Page 46 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch October 25, 2013 Sports In The News Seahawks Grind Past WiHi, 29-8 Seahawks Fall In Conference Title Game By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity soccer team could not sustain the momentum from last week’s thrilling Bayside South titleclinching win and fell to Easton, 3-0, on Monday in the Bayside Conference championship. Last Wednesday, the Seahawks gutted out a win over Bennett, 1-0, on a late goal to claim the Bayside South title and earn a date with Bayside North champion Easton. In Chestertown on Monday, the Seahawks came out a little flat and never really adjusted to the big Washington College field and fell to the Warriors, 3-0. Easton got on the board with just under 16 minutes remaining in the first half to take a 1-0 lead. Easton scored again with around eight minutes remaining in the first and took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Decatur had opportunities throughout, but just couldn’t make a big play to break through. The two teams played fairly even through much of the second half before Easton extended its lead to 3-0 with a goal about 15 minutes into the period. Decatur made several big pushes late in the game, but Easton repelled them at every turn and hung on for the 3-0 win and the conference title. Easton had beaten the Seahawks 1-0 in overtime back on Oct. 3. For Easton, it was the Warriors’ first conference championship since 1997. Decatur beat Easton, 3-0, in the conference championship in 2000, ironically by the score of 3-0. This week’s Atlantic Physical Therapy “Tough Guy of the Week” award went to Jeremiah Purnell for his outstanding play in a 29-8 win over Wicomico last week. Pictured above are Purnell (center) flanked by Coach Bob Knox (left) and Bobby and Matthew Hammond (right). Submitted Photo By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR Decatur Girls Split Last Two Games By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity soccer team closed out its regular season last week with a split in its final games, falling to Easton, 2-1, last Wednesday before regrouping with a 2-0 win over Wicomico on Thursday. The Seahawks fell to Easton, 2-1, last Wednesday despite outshooting the Warriors by a wide 22-5 margin. Decatur pressed the issue the entire game but could not break through for more than one goal a-gainst Easton. Rebecca Lederman scored the lone goal for Decatur on an assist by Liz Roucgher. Lexi Gausepohl recorded seven saves in the loss. The next day, the Decatur girls resumed a game with Wicomico that was shortened by rain earlier in the week. Decatur led the Indians 10 when play was halted with a half still to go. Last Thursday, they picked up where they left off with another goal to beat the Indians, 2-0. Jillian Petito scored each of Decatur’s two goals off assists from Lederman and Lexi McDonough. Rachel Florek recorded seven saves in the net. The Wicomico make-up game turned out to be the regular season finale for the Seahawks. Another game with Bennett postponed by rain could not be made up with tight schedule constraints and the state playoffs set to begin. BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s varsity football team turned in a workmanlike performance last Friday, cruising past host Wicomico, 29-8, to improve to 4-3 on the season and brighten its postseason hopes. The Seahawks, who have been up and down all season, wasted no time setting the tone early against the Indians. Decatur scored on its very first possession of the game on a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Justin Meekins. On its second possession, Decatur got a touchdown run by P.J. Copes to pull out to a 13-0 lead. Both teams settled down after the early scoring flurry and the game remained 13-0 through the rest of the first quarter and much of the second. With time running down in the second quarter, Copes scored again on a 21-yard touchdown run to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 200 at the half. Things did not improve in the second half for Wicomico, which allowed a safety on its first possession to extend the Decatur lead to 22-0. Wicomico finally got on the board in the fourth quarter on a 48-yard touchdown run by Nelson Brown, who also ran in the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 22-8. Trailing by 14 late in the game, Wicomico attempted an onside kick, but Decatur recovered and took over. Copes than scored his third touchdown of the day, dashing 35 yards to the end zone to punctuate the win and extend the lead to 29-8. Copes ran for 114 yards on 18 carries, while teammate Demond Henry rushed for 141 yards on 11 carries. With the win, the Seahawks improved their record to 4-3 on the season and also improved their playoff chances in the 3A-South. Decatur now has 30 total points and trails West Lake, which has 33 points, for the fourth playoff spot in the division. Thomas Stone is in third with 34 points. Decatur faces Bennett at home on Friday and Parkside at home next week before finishing with its annual season finale against county rival Snow Hill on Nov. 8. Lower Shore Teams Earn High Seeds In States By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR Seahawks Top Mallards In Ryder Cup By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s varsity golf team beat Worcester Prep this week in the second leg of the annual Ryder Cup-style tournament between the neighborhood rival to take a commanding lead in the series. In the alternate shot format leg, Decatur’s Andrew Urban and Matt Kristick edged Worcester’s Billy Brittingham and Jason Cook, while Delaney Iacona and Danny Parker beat Rylie Doyle and John Meakin and Brooks Holloway and Chase Eslin beat Worcester’s Derek Wilgus and Jon Ruddo. Worcester’s Reid Carey and Thomas Polk halved their match with Decatur’s George Eppard-Annis and Adam Melson. Overall, Decatur won the scramble format to take a 7-1 lead in the tournament. In the singles format, Worcester won five matches including Brittingham over Urban, Ruddo over Eslin, Carey over Eppard-Annis, Polk over Melson and Bennett Truitt over Teri Adelhardt. Decatur won four singles matches including Kristick over Cook, Iacona over Doyle, Parker over Meakin and Holloway over Wilgus. After Tuesday’s matches, Decatur now leads the tournament 11 and one-half to five and one-half. BERLIN – The state playoffs brackets were announced this week with Decatur and many of the Lower Shore fall sports teams earning high seeds in their respective tournaments. In the newly configured 3A-South region, Section I, Decatur’s boys’ varsity soccer team earned a number-two seed and a first-round bye. The Seahawks will face third-seeded Northeast at home next Tuesday in its first postseason matchup. Bayside South’s Bennett earned the number four seed in the 3A-South and will play fifth-seeded Huntingtown on Friday. Northern of Calvert County is the top seed in the 3ASouth. On the girls’ side in the 3A region, the Decatur girls earned a numberfour seed in Section I regional and faced Northeast in the opening round at home yesterday in a game played too late to be included in this edition. If successful yesterday, the Decatur girls will face top-seeded Huntingtown next Tuesday. Bennett is the third seed in the sectional and will face Northern in its opener. In 2A-East region tournament, Parkside is the second seed in Section II and will face the winner of the game between Kent Island and Queen Anne’s. Easton is the top seed I the region and will face the winner of the game between North Caroline and Wicomico. On the girls’ side of the 2A-East bracket, Parkside is the top seed in Section II and will face the winner of the game between Kent Island and North Caroline. Easton is the number-two seed and faces the winner of the game between Queen Anne’s and Wicomico. In the boys’ 1A-East region, Pocomoke is the second seed and will face Crisfield in its opener. Snow Hill is number four and will face number-five Washington. The Snow Hill girls are the top seed in the 1AEast region and will face fourthseeded North Dorchester. Mardela is seeded second and will face number-three Cambridge-South Dorchester.