OWINGS, MD - With one quarter to go, a regional championship was right in front of Northern. The Patriots had just scored four straight goals, igniting the home crowd and retaking the lead from Easton in the process. All that remained were those final 12 minutes, a mere procession towards their first state semifinal in nearly a half-decade.

But for Easton, the matter was not as settled. Unlike past opponents, they were not going to wilt, or keel over after Northern’s barrage. They were the experienced in such situations (coming back to beat the Patriots just last year, in fact).

It took only ten seconds for Easton to answer, scoring the first goal of the quarter. They scored again not a minute later, then again, again and again—each tally taking more life out of the once celebratory stands.

“We thought we had it, not in the bag, but we thought we had all the momentum,� Northern’s David Matusek admitted. “I guess we underestimated them. And it bit us.�

As close as they seemed, it will be at least one more year before Northern returns to states. Spurred by a five-goal run to start the final quarter, Easton defeated Northern 16-13, May 13, to take the 4A/3A east regional.

The loss was a shocking turn for the Patriots. The aforementioned four-goal spurt to close the third quarter—all coming in two minutes—appeared to give Northern (13-4) a definitive edge headed towards the game’s conclusion, not just on the scoreboard but from an emotional standpoint as well.

“Normally when we get on that kind of run, we don’t get turned back,� said Patriots’ head coach Joe Casalino. “It was a little bit of a surprise to see [Easton] bounce back and regain control of the game.

“I think maybe we got a little too excited by that run. Maybe stopped focusing on the fundamental things you have to do defensively. This group of guys hasn’t been in this spot…I think you saw some of that youth and inexperience at that part of the game.�

Bitter as the defeat may be, many believed Northern’s mere presence in the regional final put them ahead of schedule. Their roster is lined with junior and sophomore starters, many of whom made exponential gains on the field this spring.

“We had a great season. Coming off last year, people said we were going to be nothing,� stated Matusek, who scored four goals in defeat. “We’re just going to come back next year, work hard in the offseason, and try to get what we want—a state title.�

The prognosis to achieve that goal in 2010 seems optimistic, at least on paper. But Casalino knows that counting on the future can be a bankrupt endeavor. His 2008 team, which also lost in the regional final the previous year, was abruptly disabled by a series of injuries and one unexpected transfer. Northern couldn’t recover from those losses, and limped through an uneven season that ended in the first round of playoffs.

“You can never take for granted what next year is going to be,� said Casalino. “While you can look at next year and say ‘that’s going to be a phenomenal team’…we certainly feel there was an opportunity lost tonight. I hope [the players] walk away from this with a sense of unfinished business. And I think they will.�

For the despondent group that slowly streamed off Northern’s field, next season can’t get here fast enough.

E-mail William Logan at sports@calvertindependent.com.

1 2 3 4 Total

EAS 3 4 3 6 16

NOR 1 6 4 2 13

Northern (13-4)

Wes Caparatto: 5 goals

David Matusek: 4 goals