Urbana boys lax wins state title, Urbana girls fall
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (DC News Now) — For the second time in four years, the Urbana boys lacrosse team has won the MPSSAA 4A state championship.
In 2021, the Hawks became the first Frederick County team to win a state title. On Thursday, Urbana took down the defending champion Broadneck Bruins, 7-5, thanks to a special performance between the pipes by sophomore sensation goalie Zach Thayer.
“It was great,” Thayer said. “The whole team won. People on the bench, the fans, the parents, the players, it was just great all around. Everyone was supporting all another before and then after we’re excited.”
The game at Mustang Stadium at Stevenson University was back and forth with Thayer making a key save up 6-5 in the final minutes and then junior attack TJ Harne scoring a dagger to close out the game.
“We all worked for it. We did lots of film this week, lots of practice, we prepared well,” Harne said. “It’s all about executing on the field and I think we did a good job of that today.”
With the win, the Hawks could be building a dynasty in the Maryland 4A.
“It means the world that these guys got to accomplish this just because of all of the blood, sweat and tears these guys give me from September to now,” Urbana boys lacrosse head coach Gavin Donahue said. “We have 5:00 a.m., we coach them hard and they just bought in and bought in and gelled like no other team I ever had and that’s the reason why they were able to accomplish this goal.”
In the earlier matchup, Urbana girls lacrosse was hoping to become the first Frederick County girls lacrosse team to win a title, but fell short, losing to Broadneck, 10-to-9.
“It’s incredible to see young women like them play as hard as they do. When you don’t have to push for effort as a coach that’s amazing,” Urbana girls lacrosse head coach Ryan Hines said. “I don’t have to tell them to hustle, I don’t have to tell them to compete, this comes from within, it comes from their parents, it comes from their teammates, it comes from their classmates, it comes from all the guys that were painted up in the stands today yelling for them.”
For Hines and his program, it was the first appearance in the MPSSAA 4A title game since 2005.
“Pretty proud… That’s almost 20 years we haven’t been here. This team gives a lot of effort,” Urbana sophomore attack Josey Hines said. “And I think it also comes to the coaching staff and the team having a good friendship bond. We all get along very well, so we connect on the field a lot.”
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