Broadneck Lacrosse Aligning Strengths As Playoffs Loom

In assessing Broadneck’s potential for the boys lacrosse playoffs, head coach Jeff McGuire doesn’t want to think about a narrow win over 2A power Stephen Decatur, nor the blowouts over county foes, and especially not a humbling 15-7 loss at Severna Park.

He points to a rare late-season out-of-county matchup against Cape Henlopen, played April 22. Broadneck stifled the Delaware power and got a late goal to snatch a 10-9 home victory in their most complete performance of the season.

“Against Cape Henlopen, we played like the team we should be,” McGuire said. “(There are) still some things to work out, but compared to one to two weeks ago, we feel like we have a different look for the better.”

It certainly helped that Wyatt Hicks had yet another five-goal game. The last of his five against Cape Henlopen came in the game’s dying seconds when he took a feed from Broadneck draw man Keaton Walker, faked an off-hand shot, then spun 360 degrees and fired with the right-hand shot to give the Bruins the win.

In addition to four goals against Severna Park, Hicks hit five against both Southern and Cape Henlopen, as he continues his assault on the Broadneck record books.

The next time out against Annapolis, a 14-4 win, Hicks set a new program career record with his 128th goal — he’s just a sophomore.

With Hicks’ scoring prowess, a senior leadership core, and stout defense led by long-sticks Wyatt Shaw and Grayson Boone, the Bruins think they have worked out the recipe for success deep into May.

“The Wyatts are the strength of our team,” McGuire said. “Shaw might be the best overall player I have had the pleasure of coaching, and he still always strives to be better.”

That has rubbed off on the rest of the squad. Before the Severna Park loss, they beat Stephen Decatur 12-10 and Crofton 15-5. After that loss, they took it out on Southern (24-2) and Arundel (19-1) before beating Cape Henlopen. They finished the regular season with wins over North County 17-0 and Chesapeake 16-3, but fell 6-4 to Severna Park in the May 1 county championship game.

After that it’s the 4A East 1 region playoffs, where North County, Glen Burnie, Meade and Annapolis await.