Boys play ‘team baseball’ and get timely hits to win

the Seahawks’ advantage to four.

the bottom of the fourth, to cut the Cougars’ lead to two.

Decatur’s pitching and defense held Chesapeake scoreless in the top of the fifth, then the home team kept it rolling in the bottom of inning.

The Berlin squad tallied six of its 11 hits in the fifth inning, and scored eight runs to pull ahead 10-4.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning. Senior Brooks Kendall struck out the last Chesapeake batter in the top of the seventh to end the game.

“It was nice to come back being down 4-1. We just chipped away,” Ferro said. “It was just a good team win. We didn’t lay down.”

Senior Stephen Wade and juniors AJ Kolb and Lukas Loring had two hits and two RBIs each. Senior Ryan McLaughlin chipped in with two hits and one RBI.

Seniors Gus Croll and Owen Knerr and junior Ryder Swanson (one RBI) had one hit each.

Junior Matt Wright threw two innings. He struck out one, walked one and gave up five hits.

Loring struck our four, walked one and allowed two hits in four innings. Kendall struck out two in the final inning.

“Lukas held us in and gave us a shot, and then Brooks came in to close it down, and we got some timely hits,” Ferro said. “That’s what it was, we played team baseball.”

Decatur advanced to the championship game with a 14-4 victory over the No. 4 Crofton Cardinals last Saturday in Berlin.

Crofton got on the board first with one run in the top of the first. Decatur answered with eight in the bottom of the inning.

The Cardinals added a second run in the third and two in the fifth to cut

Decatur tallied three in the fifth and three in the sixth to close out the game.

Junior Waylon Hobgood went 3for-4, with two singles and a home run. He had two RBIs. Kolb also had three hits and two RBIs.

Croll contributed with two hits and two RBIs. On the mound, Croll struck out two, walked two and allowed four hits in three innings.

Kolb struck out one, walked two and gave up three hits in two innings. Loring struck out two and walked one in the last inning.

The eight regional champions were re-seeded and Decatur earned the No. 1 spot. The Seahawks will face No. 8 Marriotts Ridge High School today, Friday, in the 3A state quarterfinals at 4 p.m. in Berlin.

“We just have to prepare like we always do,” Ferro said on Tuesday. “And that’s all we can do is play Friday and see what happens.”

Seahawks ‘doing it for each other’

Continued from Page 58

Region II championship game with a 10-0, five-inning victory over the fourth-seeded Arundel Wildcats on Monday in Berlin.

“They seem to bring out the best in us each year,” Kurtz said. “We knew from last year they were a high-quality team – strong lineup, good pitching – and they didn’t disappoint again this year.”

Decatur scored five in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and two in the fifth.

“We’re definitely clicking at the right time,” Kurtz said.

McGinnis and sophomore Ryleigh Smith had three hits and one RBI each. Donoway and freshman Emily Blume chipped in with two hits and one RBI apiece.

McGinnis struck out three, walked one and gave up no hits in five innings.

“The girls made plays in the field, Maddy was putting her pitches in spots where they really couldn’t get solid contact … but from a coaching standpoint, watching the girls dive into the dirt, tracking fly balls, making clean plays to first, [there was] effort all over the place,” Kurtz said.

“It’s all you can ask for when you get to this point in the season is that they’re giving it everything that they have.”

The eight regional champs were re-seeded by their regular-season record.

No. 3 Decatur will host No. 6 Manchester Valley today, Friday, at 4 p.m. for the 3A state quarterfinals.

“They’ve shown they can do a lot of different things,” Kurtz said. “Whatever it takes they’re willing to do and I just want to put them in the best position to be successful. This team is a special team.”

PHOTO COURTESY BRENDA HOMMEL

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor

(May 19, 2023) Coach Brenda Hommel was pleased with the Stephen Decatur track and field athletes’ performances during last Friday’s Bayside Conference Championship meet in Cambridge.

“We were recognized on the podium for four girls’ events and one boys’ event. I would have liked to have seen more of our athletes be recognized, but we have a young team and I continually remind our athletes that their time will come,” Hommel said. “I was happy to see several of our athletes reach PRs for their events, despite the hot conditions.”

Sixteen schools participated. The Decatur girls’ team came in sixth place, while the boys’ squad finished in 10th.

