Broadneck Field Hockey Coasts Into Semifinals

Broadneck’s state quarterfinal field hockey matchup against Montgomery Blair had a lot of variables: top seed against bottom seed, a cold evening, unfamiliar opponents. It was the kind of combination that could have sent the game in any direction.

It took all of 89 seconds for Broadneck to dispel any notion of an upset.

The Bruins found the cage early and often, putting seven past the Blair goalkeeper in the first half on the way to a resounding 9-0 win in their final home game of the season.

“It’s always tough, because teams can get seeded anywhere and you don’t see these teams all year, so you’re not 100 percent sure what to expect,” said Broadneck coach Shannon Hanratty. “I’m happy with the way we played. We had good pace and energy, and we passed the ball well tonight.”

Chloe Page, Katelyn Kearns and Faith Everett each scored twice for the Bruins, who got single goals from Alyssa Lewis, Raleigh Kerst and Zoe Bjelac. Kearns and Page each added an assist, while Mia Moody and Paige Reilly combined for the shutout in goal.

Broadneck scored in every quarter, scoring early in the first three periods and amassing a 21-1 margin in shots on goal.

“Our mentality is to win every quarter, to finish every play and score every goal,” Page said. “Scoring goals early always gets us confident and into our passing game.”

The Bruins (16-1) advance to face the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal game between fifth-seeded Crofton and No. 4 Urbana.

Regardless of which team moves on to face Broadneck, there’s a challenge in store: the Bruins have twice beaten Crofton in a one-goal game this season, most recently in the county championship, while Urbana would make a statement of their own were they to unseat the Cardinals.

“We just expect to have fun. Tough games are fun,” Page said. “When we have good competition, it’s fun for us, and it helps us bring our game up as well.”