The Bowie High School boys' soccer team is headed back to the Maryland Class 4A state championship game after outlasting Severna Park 4-3 in a thrilling semifinal game on Saturday.
The Bulldogs ended Severna Park's 15-game winning streak and will be trying to win the ninth state title in the program's history and its second in four seasons. Bowie will face the winner of Saturday night's game between Walter Johnson and Perry Hall in the state final, which will be played next week at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County in Catonsville. The time and date of the game have not yet been determined.
Bowie took a 1-0 lead 13 minutes into the game with a goal-scoring sequence that reminded fans of why they call soccer the “Beautiful Game.”
Junior center back Robert Lopez stepped up into the midfield to intercept a Severna Park pass, and he immediately split the defense with a well timed pass to a streaking Samuel Daniels.
One-on-one with Severna Park's goalkeeper, Daniels calmly delivered a shot into the lower right corner of the net.
Severna Park equalized five minutes before halftime off a 25-yard free kick. Senior defender Charlie Smith sent a curling ball across the face of the goal, and junior midfielder Cole Strong got a foot on it and redirected it home to make it 1-1.
To start the second half Bowie struck first, with Daniels getting his second goal, but 14 minutes later Severna Park freshman forward Daniel Kwon tied the game again.
With the score tied at 2-2, each team did a good job of stretching out the other's defense with long runs.
“I'm pleased with what we did,” said Bowie coach Richard Kirkland. “Our kids have worked hard, we ended up concentrating on putting it against their defense and isolating their offense.”
Bowie midfielder Joshua LeMaster would be the difference-maker.
With 19 minutes to play, LeMaster received a throw-in about 30 yards away from goal, made one move and sprinted towards the middle of the field. Nearing the top of the penalty box, LeMaster unleashed a breathtaking shot that whizzed past Severna Park's defenders and into the top right corner of goal to give Bowie a 3-2 lead.
“I haven't hit many like that, maybe one or two, but that was just beautiful,” said LeMaster.
Shortly after that, LeMaster made an impact again, but this time he played the role of provider. A lead pass by LeMaster sprung Kelvin Davis loose behind the Severna Park defense with only the goalkeeper to beat. Davis won the one-on-one battle, scoring the goal that eventually stood as the game-winner.
Severna Park got back within a goal with 13 minutes to play when senior Billy Zito converted a penalty shot. But the Falcons were unable to overcome LeMaster's five minutes of brilliance.
“Coach always tells us in practice that whenever the other team scores we have to play hard for the next five minutes after,” LeMaster said “The last three to four games in 10-minute spurts, that's where all our goals came from.”
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