FALCONS FLY HIGH AGAIN | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Pat Morrison signed with Division I-AA Wagner for football. The Severna Park senior midfielder might be a Division I recruit for lacrosse.

Playing last night in front of a handful of Division I coaches, Morrison scored three goals and dished off an assist to lead Severna Park to a 10-7 victory over South River in the county championship game.

Morrison showed off a cannon crank shot in scoring two of his goals in extra-man situations and also provided solid work between the lines for the Falcons, who improved to 13-2 overall and 11-1 against Anne Arundel County competition.

Maryland head coach Dave Cottle, Harvard head coach John Tillman and Towson assistant Andrew "Buggs" Combs were among the college coaches who watched Morrison's performance last night and it's not out of the realm that he might still earn a scholarship offer for the stick sport.

"I'm happy with my decision (to play football), but I would definitely listen to what anybody has to say," said Morrison, who did not play lacrosse as a junior in order to focus on the football combine and camp circuit.

"There's no doubt I love playing lacrosse. I'm just having fun being part of the team again. I missed the practices, the games, the whole camaraderie of it all."

Senior midfielder Jeff McGuire also scored three goals while junior middie Sam Jones totaled two goals and two assists for Severna Park, which has won seven straight county championship games under the direction of four different head coaches.

"It was a tight game. It's the county championship and South River is an excellent team. I wasn't expecting a blowout," second-year Severna Park head coach Larry Kramer said. "In the end, I think we just had a little more heart, a little more pep in our step. We might have been better conditioned."

Senior goalie Andrew Gvozden made eight saves to anchor a strong defensive effort by Severna Park, which did not allow more than two goals in any quarter. Gvozden got great support from his close defense of Connor Hunt, Ryan Cronin and John Morrow with support from long poles Sam Taylor and Lance Ryan.

"We have a young defense that has really stepped up to the challenge.

Those guys are all new starters and have done a great job in front of me," said Gvozden, a Hofstra signee.

Severna Park rotated goalkeepers most of the season, but Kramer has decided to go with Gvozden down the stretch over junior Jeff Lowman. Kramer said Gvozden has gone the distance the last four games.

"Andrew is the senior. It's his show from here on out," said Kramer, himself a former goalie for Hofstra.

Junior attackman Matt Gregoire scored three goals to lead South River (10-4), which lost in the county championship game for the third time since 2002. Junior attackman Alex Carros had two goals and an assist while senior attackman Mac Radcliffe contributed a goal and two assists for the Seahawks, who actually won the faceoff (13-7) and ground ball (29-22) battles.

"You can't make critical mistakes against a good team and expect to win," first-year South River head coach Paul Noone said.

Junior Simon Ruppert controlled the faceoffs early to help Severna Park build a 3-0 lead at the 5:21 mark of the first quarter. Radcliffe dished off two assists as South River used a 3-1 run to get within 4-3 by halftime.

The score was tied 4-4 and 5-5 in the third quarter before Morrison scored an extra man goal himself then fed Jones for another extra man goal to put the Falcons ahead 7-5 at the 9:03 mark of the fourth. Gregoire's third goal, off a sizzling sidearm crank shot, brought the Seahawks within 7-6 with 8:17 remaining, but that was close as they would get.

"Our three main goals are to win the county regular season championship, the county championship game and the state championship. We've accomplished two-thirds of that and now it's time to finish it off," Kramer said.

South River (10-4) 2 1 2 2 - 7

Severna Park(13-2) 3 1 2 4 - 10

GOALS: SR - Gregoire 3, Carros 2, Giordano, Radcliffe; SP - Morrison 3, McGuire 3, Jones 2, Skrenta, Noone. ASSISTS: SR - Radcliffe 2, Carros; SP - Jones 2, MacBride 2, Price, Morrison. SHOTS: SR - 25; SP - 30. SAVES: SR - Guarino 11; Gvozden 8. GROUND BALLS: SR - 29; SP - 22. FACEOFFS: SR - 13; SP - 7.