Fallston boys lacrosse going back to 1A state championship game after 10-3 win over Smithsburg
SILVER SPRING — Fallston boys lacrosse showcased a lot of the traits you want a championship team to have: punishing physicality, breakaway speed, crisp passing and precision shooting — all within the span of about six seconds.
In one quick, picture-perfect sequence after a second-quarter faceoff, Cooper Savelle wrestled away control of the ball, took off down the field and fed Jacob MacMillan, who ripped a shot into the back of the net. It was part of a five-goal spurt that gave the Cougars control of Friday’s Class 1A state semifinal against Smithsburg at Wheaton High, control they would not let slip away in a 10-3 win.
“It shows the tempo we play at,” MacMillan said. “We play super fast and I think that lets us take advantage of opponents when we always come out fast and firing.”
Fallston will defend its 1A state title against either Liberty or Perryville at Stevenson University’s Mustang Stadium at a day and time next week to be determined.
“This is a special group,” Fallston coach Patrick Mull said. “This group of seniors, we had a lot of guys that made varsity and it’s kind of, they came freshman year, that was my first year coaching at Fallston, so we’ve grown up together. We’ve had a lot of success and they’ve been motivated all year.
“We’ve been humbled a few times by some really good teams, and we just stayed the course, continued to work hard and get better. Fortunately it looks like we’re peaking at the right time.”
Thirteen seniors dot Fallston’s roster, and the group would like nothing more before they go their separate ways than to win one last championship together.
“Super pumped, super excited. This group of guys, this senior group, we’ve all been so close,” MacMillan said. “We’ve all been playing since we were younger together and the past four years have been amazing. It’s great. Like coach said, we’re peaking in May and we’re super pumped for next week.”
As defending champion, Fallston has had a target on its back all season. But the Cougars have worn that target proudly and welcomed all challengers.
“We’ve kind of had a chip on our shoulder the whole season so we’re constantly going back and forth because everyone wants to beat us,” Nick Nikola said. “Coach has really stressed that to us all year that we were going to have a very tough schedule. He schedules us tough teams so we get through and we’re ready for the playoffs, and it pays off.”
MacMillan has typically been the one handing out the assists this season, but he converted two passes from Sevelle into goals during the second quarter, helping Fallston go into halftime with a 6-2 lead.
“It’s always fun getting some goals,” MacMillan said. “Especially, that’s a really good goalie on their end. He’s making some great saves, so it’s great to be able to put some in the net.”
Part of Fallston’s strength is in its balance. MacMillan’s three goals led the team, but he was closely followed by Nikola, Gage McKenna and Ian Swartzendruber with two goals each.
“We have a lot of guys they have to consider when they’re scouting against us,” Mull said. “That can provide some difficulty for opposing teams.”
“A bunch of these guys have been playing together since we were 4 or 5 years old, playing since we were in rec league,” Nikola said. “We have a lot of great chemistry. We play well together. We know what each other’s tendecies are and we know what to do with each other.”
All the while, Fallston was pouncing on just about any ground ball that hit the turf with long poles such as Sevelle or Owen Karantonis grabbing possession to get the offense going.
“Massive,” Mull said of the ground ball work. “We preach all the time and talk all the time about ground balls win games. That’s a big thing that really resonates. There’s definitely times when we may take our foot off the gas a bit and that’s when we don’t play our best. But it does boil down to that, because that’s effort and toughness.”
Fallston likely would’ve put the game away sooner if not for Leopards goalie Zachary von Garrel, who made several point-blank saves. Still, Nikola and McKenna each found room to get one past him in the third quarter, the second goal of the game for each to quell any thoughts of a comeback.
“You got to keep pushing,” Nikola said of the trick to beating von Garrel. “If you keep shooting, one of them’s going to fall, that’s what coach always stressed to us. Applying pressure, keep getting the ball, keep winning faceoffs — which our faceoff guys do a great job of — and we’re going to keep having success.”
Fallston — 3 3 2 2 — 10
Smithsburg — 1 1 0 1 — 3
GOALS: F — Jacob MacMillan 3, Nick Nikola 2, Ian Swartzendruber 2, Gage McKenna 2, Chris King 1. S — Kaden Dietrich 2, Blake Linn 1. ASSISTS: F — Nick Nikola 2, Cooper Sevelle 2, Jacob MacMillan 1. S — Dante Rucci. SAVES: — Landon Mills 4, Jaxson Hilyard 1.