Lake

A lot of tension built up before Wednesday's basketball showdown between Hammond and Wilde Lake.Both teams expect to challenge Oakland Mills' three-year reign as league champions. But both the Bears andWildecats stumbled Monday by losing their league openers.And both had overall losing records when they faced off in what looked like a must-win situation for both squads at Hammond on Wednesday night.They each allowed the tension to destroy their games in the first half, playing sloppy ball and having trouble with shooting and ball-handling.

The football season was three weeks old, Wilde Lake was off to a 3-0start and Wildecats defensive coach Mike Harrison was concerned.Harrison, in his first year as defensive coach, had reason to worry.Sure, the Wildecats were unbeaten. Sure, they had recorded a 27-0victory over an outclassed Dundalk team in their second game. But their defense -- by Wilde Lake standards at least -- had looked, well, ordinary. They had already surrendered four touchdowns. The defensivebackfield was getting burned.

Mount Hebron proved once more yesterday the adage that experienced teams rarely lose to green teams -- pun intended, given young Wilde Lake's green uniforms for its trip to Route 99 in Ellicott City.It was just that the Wildecats -- with seven sophomores on the roster -- could not cope with the veteran, No. 4-ranked Vikings, who gave them a 5-0 lesson in the control that purposeful attacking and team defense can provide.Mount Hebron (7-1 overall, 3-0 league) got its sixth straight shutout.

Twenty-four hours after being shut out by Good Counsel, second-ranked St. Mary's righted itself in a big way yesterday at Wilde Lake. The Saints got goals from five different players in downing the Wildecats, 5-1.Pub Date: 9/12/97

A weekend water main break has forced the closing of the intersection of Gay Street and North Avenue, and Lake Clifton-Eastern High School about five blocks away. The break in the 32-inch main occurred Sunday afternoon, but alternate supply lines enabled the city to reroute water to nearly all affected customers, said Public Works spokesman Kurt L. Kocher. The exceptions, he said, were the Clifton Park golf course and the school because they did not have an alternative line. Lake Clifton-Eastern was closed yesterday and will remain closed today, said city schools spokeswoman Vanessa C. Pyatt.

Most county coaches realize that to beat Wilde Lake you must stop Seth Willingham. But that's easier said than done.Willingham's magic number is 18. He averages 18 points per game, and when he scores at least 18 points the Wildecats are 6-0 in the league.When Willingham scores fewer than 18 points, Wilde Lake (9-8, 7-3) is 1-3 in league games.Willingham scored 24 yesterday and the Wildecats beat visiting Glenelg in a battle of first-place teams, 56-52.The 6-foot-2 senior swingman produced an all-around effort with five steals, five assists and six rebounds.

Wilde Lake extended its winning streak to 17 games and maintained the area's No. 1 ranking with a 21-0 victory over injury-riddled, mistake-prone Oakland Mills yesterday at Wilde Lake.The Wildecats (4-0), seeking their ninth Howard County title in the last 12 years and their second straight state championship, feasted on the poor health of their Columbia rivals with excellent defense.Wilde Lake limited Oakland Mills to minus 10 yards, including minus 17 on the ground. The Wildecats, who likely killed any 3A playoff hopes for the Scorpions (1-3)

Wilde Lake came into yesterday's match-up against No. 16 Howard brimming with confidence. After all, the 14th-ranked Wildecats had compiled a 5-1 record at home against county foes and would be led by senior guard Kristen Riismandel (15.3-point average), who sat out Wilde Lake's earlier loss this season at Howard with strep throat.But the River Hill High confines, where Wilde Lake is making its home for the next two seasons, proved to be more friendly to the visiting Lions (10-8, 5-5), who handed the Wildecats a 55-39 loss.

Wilde Lake's magical playoff tour continued yesterday as the Wildecats rallied from a late one-goal deficit to hand visiting Hammond a 2-1 overtime defeat in the Class 2A South region final.Feeding off late-game momentum, Wilde Lake (3-11-1) applied early overtime pressure to Hammond's tired defense.On a corner, Wildecat forward Michelle Smith feed a crisp pass to senior teammate Alex Roe, who blasted the winning goal into the back of the box for the Wildecats' second consecutive 2-1 victory in the state playoffs.