Jeff Wills

The Thunder will give a lacrosse clinic to its young fans beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Baltimore Arena. Then, an hour later, the Thunder will try to teach the Philadelphia Wings a thing or two.The preseason affair, titled "Face-Off With the Thunder," is free and open to the public. It will give lacrosse fans an opportunity to meet team members, collect autographs and witness the unveiling of the team's new mascot.The Thunder's 1998 roster is loaded with local players, including forwards Stewart Crotty (St. Paul's)

The student: Jeff Will, 14 School: Patapsco Middle Special achievement: Won a $1,000 scholarship from the Carson Scholars Fund, which recognizes and rewards academic excellence and humanitarian qualities. To win, he wrote three essays. What he wrote about: One essay was about community service, one was about personal challenges, and in one he was asked to describe his special talents and activities. For the community service essay, Jeff wrote about his work with Boy Scout Troop 944. In his essay about overcoming obstacles, he wrote about having asthma.

Baltimore Thunder faceoff specialist Bill Dirrigl sounded a little cheated after last night's 17-11 loss to the Boston Blazers.Dirrigl wasn't accusing the visiting Blazers of foul play and he couldn't have had any gripe with the 8,395 partisan fans at Baltimore Arena who hoped to watch the Thunder (0-3) claim its first Major Indoor lacrosse League win of the season. He was just thinking out loud why his team has to work so hard for each of its goals while their opponents make it look so easy.

The Bayhawks took over first place of the Major League Lacrosse Nationals Division yesterday with a 14-7 victory over the visiting New Jersey Pride before 6,011 at Homewood Field. Baltimore (4-2) held the Pride (3-2) to a league-low seven goals, only two in the second half, behind an outstanding performance by goalie Greg Cattrano, who made 21 saves. The Bayhawks' defense kept the league leaders in goals, Jesse Hubbard, and assists, Jon Hess, scoreless. "I can't tell you what I was feeling or thinking out there.

A decade of frustrating home losses to Philadelphia was put to rest last night as the Thunder stunned the first-place Wings, 11-10, in a Major Indoor Lacrosse League game before 5,407 at Baltimore Arena.Thunder goalie Derek Collins was named the game's MVP after making 50 saves, including one at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.The Thunder, which hadn't defeated the Wings at home since a 20-19 victory during the league's inaugural season in 1987, celebrated the win with a victory lap.The result improved the Thunder's record to 2-4 and, most importantly, kept its playoff hopes alive.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Johns Hopkins did something last night only two other schools had done -- beat Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.Matt Panetta scored four goals and had four assists, and No. 8 Hopkins scored 10 of game's last 11 goals to beat No. 4 Syracuse, 18-12, before 10,936."

PHILADELPHIA -- The Baltimore Thunder rolled into The Spectrum last night looking to earn respect in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.What the Thunder found was a Philadelphia Wings team that was unwilling to give them any.The Wings opened a 9-2 lead in the first quarter en route to a 25-9 victory over the 0-4 Thunder in front of 13,483 fans. The 16 goals that separated the squads was the widest margin of victory in Philadelphia's eight-year history, eclipsing the Wings' biggest previous blowout, 23-9 against the Thunder last year at the Baltimore Arena.

When No. 5 Johns Hopkins plays top-ranked Syracuse in the NCAA Division I semifinals at Penn's Franklin Field on Saturday, the Blue Jays will need a well-balanced half-field offense, good shot selection and offensive calls at the right time.And, for most of this to happen, Hopkins senior attackman Jeff Wills has to have a great game.Wills, from Loyola High, is the Blue Jays' quarterback on the field. He has directed Hopkins to an 8-4 record this season, including Saturday's 15-8 quarterfinal win over Towson State.

The good news for the Thunder is the team never gave up in last night's Major Indoor Lacrosse League season opener.The bad news is, the Thunder never caught up.The Boston Blazers led from start to finish and spoiled John Tucker's professional head coaching debut with a 17-11 drubbing before 5,054 at Baltimore Arena.The Thunder had 11 new players in its lineup and a new goalie, but Tucker didn't use that as an excuse."We've got veterans on this team; they just have to step up," said Tucker.

Strange as it may seem in view of its 2-5 record, the Thunder has clinched a spot in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League playoffs.Stranger still, the Pittsburgh Bulls, who haven't won a game in more than a year, still have a chance to advance to the playoffs.Such is life in the MILL: All but one of the seven teams make the playoffs.After its final regular-season game against the Bulls tonight at the Baltimore Arena, the Thunder will prepare for its American Division playoff March 28 on the road against the New York Saints.

