By Tom Peace
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 5/24/13
BALTIMORE – One delay after another could not prevent Westminster from achieving perfection.
Ryan Drenner had four goals and five assists as the Owls – after seeing the game suspended Wednesday and sitting through another brief delay Thursday – finally finished what it started by defeating defending champion South River, 13-10, in the Maryland public boys’ Class 4A-3A state championship at UMBC.
The win capped a perfect 19-0 season for Westminster, which won its first state crown. It also avenged a 10-8 loss to South River in last year’s finals.
“(After) being here last year we set a goal early with all our captains that we wanted to get back here and we weren’t going to lose a game getting back here,” Drenner said. “It’s amazing!
“I am going to be thinking about this the rest of my life.”
The game was called Wednesday due to lightning with 1:11 left in the first half and the Seahawks (17-4) leading, 8-7. South River had led, 6-1, until the Owls began to rally.
Westminster’s resurgence continued Thursday, thanks to Drenner.
He scored with 6:07 to play to put the Owls ahead 11-10 and Ryan Hurley added an insurance goal with 4:44 left. Drenner closed it with another goal with just under three minutes to play.
Ryan Aler had 10 saves in goal while Jesse Uhlman had two goals and an assist and C.J. Nichols had two goals. Ryan Hursey added a goal and an assist.
“It’s the biggest relief off our shoulder; it’s been om our shoulders since last year’s loss,” said Hursey. “I was blessed that we got another chance to play (after the weather); as a ‘Band of Brothers’ we just came together and had another day to play together.”
Did anyone panic when the deficit was 6-1?
“I knew we were still in the game,” said Hursey. “I knew the whole time we were going to come back.
“I don’t know how I even slept last night. I was thinking about the game all day and didn’t pay attention to a single thing at school all day.”
For South River, Matt Gaskins, Dylan Mansur and CJ Pendleton each had two goals and one assist.
Gunnar Schimolar got a feed from Dylan Mansur to give the lead back to South River, 9-8.
Then Westminster closed the third quarter strong as Uhlman scored to tie the game at 9-9 and Nichols gave the Owls the lead. South River’s Grant Maloof then made it 10-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Westminster 13, South River 10
Westminster
Ryan Drenner 5g, 4a
Jesse Uhlman 2g, 1a
Blake Ruby 1g
Hunter Davis 1g
C.J. Nichols 2g
Nick Mcdonough 1g
Ryan Hursey 1g, 1a
Ryan Aler 10 saves
South River
Matt Gaskins 2g, 1a
CJ Pendleton 2g, 1a
Dylan Mansur 2g, 1a
D.J. Davis 1g
Brandon Senft 1g
Gunnar Schimolar 1g
Grant Maloof 1g
Jake Gavin 11 saves
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