Spalding notches historic victory | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

There was historical significance to the Archbishop Spalding boys lacrosse team's win over Severn yesterday, but the Cavaliers are not focusing on that right now.

Sure, the 14-8 win was the first in school history for the Cavaliers over the Admirals.

But more importantly, it kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the MIAA A Conference playoffs.

"It's huge. This school has been trying to get over the hump for a couple years," Spalding coach Zach Burke said. "I've been preaching to these guys to get better every day, and they've listened and have been working hard."

Junior attackman Matt Burke, the coach's younger brother, scored four goals, including a pair during a 6-0 run to close the game.

Spalding improved to 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the A Conference. A win in the regular season finale against Loyola next Friday would most likely be enough for the Cavaliers to advance to the playoffs.

The top six teams in the conference get in, and Spalding entered play yesterday in a five-way tie for fifth place.

"We have control of our own destiny," Burke said. "I couldn't ask for anything more. We were in the dumpster, but we're not going to finish last and we're not going to finish second to last. We have a chance to make the playoffs."

Matt Burke opened the scoring just a minute and a half into the game. He scored his second goal late in the first half on a goal that typified how the game went for the Cavaliers.

With the ball loose just to the left of the net, he won the battle for the ground ball and found the back of the net to make it a 6-3 game.

The statistics show that the Cavaliers lost the battle of the ground balls, but when one was needed in crucial situations, the ball ended up in a Spalding player's stick.

The Cavaliers also enjoyed a 15-9 advantage in faceoffs and dictated the game with their sometimes long offensive possessions.

"Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce our way, and today it seemed like every little ball that bounced, bounced right into their sticks," said Severn coach Brian Wood. "That happens in games, and some of that happens because of the passion and heart they put into getting the ground balls."

Spalding went into the half with a three-goal lead, but played its only bad quarter of the game in the third.

The Admirals scored the first two goals of the second half and closed the gap to 8-7 after three. Sophomore Alex Cramer then scored his second goal of the game a minute and a half into the fourth to tie the game and seemingly give the home team the momentum.

That feeling would be short lived, however. Junior Mike Poiter (two goals, assist) scored a minute later to put Spalding back up by one, and that was followed by a goal from Rich May and another from Poiter to make it 11-8 with a little more than seven minutes left.

Matt Burke then scored back-to-back goals to put the game away.

"The players followed me and my coaching staff," Zach Burke said. "We stayed composed, so the players stayed composed. We've got our personnel, so we're going to keep them in and believe in them and they'll keep working hard."

Junior midfielder Kevin Cooper added two goals and two assists, and senior Tyler Powell was impressive in goal

with 10 saves.

The Cavaliers originally had a non-conference game scheduled with the Landon School for Tuesday, but Burke said he's going to cancel that game so the players can focus on Loyola.

"I'm canceling the game and we're going to get Spalding in the playoffs for the first time, hopefully," he said.

Junior Zack Swerdloff had three goals and two assists and Cramer had two goals and two helpers for Severn, which fell to 3-5 in the conference and needs to win its final two regular season games and get some help to get in the playoffs.

"It's an uphill battle at this point, and that's disappointing," Wood said.

Spalding (7-5) 2 5 1 6 - 14

Severn (11-8) 1 3 3 1 - 8

GOALS: AS-Burke 4, K. Cooper 2, Poiter 2, McRoy, May, B. Cooper, Brandenburg, Borrebach. SE-Zwerdloff 3, Cramer 2, Burns, M. Verklin, Kirkup. ASSISTS: AS-K. Cooper 2, B. Cooper, Poiter, Borrebach, Scalley. SE-Swerdloff 2, Cramer 2, Burns, M. Verklin. SAVES: AS-Powell 10. SE-Plavner 5. SHOTS: AS-28. SE-25. GROUND BALLS: AS-23. SE-27. FACE OFFS: AS-15. SE-9.