied at 3-3 at 10:25 of the second quarter, the 10th-ranked Falcons (18-2)

Severna Park's No. 1 field hockey team loses so rarely that even a 1-0 setback in a 25-minute preseason scrimmage sticks with the Falcons. Yesterday, they called upon that loss to Bethesda-Chevy Chase at Pocomoke's playday to fuel a 6-0 victory over the Barons when it counted - at Roland Park's annual Sally E. Nyborg Invitational. Not far away in Annapolis, No. 5 Broadneck and Chesapeake-AA scored similarly big victories over No. 7 Archbishop Spalding and St. Mary's, as public schools ruled the day at the St. Mary's Tournament.

One thing's for sure in the Anne Arundel County girls lacrosse championship: When Severna Park and Broadneck play, it will be a nailbiter. Before last night, the two had met in four of the past five title games. The biggest gap was three goals. The closest game went to double overtime. The other two were decided by one goal each. Last night's game fit the usual mold to perfection. In their 12-8 victory, the No. 3 Falcons came from behind early. The game was within three goals until the final 12 minutes, when Severna Park completed a five- goal run to pull ahead 11-5.

Despite losing three games during the regular season for the first time in as long as anyone in the program can remember, the No. 2 Severna Park field hockey team never lost its swagger. The Falcons responded to those losses by rolling through their first three regional playoff games while outscoring their opponents 18-2. Last night against No. 7 Westminster in the Class 4A state semifinals, Severna Park got an early score by Julie Gardner and its defense did not allow the Owls a shot on goal in a 1-0 victory.

FIELD HOCKEY No. 4 Broadneck @ No. 3 South River WHEN -- Tonight, 5 p.m. OUTLOOK -- The two teams that hope to unseat Severna Park as county and Class 4A East regional champion meet in Edgewater. Both teams have firepower, the visiting Bruins(4-0) with seniors Kari Ellen Johnson and Brigitte Strother, and the Hawks with senior Melissa Nelson and sophomore Brooke Griffin. South River also has perhaps the area's best defender in senior Hope Battista and one of the top goalies in senior Virginia Jorden.

After two inept offensive efforts that led to an 0-2 start for Severna Park, a flea flicker jump-started the Falcons' triple option last night as they routed Annapolis, 42-15, in the renewal of Anne Arundel County's oldest football rivalry. Played at Al Laramore Field in the Cap City, the game left both teams at 1-2. Severna Park had scored only eight points in its first two games and was shut out, 6-0, by Southern last week. In what was the 49th game in the 48th year of the series, with the host Panthers now leading 24-22-3, the Falcons scored on a 60-yard touchdown pass from halfback Sam Jones to Austin Lewis on the game's first play from scrimmage.

We're in Week 2 of fantasy playoff season, so the format here shall remain quick and dirty. Remember to review every spot on your roster with a careful eye. You don't want to play any iffy matchups if you can avoid it, because a five-point slip here or there can end your season. Of course, some disasters, you can't protect against. Just ask any Carson Palmer owner who was riding high until last weekend. Players you normally wouldn't start but should consider this week: Jay Cutler, Broncos at Texans - Houston's pass defense can be attacked, and Cutler has really been pretty solid in recent weeks.

Moves Baseball BLUE JAYS -- Activated P A.J. Burnett from 15-day DL. Placed P Brandon League on 15-DL. CARDINALS -- Placed 2B Adam Kennedy on 15-day DL. Recalled IF Brendan Ryan from Triple-A Memphis. CUBS -- Placed OF Cliff Floyd on bereavement leave. Activated 1B Daryle Ward from 15-day DL. METS -- Placed C Paul Lo Duca on 15-day DL. Purchased contract of C Mike DiFelice from Triple-A New Orleans. NATIONALS -- Optioned P Billy Traber to Triple-A Columbus. REDS -- Activated OF Josh Hamilton from 15-day DL. Designated IF Mark Bellhorn for assignment.

With his team hit hard by graduation after last year's trip to the regional finals, Liberty boys soccer coach Ed DeVincent entered this fall searching for a player to assume the role of team leader. Instead, he's found a whole unit. Led by their senior-dominated defense, the Lions opened the season with four straight wins and entered Friday's game at Marriott's Ridge having outscored opponents, 11-1. "We've had some people step up," DeVincent said. "We're pretty much a senior-laden team in the back, then we have basically all underclassman in the midfield and up top. So it was a matter of a couple of those seniors ... stepping up and playing prominent roles."

Third-ranked Severna Park and No. 5 Reservoir both pride themselves on defense, but it was the Falcons who were rewarded for their ability to develop an effective attack in Tuesday's first District V championship in girls soccer at Arundel. Sarah Peterson's goal in the 56th minute was the winner for the Falcons, who controlled the midfield for much of the game. It was the 11th straight shutout for the Falcons (14-1), who enter the Class 4A East playoffs as the top seed. "The first three or four weeks of the season, we focused primarily on keeping our defense organized," Severna Park coach Todd Clark said.