The Thunder will give a lacrosse clinic to its young fans beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Baltimore Arena. Then, an hour later, the Thunder will try to teach the Philadelphia Wings a thing or two.The preseason affair, titled "Face-Off With the Thunder," is free and open to the public. It will give lacrosse fans an opportunity to meet team members, collect autographs and witness the unveiling of the team's new mascot.The Thunder's 1998 roster is loaded with local players, including forwards Stewart Crotty (St. Paul's)

A decade of frustrating home losses to Philadelphia was put to rest last night as the Thunder stunned the first-place Wings, 11-10, in a Major Indoor Lacrosse League game before 5,407 at Baltimore Arena.Thunder goalie Derek Collins was named the game's MVP after making 50 saves, including one at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.The Thunder, which hadn't defeated the Wings at home since a 20-19 victory during the league's inaugural season in 1987, celebrated the win with a victory lap.The result improved the Thunder's record to 2-4 and, most importantly, kept its playoff hopes alive.

The good news for the Thunder is the team never gave up in last night's Major Indoor Lacrosse League season opener.The bad news is, the Thunder never caught up.The Boston Blazers led from start to finish and spoiled John Tucker's professional head coaching debut with a 17-11 drubbing before 5,054 at Baltimore Arena.The Thunder had 11 new players in its lineup and a new goalie, but Tucker didn't use that as an excuse."We've got veterans on this team; they just have to step up," said Tucker.

Like the rest of the veterans on the Baltimore Thunder, Tim Welsh feels a sense of urgency as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League opens its 10th season.Welsh, who has rewritten the Thunder record books since joining the club eight years ago, relishes his individual accomplishments but longs for a league championship.The Thunder hopes to take a step toward that goal in tonight's season opener against the Boston Blazers at 7:30 at the $H Baltimore Arena."We've been losing for so long, we don't know what winning is all about," said Welsh, who surpassed Jeff Jackson last season as the Thunder's all-time leading goal scorer with 84. "There are teams in the league like Philadelphia and Buffalo that are arrogant and cocky, and I'm jealous of that.

Baltimore Thunder goalkeeper Kevin Bilger knows what it's like to be on standby.During his high school lacrosse days at Calvert Hall, Bilger waited behind the Cardinals' starting keeper, Tom Sears, who later earned All-America honors at North Carolina before starting in goal for the U.S. World Team.After walking on and making the team at Maryland, Bilger again found himself second on the depth chart, this time under another Calvert Hall alumnus, Kevin O'Leary.Throughout his rather innominate career in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, Bilger has drifted in and out of starting roles.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Baltimore Thunder rolled into The Spectrum last night looking to earn respect in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.What the Thunder found was a Philadelphia Wings team that was unwilling to give them any.The Wings opened a 9-2 lead in the first quarter en route to a 25-9 victory over the 0-4 Thunder in front of 13,483 fans. The 16 goals that separated the squads was the widest margin of victory in Philadelphia's eight-year history, eclipsing the Wings' biggest previous blowout, 23-9 against the Thunder last year at the Baltimore Arena.

Towson State University's chances of making the 12-team National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I lacrosse tournament could be at stake tonight at 8, when the Tigers play host to No. 6 Johns Hopkins at Minnegan Stadium, but Towson coach Carl Runk is treating it as just another game.And Runk thinks Towson (8-2) should be invited to the tournament by the selection committee May 12 regardless of the outcome of tonight's game."I've heard this talk from several people about our season coming down to one game, and that irks me a little," said Runk, whose team is ranked ninth.

Baltimore Thunder goalkeeper Kevin Bilger knows what it's like to be on standby.During his high school lacrosse days at Calvert Hall, Bilger waited behind the Cardinals' starting keeper, Tom Sears, who later earned All-America honors at North Carolina before starting in goal for the U.S. World Team.After walking on and making the team at Maryland, Bilger again found himself second on the depth chart, this time under another Calvert Hall alumnus, Kevin O'Leary.Throughout his rather innominate career in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, Bilger has drifted in and out of starting roles.

Baltimore Thunder faceoff specialist Bill Dirrigl sounded a little cheated after last night's 17-11 loss to the Boston Blazers.Dirrigl wasn't accusing the visiting Blazers of foul play and he couldn't have had any gripe with the 8,395 partisan fans at Baltimore Arena who hoped to watch the Thunder (0-3) claim its first Major Indoor lacrosse League win of the season. He was just thinking out loud why his team has to work so hard for each of its goals while their opponents make it look so easy.

Strange as it may seem in view of its 2-5 record, the Thunder has clinched a spot in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League playoffs.Stranger still, the Pittsburgh Bulls, who haven't won a game in more than a year, still have a chance to advance to the playoffs.Such is life in the MILL: All but one of the seven teams make the playoffs.After its final regular-season game against the Bulls tonight at the Baltimore Arena, the Thunder will prepare for its American Division playoff March 28 on the road against the New York Saints.