Severna Park’s softball team leaves the field after Saturday’s Class 4A state championship game. The Falcons’ surprising run ended with a 21-5 loss to Montgomery County’s Sherwood at the University of Maryland.

by Demetrius Dillard

Special to VSN

The clock struck midnight on Severna Park High’s softball team’s postseason run.

Literally.

In a game that started around 10 p.m. because of two prior championship games going extra innings, the Falcons’ season came to a decisive end in a 21-5 decision to Montgomery County powerhouse Sherwood at the University of Maryland.

After scoring the game’s opening run, Severna Park’s Cinderella-esque came to a crushing end under the weight of 19 straight Sherwood runs. Summer Green was 2-for-3 with three runs and five RBI for the Warriors (18-2 overall), Hannah Friend went 3-for-4 to go with four runs and two RBI, and Keira Schlutz was 2-for-4 with three runs, two triples and two RBI.

Four years ago, Severna Park equaled the biggest margin of victory (13) in a state championship game.

Saturday, the Falcons were on the other end of the new mark. 

Two weeks ago, Severna Park (13-11) enter the postseason with a losing mark (8-10) and few expectations outside of its Robinson Road campus.

“They had a lot of fight, a lot of heart. That got them here,” Severna Park coach Meredith McAllister said. “They were 13-10 coming into this game, so for them to be here means they worked their butts off. They gave it everything they had, so we weren’t going to go down in this game any differently.”

The Falcons won the East Region I title. After getting past Prince George’s Bowie (2-1) in the quarterfinals, Severna Park overcame an early five-run deficit to beat Anne Arundel County rival South River, 13-12, in an eight inning semifinal thriller at Bachman Park Tuesday.

The magic continued in its opening at-bat Saturday. Savannah Drummond led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Viktoria Dorn laid down a bunt single. Sally Trent’s sacrifice fly scored Drummond.

Then came Sherwood’s first-at bat.

Thirteen runs later, the Falcons’ glass slipper was shattered.

Dorn went 2-for-3 at bat and scored a run, Addison Bianco was 1-for-2 and drove in three runs and Drummond scored twice for Severna Park. Olivia Driver registered a hit and an RBI for Severna Park.

McAllister was proud of what the Falcons accomplished this spring.

“This season was all about learning and growing, and becoming better, and just flat out heart and desire,” she said. “They learned from every game they lost throughout the season, and they put it all together at the time we needed it. So that’s all you can ask for.”

Saturday was the final hoorah for Driver and Dorn, both four-year varsity players. They preserved through not having a seaosn in 2020 because of COVID-19.

“It’s been a bumpy road,” Dorn said. “We had so many juniors and sophomores on this team, we didn’t think we’d make it this far. We didn’t think we had the power, but we had the bond and the heart to make it this far.”

Dorn is planning to attend Anne Arundel Community College with intentions of playing softball before transferring to a four-year university. Driver will attend Tufts University (Mass.) with hopes of walking on to its softball team.

“I’m trying to find the words to capture four years,” Driver said as her eyes began to water. “It’s a culture that goes through every single year. No matter who goes or comes in, you’re part of the family and I hope we made everybody feel that way.”

Class 4A state championship

at University of Maryland

Sherwood 21, Severna Park 5

Severna Park 1 0 2 0 2 — 5 6 6

Sherwood 13 6 0 2 X — 21 17 0

Ballagh, Becker (4) and Trent; Amond and Rogers

2B: Sherwood – Holly Rogers, Hannah Friend, Summer Green.

3B: Shetwood – Kay Sakala, Hannah Friend, Kat Hanson, Keira Schlutz (2).