Katherine Dunn

A couple of two-time All-Metro players of the year, Dunbar's football and basketball star Tommy Polley and McDonogh's girls soccer standout Laurie Schwoy, head the list of local athletes who will sign letters of intent today, the beginning of the NCAA signing period.Polley, who chose Florida State over Maryland and Florida, will sign a football scholarship at his home that will allow him to play basketball as well. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Polley was a member of five state championship teams at Dunbar, two in football and three in basketball.

Wells and Covie Stanwick were practically born with lacrosse sticks in their hands. By the time they could walk, they were trying to emulate their older siblings Sheehan, Wick, Coco, Tad and Steele, who were beginning to lay the groundwork that would make the name Stanwick synonymous with Baltimore lacrosse. All five helped their high school teams win championships and went on to stellar college careers -- four as All-Americans who played in at least one Final Four. Wells, 19, and Covie, who turns 18 on Sunday, carry on that legacy.

McDonogh's No. 1 girls lacrosse team didn't finish its season with a perfect game, but the end result still added up to perfection, especially for the senior class. The Eagles rallied from four goals down to beat St. Paul's, 11-8, Monday afternoon to put the finishing touch on a 22-0 season with their fifth straight Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship. The 17 McDonogh seniors did not lose a game during their high school careers as the Eagles ran their winning streak to 91 games, the country's longest active girls lacrosse streak and the third longest in history behind the record of 103 set by Loch Raven in 1982 and matched by Mount Hebron in 2007.

When C. Milton Wright and North Harford met in girls lacrosse Thursday night, both sides expected a close game. None of their previous seven meetings had been decided by more than four goals. Three of the last five were one-goal games. Early on, No. 3 C. Milton Wright appeared ready to buck that trend by running up a seven-goal lead, but the Mustangs needed that advantage to hold off the visiting Hawks for a 12-10 victory that clinched the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference Chesapeake Division championship.

Abby Culp never realized how much she loved running until she couldn't do it any more. After her freshman cross country season at Winters Mill, Culp's family moved to Florida for six months, and she had to take a break from running during a brief struggle with an eating disorder. Back in Carroll County at Manchester Valley, she got back into serious running as a junior. Last fall, she was an All-Metro second-team selection after finishing second in the Class 1A state cross country meet.

Dunbar didn't take long to set the tone for Saturday's Class 1A football state championship. In the first 3 minutes, the No. 6 Poets ran the ball six times for 58 yards, culminating in Coleman Blackston's 26-yard touchdown run, and they were well on their way to a 39-0 victory over New Town for their third straight state title at M&T Bank Stadium. "It's amazing right now," Poets senior defensive end Marvin Gross said. "They were talking trash all week and in The Baltimore Sun and that just makes it that much better that we beat them.

Revenge was oh so sweet for Salisbury's women's lacrosse team, especially when it came with a national championship. The Sea Gulls polished off a 23-0 season with a 12-5 victory and the Division III national championship by avenging last year's title-game loss to Trinity College in a battle of undefeated teams Sunday at Stevenson University's Mustangs Stadium. "We've been cheering 'Redemption' all year and 'Road to redemption' and that word has really meant a lot to us," said Sea Gulls senior attacker Lauren Feusahrens, who scored five goals.

Trailing by three goals late in the fourth quarter, there was never a second of doubt for the Glenelg boys lacrosse team in Friday's Class 3A-2A state semifinals game against Kent Island at Annapolis High School. Well, maybe there was a moment or two when it looked like the No. 11 Gladiators' season would come to an end. Then, the experience of reaching the state semifinal in each of the last seven seasons kicked in. Led by junior Nick Forrest, Glenelg scored four goals in the final 2 minutes, 51 seconds to secure a 10-9 victory.

katherine.dunn@baltsun.com Goals: MR---Grote 2, Thompson, Stukenberg, DiAntonio, Diffendal; C—Mercer 4, Flister 3, Bordner, Quigg, Remenapp. Assists: MR—Stukenberg; C—Quigg, Remenapp. Saves: MR—Clipp 3; C—Pentz 4. Half: C, 5-2.

katherine.dunn@baltsun.com Sacred Heart 2 0 -- 2 Navy 6 6 -- 12 Goals:SH—Rochler, Hauser; N—Vivonetto 3, Rawlick 2, Nietsch 2, K.Young 2, Bell 2, Mandrin Hill.Assists: SH—Kmiotek; Rawlik, K.Young, Mandrin Hill, Neitsch. Saves: SH—Wagner 6; N—Ponchione 4.