Wootton

MITCHELLVILLE -- Fingers of lightning in the distance forced a 20-minute delay in the seventh inning. When play resumed, it was in a downpour.And when yesterday's 4A state semifinal against Wootton of Montgomery County was over, Perry Hall was not only beaten, 8-5, at Prince George's County Sports Complex, but soaking wet.The loss ended the 18-2 Gators' winning streak at nine games, prevented a much-anticipated rematch of last year's final against defending...

In the end, the Old Mill football team simply had too much to overcome. And that was evident long before the night's opponent had arrived.With its best player limited to spot duty because of an ankle injury and another key member hobbled by a similar ailment, Old Mill was far from peak condition heading into Friday night's 4A state quarterfinal against Thomas Wootton.And the fifth-seeded visitors from Montgomery County (11-0) didn't squander their opportunity, using a series of big-yardage plays to post a 17-7 victory over the fourth-seeded Patriots (9-2)

With his team trailing by a goal as the final seconds ticked down in Friday night's Class 4A-3A state semifinals at Arundel, C. Milton Wright's Scott Showalter picked up a loose ball and fired a shot past Wootton goalie Bobby Riso as the final horn erupted. The referee, however, waved off the goal, saying the shot did not beat the clock, and the Patriots held on for an 11-10 victory. The scrappy play of C. Milton Wright helped pave the way for the strong playoff run, but the Mustangs fell just short of reaching the state finals for the first time in program history.

COLLEGE PARK -- Broadneck's motto this season has been "You gotta swing to win." In the end, the Bruins just kept swinging. Third-ranked Broadneck (20-1) crawled out of a 2-1 hole to defeat Dulaney, 24-26, 25-18, 22-25, 25-10, 15-10, in the Class 4A state semifinals at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum last night. "I looked in their eyes and I could see the intensity," Broadneck coach Ramanzo Beans said. "They really proved to me what they were made of tonight." The Bruins will face Montgomery County's Wootton in the 4A state championship at Ritchie Coliseum tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. "I always tell them we need to terminate," Beans said, referring to the kills by his team's front line.

A pair of Baltimore-area teams took part in overtime thrillers in last night's Class 4A state semifinals at Severna Park, but the results were not as thrilling for both.Perry Hall and Montgomery County's Wootton played to a 2-2 stalemate through two overtimes before the Gators fell, 10-9, in the second round of penalty kicks.Later, host Severna Park and Bowie were deadlocked at 1-1 before the Falcons took the penalty-kick shootout, 5-0, for a 2-1 victory.Severna Park (18-1-0) and Wootton (17-1-1)

Westminster won't reach its 40-goal plateau this season, but a trip to the state championship game for the first time in school history should make up for it.The 10th-ranked Owls got an early first-half goal from senior midfielder Mandy Komar in the eighth minute and then shut down defending state champion Wootton for the remaining 72 minutes to earn a 1-0 victory in a Class 4A state semifinal in Severna Park last night.Extending a nine-game winning streak, Westminster improved to 13-2-1 and will meet Parkville -- which defeated Bowie, 2-0, in the other semifinal last night -- in the state final at UMBC next week.

As the Severna Park girls were stepping up to receive their Class 4A runner-up plaques last night shortly after their disheartening 2-1 loss to Montgomery County's Wootton, coach Chuck Seivert twice told them to wipe away the tears.It was difficult.In an instant early in the second half at North County High in Ferndale, the No. 2 Falcons not only saw their one-goal lead disappear, but also their hopes of capturing a fourth state crown.An apparent intentional hand ball in the penalty area on Severna Park's standout fullback Lindsey Nauman not only awarded the Patriots (18-1-1)

There was no question why top-ranked Arundel did not add to its record seven state championships last night at Joe Cannon Stadium in Harmans."We ran into an outstanding pitcher, and of the three times (7-3 in state finals) we've lost in the final, it's the first time we simply got beat," said coach Bernie Walter, after his Wildcats failed to repeat as 4A state champions, losing a 2-1 heartbreaker to Wootton High (16-3) of Montgomery County.Sophomore right-hander Joe Popovich, who is 6 feet 2 and 195 pounds with a size 18 shoe, was that pitcher.

While coach Larry Kramer called Severna Park's senior attack of Eric Lusby, Colby Rhodes and Randy Waugh "the best I've ever coached," a rival called the trio "the best I've ever seen" out of the Falcons. Their talents were on full display in last night's 15-6 rout of Wootton (18-1), in which they combined for 10 goals and three assists to earn the program's second consecutive Class 4A-3A state title and its fourth overall, including crowns in 1999 and 2004. Tied at 3-3 at 10:25 of the second quarter, the 10th-ranked Falcons (18-2)