Kesmodel

COACH OF THE YEAR* P. J. Kesmodel, Mount Hebron -- In his 20th season of coaching lacrosse, Kesmodel had one of his most rewarding seasons, guiding the Vikings to their fourth consecutive Howard County championship and third straight state title. After losing five Division I scholarship players from his loaded 1993 team, Kesmodel had to rebuild, especially on defense, where the Vikings were wiped out by graduation. Making a three-peat seem even more unlikely, Mount Hebron was no longer in Class 1A/2A, where they had won back-to-back titles.

In high school, Kerry Carlson and Linda Ohrin could not have been more intense rivals.Whenever they squared off on the lacrosse field, it was in the game of the year in Howard County -- Carlson's Centennial squad against Ohrin's Mount Hebron team.But that rivalry is a distant memory. Now, they are on the same side and have been for the past four years, playing at Loyola College, where the Greyhounds have been ranked No. 1 in the nation for the past two weeks.Friends since the first grade, Carlson and Ohrin formed an early bond through their love for sports.

Cathy Nelson likes to be creative.An artist with a lacrosse stick, the Mount Hebron senior will cut or dodge or pass until she finds just the right opening to go to goal."

Having five seniors with Division I lacrosse scholarships return, along with four other varsity starters from a state championship team a year ago, guaranteed Mount Hebron coach P. J. Kesmodel nothing more than lots of talent and high expectations.The defending Class 1A-2A champion Vikings and Kesmodel proved 1992's state title was no fluke by compiling a second straight perfect season, a 36-game winning streak and a 9-7 victory in the state championship over Loch Raven (17-1), the last team to defeat Mount Hebron (1991 state semifinals)

With nearly 10 minutes left in the first half, Mount Hebron girls lacrosse coach P. J. Kesmodel wanted a word with his defending state champions."I called a timeout just to yell at them," Kesmodel said of his Vikings, who started sluggishly and only led host Centennial, 4-1 at that point.Whatever Kesmodel said, it worked. The No. 1-ranked Vikings picked up the pace to earn a 9-2 halftime lead, eventually topping the Eagles, 15-4, yesterday in a showcase of Howard county's two best teams.Still, after Mount Hebron (7-0, 3-0 in county play)

The members of Mount Hebron's girls lacrosse team shared different views as to when the Vikings had Loch Raven on the ropes during Tuesday night's Class 1A/2A title victory.Andrea Cuzmanes, Hebron's superb senior center, said she sensed Hebron had its first state crown in hand when the Vikings completed a dominant first half with an 8-3 lead.Tierney Clark, one of Hebron's defenders, saw the evidence earlier in the faces of her opponents."Their goalie was crying after the first 10 minutes.

The girls lacrosse teams from Mount Hebron and Loch Raven have been on a collision course all season.And last night in the Class 2A/1A championship game at Catonsville Community College, Mount Hebron turned a much-anticipated showdown into a 15-10 victory that ended Loch Raven's 67-game winning streak. The Raiders had not lost in six years and had beaten Hebron last year in the semifinals en route to their state championship.It was night of firsts for both teams, beginning with the Vikings (18-0)

Each year since high school girls lacrosse was introduced in Howard County, Mount Hebron has distinguished itself as a county champion ora contender. And each year, Vikings coach P. J. Kesmodel has ducked the accolades that come to those who run first-class programs.This year the Vikings -- after conceding the county championship to Centennial last season -- regained the title with a devastating, 7-0 record against the league.Going unbeaten against the county is nothing new for Hebron. The Vikings turned the trick in 1988 and 1989.

1. Severna Park (2-0)....... ......... 502. Loch Raven (1-0)... ....... ......... 453. St. Mary's (2-0).... ........ ....... 354. Bryn Mawr (0-0).. .......... ........ 265. Severn (1-0-1).. .......... ......... 22(tie) Southern-AA (0-1)... ...... ...... 227. Broadneck (1-1)..... ........ ....... 198. Notre Dame Prep (0-0). ....... ...... 16Seton Keough (5-0)... ....... ....... 1210. Roland Park (0-0). .......... ...... 9Records are through Sunday.Other teams receiving votes, with records and points in parentheses: Joppatowne (0-0, 2)