'This doesn't define the season': Middletown girls lacrosse ousted by talented Century in state semis
May 21—SILVER SPRING — Middletown girls lacrosse was in this position last year, the upstart facing regular contender Century in the Class 2A semifinals.
That time, Middletown pulled out a three-goal win and advanced to its first state title game.
But Saturday morning, Century flipped the script.
It stormed to an early lead and slowly added to the edge as the temperatures climbed. And when the final horn sounded, Century celebrated a 19-8 win.
"This doesn't define the season and what they've accomplished this year," Middletown coach Tyler White said. "They fought until the end against a very, very good and talented Century team."
Middletown (16-3) pushed and pushed but was ultimately denied a second straight state title game appearance.
The team struggled to contain Century's trio of Caroline Little (six goals), Anna Hackett (four goals) and Jasmine Stanton (four goals), who sliced their way through sticks and bodies to power their team's offense.
Little opened her team's scoring and began a run of four goals in less than two minutes that gave Century an early three-goal lead. Ellery Bowman, who had a hat trick, and Bella Dos Santos, who scored twice, each netted free-position shots to cut Middletown's deficit to one.
But that was as close as the team got.
Century ended the first half on a 5-1 run and continued expanding its lead at the start of the second half. Bowman and Vera Winchester Dodman both found the back of the net to stem the surge, but much like every other time Middletown responded, Century proceeded to net several more goals and negate the rally.
And the gap only expanded as the game wore on, reaching the running clock with just under two minutes to go.
It wasn't how Middletown wanted to end its season, nor was it how the group's five seniors wanted to end their high school careers. But they laid the foundation for a program on the rise, and even though the team didn't replicate its feat of a year ago, they're seemingly set to contend for years to come.
"That's what we talked about all year: what do they want to leave behind?" White said of his seniors. "Their hard work and dedication has been key."
"I'm very proud of where they are, where they came from, and I love them to death."
NOTES: Middletown's Amy Grace Bizzell had a goal and an assist. Abby LaPadula also scored.