Second-ranked Marriotts Ridge and No. 5 Severna Park have similar styles of play in which each relies on hard-nosed defenders and aggressive forwards who relentlessly fight for every loose ball. For 50 minutes in Tuesday's inaugural District V boys championship game at Arundel, the Mustangs and Falcons traded chances, but neither team would budge. Finally, Kareem Najib collected a long clear and chipped the ball over Falcons goalie Gavin Snyder to give Marriotts Ridge a 1-0 victory. It was the seventh consecutive shutout for the Mustangs, the No. 2 seed in Class 2A South behind Central.

Tuesday night's girls soccer showdown between host No. 5 Arundel and No. 3 Severna Park featured up-and-down play with scoring chances for both teams. A second chance was needed to decide the outcome. Midway through the first half, Severna Park junior forward Marisa Kresge scored after following her own shot, and the Falcons' defense held up despite some anxious moments, resulting in a 1-0 win over the Wildcats in Anne Arundel County play. The Falcons (12-1) improved to 10-0 in the county and clinched a berth in Tuesday's District V championship against the Howard County champion.

The first pressure-filled kick that Navy junior Joe Buckley attempted this week came on Wednesday evening, a full three days before the Midshipmen hosted rival Air Force. He needed to make a 42-yard field goal at the end of practice to win back the kicking job he lost a week earlier and earn the right to take the field Saturday. Buckley made that kick, showing a glimpse of the steely nerves that would serve him so well against the Falcons. In front of a capacity crowd of 37,820 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Buckley made three field goals, including one from 38 yards out in overtime, to give Navy a 16-13 edge.

With hard work and energy, Broadneck junior Ryan Bugarin has earned steady minutes off the bench to help the Bruins at midfield. It's been time well spent. Against Anne Arundel rival Severna Park on Friday night, Bugarin made the most of an opportunity in front, pouncing on a loose ball with 10:55 to play that gave the No. 4 Bruins a 1-0 win over the No. 2 Falcons. The Bruins improved to 6-1-1, recording their sixth shutout, while handing the Falcons their first loss after seven wins.

Christi Laite had a great season last year, leading Severna Park to an 18-3 record in volleyball. The only problem was that all three losses came against county rival Broadneck, with one in the county championship and another in the regional championship. Broadneck went on to win the state Class 4A title. Severna Park went home. Last night, Laite and her teammates got a measure of revenge, as the host and fifth-ranked Falcons (5-1) defeated the No. 3 Bruins, 25-27, 25-21, 27-25, 25-14, in a key match.

FIELD HOCKEY No. 1 Broadneck at No. 3 Severna Park WHEN: Tonight, 7 OUTLOOK: This week, the 6-0 Bruins captured the No. 1 spot in The Baltimore Sun's poll. In tonight's meeting, the Falcons (4-1), led by G Ashley Dalisera and F Hannah Balleza, hope to reclaim the reputation as the county's glamour team and move up the rankings. BOYS SOCCER No. 2 Severna Park at No. 4 Broadneck WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m. OUTLOOK: The Bruins (5-1-1) like to get to the ball first and take what a defense permits.

It sounded like New Year's Eve in Times Square, as players and fans blew noisemakers and cheered for Severna Park coach Lil Shelton's 500th career victory Tuesday night. The 9-0 win over Annapolis was barely in the books when members of her No. 3 Falcons unfurled the banner congratulating her. Others immediately swarmed around her, spraying her with silly string, draping her in a dark blue cape with "500" written on it and then piling bouquet after bouquet into her arms while cheering and blowing whistles.

ATLANTA - -To finish the preseason perfect, the Ravens had to beat a quick turnaround and illness. More importantly, their backups had to beat the Atlanta Falcons' starters. With only two starters making a first-quarter cameo, third-string quarterback John Beck and the rest of the Ravens' junior varsity stepped up in a 20-3 win over the Falcons at a nearly empty Georgia Dome. Beck's two touchdown passes led the Ravens to their first 4-0 preseason since the 2000 Super Bowl season. "Our goal was to play like Ravens tonight," said coach John Harbaugh, whose team opens the season against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept.

BASEBALL Player of the Year Dylan Taylor Severna Park, Taylor was the No. 1 pitcher on the Falcons and anchored their run to the state 4A championship.Taylor, a senior,went 9-0 with a 1.68 ERA. He recorded a no-hitter in the region quarterfinals, and two days later he pitched the seventh inning of a regional semifinal to earn the save. Two days after that, he threw a complete game in the regional final. Taylor later hurled a one-hitter in the 4A state championship game. Last week, Taylor became just the second player in school history to have his jersey number retired.