The spring high school sports season ended on Monday.
The spring high school sports SEASON begins on Wednesday.
These days, many teams take the regular season as time to get ready for the playoffs and a shot at a state title.
Well, it’s time to take a best shot to rule the state. Now, unlike the regular season, one loss and everything ends.
The baseball and softball state titles will be decided by May 23 with the all the lacrosse crowns being scheduled to be awarded by May 21.
It will be 2 ½ weeks of win-or-go-home action.
South Hagerstown boys lacrosse and Boonsboro softball earned top seeds in their region. Clear Spring also collected the first seed in the Class 1A West II bracket.
Some intriguing questions remained to be answered.
- Can Smithsburg baseball mount a run to get back to the Class 1A Final Four and break through to grab a championship? Meanwhile, Clear Spring similar aspirations?
- Can undefeated Boonsboro continue its roll to a state title.? The Warriors can’t afford a first loss, which would end the season. But they aren’t used to losing either?
- Can South Hagerstown’s boys lacrosse team continue its magical season? The Rebels are breathing some rarified air with the top seed in their region with the finest record and season in school history in the sport?
- Can Smithsburg’s boys lacrosse team retain its image as the best team Washington County has to offer with another deep postseason run?
- Can North Hagerstown’s baseball team overcome an uneven season caused by a number of suspended games by darkness and weather to put together a solid playoff run?
The baseball titles will be decided on May 22-23 at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland, while the state softball tournament will be held on May 22-23 at the University of Maryland Softball Complex in College Park, Maryland.
Lacrosse championships will be played May 19-21 at Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Maryland.
Track and tennis teams will also be beginning their respective regional meets and tournaments to earn spots in the upcoming state competitions.
The following are the breakdown of seeding and playoff schedule for Washington County teams.
Baseball
Class 4A West I
South Hagerstown is the fourth seed and will host No. 5 Thomas Johnson on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The winner will advance West I semifinals to face top-seeded Urbana, which enjoys a first-round bye.
In the bottom half of the bracket, Northwest is second-seeded and also has a bye. It will play the winner of sixth-seed Senaca Valley at No. 3 Clarksburg.
3A West Section I
North Hagerstown, which ended the season with two losses, gets the fourth seed and will host No. 5 Tuscarora at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The winner will travel to face top-seeded Oakdale, which has a first-round bye.
No. 2 Linganore tops the bottom half of the bracket and will face the winner of No. 6 Frederick at No. 3 Westminster in the West I semifinals.
Class 2A West I
Williamsport is the sixth seed and will travel to meet No. 5 Poolesville in the opening round. The winner will advance to face No. 2 Century, who has a bye.
Top seed in the section goes to Middletown, which will play the winner of No. 5 Winters Mill at No. 4 Walkersville after a first-round bye.
Class 1A West I
Hancock is the sixth seed will travel to meet No. 3 Fort Hill, with the winner going to No. 2 Allegany in the region semifinal.
Northern Garrett tops the upper half of the bracket and has a bye before hosting the winner of the No. 5 Mountain Ridge at No. 4 Southern Garrett in the West I semifinal.
Class 1A West II
Smithsburg checks in at the third seed and gets a surprise when it hosts No. 6 Francis Scott Key. The Leopards were projected to face Catoctin, but the Cougars moved up to No. 5.
The winner of the Smithsburg-FSK game will travel to face No. 2 Brunswick in the region semifinal.
Clear Spring is the No. 1 seed and owns a bye. The Blazers wait to host the winner of No. 5 Catoctin at No. 4 Boonsboro, which is scheduled for Thursday at 4:45 p.m., in the semifinals.
Softball
Class 4A West I
South Hagerstown girls follow the path of the baseball team with the No. 4 seed and a home game vs. No. 5 Thomas Johnson on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The winner advances for a road game against No. 1 Clarksburg in the region semifinals.
Urbana owes the second seed and waits to host the winner of No. 6 Seneca Valley at No. 3 Northwest.
Class 3A West I
North Hagerstown get the fourth seed and will host No. 5 Tuscarora, just like the baseball team. The winner travels to face top-seeded Linganore.
Oakdale is the second seed and will host the winner of No. 6 Frederick at No. 3 Westminster in the West 1 semifinals.
Class 2A West I
Williamsport earned a No. 6 and will travel to face No. 3 Walkersville. The winner advances to take on No. 2 Middletown in the West I semifinals.
Glenelg has the top seed and waits to play the winner of No.5 Poolesville at No. 4 Century in its semifinal round.
Class 1A West I
Allegany and Northern Garrett are the top seeds.
No. 5 Hancock travels to meet No. 4 Mountain Ridge with the winner heading to meet No. 1 Allegany in the semifinals.
Northern Garrett is the second seed and will host the winner of No. 6 Southern Garrett at No. 3 Fort Hill.
Class 1A West II
Undefeated Boonsboro is top seed and will wait to face the winner of No 5 Francis Scott Key at No. 4 Smithsburg in the semifinals, which is set for Monday at 4:45 p.m.
FSK and Smithsburg play on Thursday at 4:45.
No. 3 Brunswick hosts No. 6 Clear Spring with the winner earning a trip to play No. 2 Catoctin.
Boys lacrosse
Class 3A West I
Upstart South Hagerstown, which enjoyed the best season in school history, won the top seed and earned a bye into the West 1 semifinal, where the Rebels will face the winner of No. 5 Frederick at No. 4 Oakdale.
The game will be played at 6 p.m. on Friday.
North Hagerstown earned a third seed and will host No. 6 Tuscarora on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The winner advances for a road game against No. 2 Linganore in the region semifinals.
Class 1A West I
Smithsburg earned the No. 2 seed and will face No. 3 Catoctin on Friday at 6 p.m. Both teams earned byes in the five-team bracket and automatically advanced to the West I semifinals.
No. 4 Boonsboro hosts No. 5 Brunswick on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to face top-seeded Middletown in the semifinal in the top half of the backet.
Girls lacrosse
Class 3A West 1
Linganore and Oakdale, North Hagerstown top three seeds. No. 3 North heads to No. 2 Oakdale for a region semifinal matchup on Friday at 6 p.m.
No. 4 Frederick hosts No. 5 Tuscarora with the winner traveling to face Linganore.
Class 1A West I
Middletown, Brunswick and Catoctin are the top three seeds and have been awarded byes in the five-team bracket.
No. 4 Boonsboro hosts No. 5 Smithsburg on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., following the boys game. The winner earns the right to travel to face top-seeded Middletown.
