What were the best Washington County high school playoff games of 2023?

As the last of our year-in-review articles this week, here are my top 10 high school playoff games of 2023 involving Washington County public-school teams:

1. Class 1A baseball championship

Clear Spring 3, Colonel Richardson 2 (11 innings)

Here are the first three paragraphs of Kevin Dunleavy's game story:

Clear Spring’s season was all about the Blazers’ departed teammates — Clayton Knode, Tyler "TJ" Josenhans and Kannon Shives — who were killed in a tragic car accident on Interstate 81 (in August 2022).

So when Dawson Kehr blasted a walk-off home run Saturday in the 11th inning of the Class 1A state championship game at Regency Furniture Stadium, it gave Clear Spring a 3-2 victory over Colonel Richardson and a reminder of their angels in the sky.

It came from a look at the scoreboard: On the state championship team last year, which also defeated Colonel Richardson in the final, Knode wore No. 2, Josenhans donned No. 3 and Shives was No. 11.

Clear Spring became the first county public-school baseball team to win back-to-back state titles.

Hutson Trobaugh struck out 12 while allowing four hits over the first 6 2/3 innings, and the Blazers led 2-1 going into the seventh. But the Colonels tied the game at 2 on Chandler Tindall's RBI double to force extra innings.

Lane Poffenberger finished 4-for-4 with a two-run single in the second inning for Clear Spring.

2. Class 1A volleyball championship

Clear Spring 3, Smithsburg 2

The first state championship match between two county teams in 22 years exceeded all expectations, with the Blazers repeating as champions in a 25-20, 14-25, 26-24, 20-25, 15-12 thriller over the Leopards. The match featured 21 ties and 14 lead changes.

"What a match," said Clear Spring coach Jessica Custer. "This is what you hope for when you play a state championship. You hope for a match that goes five sets, that is point for point and back and forth and really good volleyball. It brings in your emotions, your poise, everything you have to offer the game."

The Blazers won their fifth state title overall and their third over the last six years. Addy Zeigler led the offense with 18 kills, and a defense led by Callie Hose (27 digs) and Emerson Moats (26 digs) played its best match of the season.

Smithsburg actually finished the match having won more points (106) than Clear Spring (100). Chloe Fisher had 44 assists and 22 digs, Kassidy Meadows had 16 kills and 21 digs, Emily Ryder had 15 kills and Calli Haugh led the back row with 27 digs.

3. 1A West Region II baseball semifinals

Clear Spring 4, Brunswick 3 (11 innings)

The Blazers kept their repeat title dreams alive with this nail-biting extra-innings affair at home against the Railroaders. Dawson Kehr hit the game-winning single, with Logan Helser racing from second base to home with a head-first slide.

Brunswick took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning, but Clear Spring tied it at 3 in the bottom half. Kehr started on the mound and got out of a fifth-inning, bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to preserve the tie.

Hutson Trobaugh pitched the final four innings for the victory, allowing just one walk while striking out 12 in a sensational relief effort.

4. Class 1A volleyball semifinals

Clear Spring 3, Patterson Mill 2

Four days before their all-county showdown with Smithsburg for the state title, the Blazers had to survive a 25-15, 24-26, 26-24, 13-25, 15-7 thriller against the upset-minded Huskies that could easily have gone the other way.

Patterson Mill scored five straight points to end the second set and pull even in the match. The Huskies were on the verge of a 2-1 lead, but Clear Spring scored the last five points of the third set in another momentum shift.

Patterson Mill dominated the fourth set and took a 4-0 lead in the final set, but the Blazers played their best with everything on the line and won 15 of the final 18 points.

Addy Zeigler had 23 kills, Emilee Hixon had 28 assists and 13 digs, and Emerson Moats added 25 digs for Clear Spring.

5. 1A North football second round

Havre de Grace 35, Boonsboro 28

Though this one ended in a loss for Boonsboro, it still goes down as one of the best contests — and arguably the most wild.

