John Grubb

Coach: John Grubb, 14th season.Assistants: Jim Nickle, Sam Citrano, Phil Minderlein, Pat Gress, Scott Wilson.Last year's record: 14-1, state Class 1A/2A champs.Starters lost: 5.Top returnees: Chris Gress, sr., D; Jason Ketner, sr., D; Chris Beall, sr., D; Tom Murrell, sr., G; Tim Lucky, sr., M; Brett Schreiber, sr., M; Steve Overbey, sr., M; Justin Smith, sr., A; Joe Citrano, sr., M; Steve Griffith, sr., D; Jason Ziegler, jr., D; Mark Bostic, sr., D.Newcomers: Chuck Kelly, jr., A; Mike Minderlein, jr.,A; John Pace, jr., A; Bruce Axelsson, jr., A; Mike Chaney, jr., M; Dave Basham, jr., M.Coach's outlook: Everyone is going to be up for us. It would be a feather in their cap to beat us since we're the defending champs.

John Grubb's has several explanations for his longevity as North Harford's boys' lacrosse coach. But if you're looking for the foremost reason Grubb has been on the Hawks' sideline for the past 26 seasons, your answer may lie in a feeling that Grubb gets shortly after the advent of a new year. "My stomach starts turning by the middle of January," said Grubb, an earth science teacher at North Harford middle school and a teacher in Harford County for 33 years. "It makes teaching fun because you get into the spring and everything is getting a little mundane and I have every day to look forward to practice.

John Grubb's has several explanations for his longevity as North Harford's boys' lacrosse coach. But if you're looking for the foremost reason Grubb has been on the Hawks' sideline for the past 26 seasons, your answer may lie in a feeling that Grubb gets shortly after the advent of a new year. "My stomach starts turning by the middle of January," said Grubb, an earth science teacher at North Harford middle school and a teacher in Harford County for 33 years. "It makes teaching fun because you get into the spring and everything is getting a little mundane and I have every day to look forward to practice.

Coach: John Grubb, 14th season.Assistants: Jim Nickle, Sam Citrano, Phil Minderlein, Pat Gress, Scott Wilson.Last year's record: 14-1, state Class 1A/2A champs.Starters lost: 5.Top returnees: Chris Gress, sr., D; Jason Ketner, sr., D; Chris Beall, sr., D; Tom Murrell, sr., G; Tim Lucky, sr., M; Brett Schreiber, sr., M; Steve Overbey, sr., M; Justin Smith, sr., A; Joe Citrano, sr., M; Steve Griffith, sr., D; Jason Ziegler, jr., D; Mark Bostic, sr., D.Newcomers: Chuck Kelly, jr., A; Mike Minderlein, jr.,A; John Pace, jr., A; Bruce Axelsson, jr., A; Mike Chaney, jr., M; Dave Basham, jr., M.Coach's outlook: Everyone is going to be up for us. It would be a feather in their cap to beat us since we're the defending champs.

Runs scored by Aberdeen's softball team in the seventh inning to edge North Harford, 8-7, March 28. 7 Errors that Havre de Grace and North Harford's baseball teams each made in losses last week. 8 Consecutive shots that John Carroll's girls lacrosse team scored in last week's 14-8 victory over McDonogh. 300 Career victories for North Harford lacrosse coach John Grubb, when the Hawks beat Perry Hall 10 days ago.

In 1977, the first year that North Harford fielded a boys lacrosse team, coach John Grubb kept his expectations realistic. "We were just trying to get one win the first year," Grubb said. "It was definitely a little frustrating at times." Grubb stayed committed to building a program, and after North Harford's 19-14 victory over Perry Hall yesterday, Grubb has 300 varsity wins. "I've been very fortunate, working in a community that I have really good kids in," Grubb said. "Personally, it's just a milestone that I wanted to accomplish this year and I've had a great experience working with kids in the North Harford community."

All year long, North Harford coach John Grubb has preached to his team about "reaching the top of the mountain."Last night, the Hawks reached that destination by downing South River, 12-5, to win the Class 1A-2A state championship at UMBC.And the view was everything they thought it would be."We didn't want to go away with another one of those second-place plaques," said North Harford junior attackman Eric Barger, referring to last season's one-goal loss to Towson in the state finals."All we were thinking about tonight was winning."

C. Milton Wright held off the charging North Harford Hawks last night, 12-11, in a rough Harford County boys lacrosse game.North Harford goalie Kevin Bandy left the game at the two-minute mark with a shoulder injury after being decked just outside of the crease.He was replaced by Rob Smith.The Mustangs were penalized for 9 minutes, 30 seconds. Each team was given a one-minute penalty for unnecessary roughness.The Mustangs had a 12-8 lead with less than three minutes left in the game, when they were called for a one-minute penalty.

Oakland Mills coach Phil Stephenson wasn't making any excuses after watching his team bow to North Harford, 10-7, in yesterday's Class 1A-2A state semifinal game at UMBC."

For its most important game of the season, North Harford not only had several of its players come through with outstanding efforts, but also showed it doesn't need scoring from senior star Keith Smith to win.North Harford (10-3, 6-0) led all the way last night in an 11-5 defeat of visiting C. Milton Wright (10-4, 6-1).Wright, which had beaten Fallston, 9-8, in an emotional game Wednesday, was within three goals as late as the start of the fourth quarter, but had nothing left for a stretch run.North Harford coach John Grubb, who saw his team clinch no worse than a tie for the county title -- it will conclude its regular season at home against Edgewood Tuesday night -- challenged some of his players, and they responded.

Keith Smith doesn't remember much about the earlier Fallston game, but he got one to remember last night, leading No. 2 seed North Harford (10-4) past the top-seeded Cougars, 8-2, in the Class 1A-2A North regional championship game.It marked the first time North Harford had beaten Fallston in three years and although it was No. 2 seed beating No. 1, it was not a major upset. Two of the best teams in Harford County, they had played evenly the first time until Smith departed. Last night, he tipped the scales North Harford's way.Smith, a junior, received a mild concussion in the opening minute of the regular-season matchup and did not return to a game won by Fallston, 8-6.The Cougars went on to finish the regular season unbeaten for a second straight year and added a regional win for an 11-0 record entering the game.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dean Thrasher North Harford Thrasher, a senior attackman, was the target of every top defender in the county and he still found a way to either score a goal or assist on one. He finished with 42 goals, 46 assists and 56 ground balls. "Everything we do evolves around him," Hawks coach John Grubb said. "In my book, he's a complete attackman. He finds the open man for an assist. He gives you 100 percent on the field and he's got a big heart. His leadership at practice is an inspiration to everybody."