Kent Island won the girls’ competition, scoring 153 points. Wicomico was runner-up, with 108 points, followed by Parkside (87), North Caroline (73), James M. Bennett (63) and Decatur (45).

Scoring points for Decatur for placing eighth or better in their events were: senior Mayah Garner (high jump, third, 4 feet 8 inches), juniors Tiara McDonald (400-meter dash, fourth, 1:02.88), and Macy Woroniecki (3,200-meter run, fifth, 13:33.64; 1,600-meter run, fifth, 5:50.95), sophomore Amber Marshall (3,200-meter run, eighth, 13:59.11), and freshman Lotus Wise (200-meter dash, second, 26.90 seconds; long jump, sixth, 14 feet 11.5 inches; triple jump, seventh, 29 feet 11.25 inches).

Woroniecki, Marshall, McDonald and freshman Ellie Cheynet took third in the 3,200-meter relay race (10:33.22).

Wise, McDonald, Garner and junior Sauna Vick came in third in the 800-meter relay event (1:52.32).

Cambridge won the boys’ competition, tallying 120 points. Kent Island finished in second place with 98 points, followed by Wicomico (72) and Parkside (63). Decatur scored 31 points for 10th place.

Decatur athletes who placed top eight in their events were: junior Ethan Justice (1,600-meter run, second, 4:34.68; 3,200-meter run, fourth, 11:03.15; 800-meter run, eighth, 2:15.46), sophomore Amarian Manuel (long jump, fifth, 19 feet 8.25 inches; triple jump, sixth, 41 feet 2.75 inches) and freshmen Collin Pennington (3,200-meter run, fifth, 11:06.72) and Braydon Bell (3,200-meter run, eighth, 11:43.98).

Justice, Pennington, sophomore Ethan Cowder and senior Nick Moreno took fourth in the 3,200meter relay race (8:44.98).

Decatur will now compete in the two-day 3A South regional meet at Reservoir High School in Fulton, Maryland.

The first day of competition was Wednesday. The other half of the events and finals of some races from the first day will be held on Saturday.

“The competition at this meet will be our toughest yet since we compete in the 3A South Region. The only other school on this side of the bay bridge in our region is Bennett High who has a strong program as well,” Hommel said. “Most of our athletes will be going into the meet with the

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor

(May 19, 2023) Stephen Decatur junior captains Matt Beck and David Janney are headed back to the 2A MPSSAA state championship tennis tournament.

The pair, with six teammates, competed in the 2A East Region II tournament Tuesday and Wednesday in Cambridge.

The defending regional champs were seeded first and received a firstround bye. They topped their first opponents, 6-3, 6-3, on day one. The next day in the finals, the duo won, 7-5, 6-3.

“Matt and David were laser focused both days and hungry to defend their championship. Their play mirrored that,” said Decatur boys’ team Coach Steve Berquist. “The experience they gained last year was definitely a factor that helped them. They didn’t drop any sets this year. Their finals match definitely pushed them but they have an incredible bond and fought through to victory and back-to-back regional championship.”

Janney and Beck will compete in the state tournament, with the quarterfinals and semifinals on Thursday and the finals on Saturday, at Frederick High School.

“They were very motivated all season to win back-to-back regional championships,” Berquist said. “They won one match at states last year which made them semifinalist, so their goal is to make it to the finals and play for a state tennis championship.”

Sophomore Emily Ferguson also advanced to the second day of the regional tournament.

Seeded No. 1 in the girls’ singles division, Ferguson received a firstround bye. She won her semifinals match, 6-0, 6-1.

Ferguson fell in the finals, 3-6, 26.

Junior Briggs Pugner represented Decatur in the boys’ singles competition. He was seeded second and awarded a first-round bye. He lost in the second round, 2-6, 3-6.

Sophomore Anika Karli and junior Kalli Nordstrom received the No. 2 seed in their doubles bracket and a first-round bye.

They lost in the second round, 1-6, 1-6.

Senior Sarah Tarr and junior Jacob Ritz were seeded fourth in the mixed doubles Region II bracket. They were defeated in the first round, 6-6 (8-6), 3-6, (8-10).

“I thought we had a good showing. The girls played well,” said Decatur girls’ team Coach Jamie Greenwood. “We get four out of five players returning next year that played. It was great experience to use to build toward next year.” achieve an advancement standard The weather looks good for both days, so hopefully our athletes will run well. It would really be great to see a couple of our kids be able to advance to the state meet this season.”