Jaylin Solomon passed for four second-half touchdowns and scored the game-winning TD on a 9-yard run with 27 seconds left for the visiting Warriors, who rallied after Boonsboro led 21-0 at halftime.

With 2:57 left, Boonsboro’s Dan Dodson scored on a 61-yard run for a 28-20 lead.

With 1:54 left, Havre de Grace scored on a 20-yard pass from Solomon to Miles Miller. Solomon then passed to Brandell Stokes for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 28.

After an interception by Miller, Havre de Grace went up 35-28 on Solomon’s score in the final minute.

Chad Wyand returned the ensuing kickoff to the Havre de Grace 25-yard line, but the game ended with an interception at the 1 by Deyshawn Henderson.

6. 1A West Region II boys soccer final

Clear Spring 2, Brunswick 1

Dillon Albowicz, who would later be named The Herald-Mail's player of the year, scored both Blazers goals, the second coming with 12 minutes left that broke a 1-1 tie and gave Clear Spring its first region title since 2017.

The Railroaders dominated much of the first 28 minutes of the second half, tilting the field against Clear Spring. That left counterattacking opportunities for the Blazers, and Albowicz beat Brunswick's back line and chipped the game-winning shot with the outside of his right foot just under the crossbar.

It took several seconds for the referee to confirm the goal, which set off a celebration at midfield.

7. 1A West Region II boys basketball final

Smithsburg 41, Brunswick 40

Michael Hensley's made free throw with 1:16 left put the Leopards in front, and the Railroaders missed shots on their final two possessions, the second miss coming with 4 seconds left.

Sam Bono led Smithsburg with 14 points, six rebounds and four steals. The Leopards led 33-23 late in the third quarter but had to withstand a Brunswick rally.

“It was exciting,” Smithsburg coach Eric Gerber said. “I really thought this would be a battle. We’re pretty similar teams. We split during the regular season. Two teams that grind it out and play pretty good defense. I expected a game where the winner would score under 50 points tonight, and that’s what we got.”

8. 1A West Region II girls basketball final

Boonsboro 35, Catoctin 32

This was the biggest playoff upset of 2023, and it went in favor of the county team. The Warriors, who entered with a 7-15 record, were a massive underdog on the road against the 18-5 Cougars, who had defeated Boonsboro twice in the regular season.

The Warriors trailed 10-2 after the first quarter, but tenacious defense allowed them to rally.

Emily McKevitt made a pair of huge 3s in the fourth quarter, the first giving Boonsboro a 30-24 lead with 6:45 to play, the second breaking a 30-30 tie with 3:45 to go.

Catoctin missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the final 10 seconds. The first would have given the Cougars the lead, while the second, coming after the Warriors' Haylee Hartman made two free throws, would have tied it.

Hartman, Maya Fravel and Hope Lowe shared team scoring honors with eight points each.

9. Class 2A volleyball semifinals

Calvert 3, Williamsport 2

The Wildcats, seeking a record 17th state title and playing in their state-record 25th semifinals appearance, won more points (107) than the Cavaliers (102) but came up two points short in the fifth set.

Even then, Williamsport was valiant in defeat, rallying from six points down to tie the final set at 14.

"I'm really proud of their effort," said Williamsport coach Karen Hampton. "They've come a long way since day one."

Emerson Shank had 33 assists and Skylar Norris had 16 kills to lead the Wildcats.

10. Class 3A volleyball championship

North Hagerstown 3, Arundel 0

The undefeated Wildcats boasted a powerful attack that, by the eye test, would have intimidated many an opponent.

The Hubs were unfazed and stunned Arundel 25-23, 25-21, 25-23 for their second straight state title and fifth in 13 years.

Caydence Doolan, who would later be named The Herald-Mail's player of the year, had 16 kills, three aces and 19 digs. Older sister Baylee Doolan added 15 kills and 12 digs.

North closed the first set with a clutch 5-1 run after trailing 22-20. The second set was tied at 20 before the Hubs closed with another 5-1 run. North opened up a 24-19 lead in Set 3 with a 7-3 run and won the title five points later.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: The top 10 Washington County Public School playoff games of 2023