This is what they play for. Well, at least nowadays.
Playoff season is upon us for Maryland sports, including Washington County, and the real spring season starts Wednesday, May 7.
Sure, all teams are striving to win league championships … but they’re only window dressing these days.
Since Maryland has adopted the open playoff policy where every school has an opportunity to play in the playoffs, no matter their record, the regular season is really the preseason.
Nothing really means much until May. Coaches openly admit conference positioning sometimes are secondary to preparing for the big show in May.
For the North Hagerstown baseball team, it’s time to show its best.
The Hubs (16-4)) started the season 10-0 before hitting a slide, losing four of the next five games before closing with a five-game winning streak. That included a comeback 4-3 win over Smithsburg last Friday, May 2, in the final regular-season game.
“This was big,” said North Coach Justin Lewis. “The momentum boosts us.”
Now, it’s showtime. It’s not just for the Hubs, but for all the county’s teams.
But North is out to win its 11th regional title, while trying to add a sixth state title to the trophy case.
“This was big going into the playoffs,” James Ortiz said on Friday after scoring the winning run against Smithsburg. “It’s a momentum lifting. It says a lot. It’s about the teamwork.
“In the games we lost, I didn’t think there was a lot of trust in our defense. These five games we have been trusting each other defensively. We knew if we could get some ground balls, we can make plays.”
Here’s a glance of postseason assignments for Washington County teams in each sport.
Baseball
Class 3A West I
While the Hubs are the top seed, No. 5 South Hagerstown starts by heading to No. 4 Oakdale on Thursday at 4 p.m. The winner heads to North Hagerstown on Saturday.
Also on Thursday, second-seed Tuscarora hosts No. 7 Manchester Valley and third-seeded Westminster greets No. 6 Linganore. The winners of those games will meet on Saturday in the Region I semifinals.
Class 1A West II
No. 3 Smithburg hosts No. 6 Hancock on Thursday with winner to face No. 2 Brunswick on Saturday in the Region II semifinals.
Clear Spring is top seed, earning a first-round bye. The Blazers will face the winner of Thursday’s No. 5 Catoctin at No. 4 Boonsboro game on Saturday in a region semifinal.
Williamsport, the fifth seed in the Class 2A West Region I field, travels to face No. 4 Francis Scott Key. The winner will face top-seeded Century on Saturday.
The region finals will be played May 13, followed by the state quarterfinals on May 16. The state semifinals will be played on May 20 at neutral sites, which include Frederick’s McCurdy Field.
The state finals will be played on May 24 at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Md.
Softball
Class 1A West II
Smithsburg is the fourth seed and will host No. 5 Clear Spring on Thursday.
The winner advances to face top-seeded Boonsboro on Monday. Second-seed Williamsport will host Hancock on Monday at 5 p.m.in the Region II semifinals.
Winners will meet in the Region II final on May 14.
3A West I
South Hagerstown is the third seed and has a first-round bye, along with top-seed Linganore and second seed Tuscarora. The Rebels will travel to face Tuscarora in the section semifinals on Monday at 4:30 p.m.
No. 5 North Hagerstown heads to meet No. 4 Oakdale Thursday in the only quarterfinal game for the right to meet Linganore in the Region I semifinal on Monday at 4.
Region finals are set for May 14. All state semifinal games will be played at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie, Maryland, on May 20. The state championships will by decided on May 23-24 at the University of Maryland softball complex.
Boys lacrosse
Class 1A West Region II
Smithsburg has a tougher road to travel than usual.
The Leopards have won six straight regional titles, but they have some work to win a seventh.,
Smithsburg is the fourth seed and will host No. 5 Brunswick on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The winner travels to face top-seeded Boonsboro on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the region semifinals. No. 2 Middletown hosts No. 3 Catoctin in the other semifinal.
Class 3A West Region I
Second-seed South Hagerstown and third-seed North each have quarterfinal byes and will meet at at Smithsburg on Friday at 6 p.m. in the semifinals. The game was moved from South’s School Stadium, which was closed on Tuesday to start a refurbishing project on the playing field and track.
Oakdale and Frederick, the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, play the only quarterfinal match on Wednesday. The winner will advance to face top-seeded Linganore on Friday.
The regional finals are set for May 12, followed by the state semifinals on May 14. The state semifinals will be played May 16-17 at neutral sites.
The state championships will be decided May 20-22 at Stevenson University.
Girls lacrosse
Class 1A Region II
Smithsburg is set as the fifth seed and will travel to meet No. 4 Brunswick on Wednesday at 6.
The winner earns the shot at facing top-seeded Boonsboro on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
3A West Region II
Winless North Hagerstown is the fifth seed and will travel to meet No. 4 Frederick on Wednesday at 6. The winner gets top-seeded Oakdale in the regional semifinals on Thursday at 6.
South Hagerstown didn’t field a team this season.
The regional finals are set for May 12, followed by the state semifinals on May 14. The state semifinals will be played May 16-17 at neutral sites.
The state championships will be decided May 20-22 at Stevenson University.
Tennis
Class 1A West Region II
Smithsburg, along with Clear Spring and Williamsport, will play in the Class 1A West I tournament at Boonsboro, starting on Saturday. The finals will be played on Monday.
Class 3A West Region I
North and South Hagerstown will head to 3A West Region I tournament on May 15 at Oakdale. The finals will be played on May 16.
Regional qualifiers will advance to the state tournament, held at Wilde Lake Tennis Club on May 22-24.
Class 3A quarterfinals and semifinals will be contested on May 22, with Class 1A-2A following on May 23. The finals for all classes are set for May 24.
Boys and girls track
The postseason consists of regional meets and the state championship meet.
Smithsburg, along with Boonsboro, Clear Spring and Hancock, will compete in the Class 1A West meet at Catoctin High School on May 14 and May16.
North Hagerstown and South Hagerstown will be in the Class 3A West meet, which will be held at Tuscarora High School on May 13 and May 15. The pole vault event only will be on May 12 at Oakdale.
Williamsport will compete at the Class 2A West level at Century High School on May 13-14.
The top teams and the next top eight individuals will advance from each regional to state competition. And the competitor or relay team that beats a set target result will also earn an invitation the to the state meet.
Qualifiers will advance to the state meet on May 22-24 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland.
The Class 1A-2A meet will be held on May 22, while the 3A-4A meet is on May 23. The state finals for all four divisions will be May 24.
