Decatur Boys Win One, Lose One

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's men's varsity soccer team went on a wild roller coaster ride this week, beating Northeast of Anne Arundel County in a game that came down to penalty kicks on Monday before falling to Bel Air in the second round of the state Class 3A-East playoffs on Tuesday.

The Seahawks, seeded 10^th in the Class 3A-East tournament, upset seven-seeded Northeast on the road on Monday in a game made up from a rainout last Friday. Decatur traveled to Anne Arundel County to face Northeast for it's first-ever playoff soccer game since moving up to Class 3A last year.

The two teams played to an even 1-1 tie during regulation after Decatur's Logan West scored the Seahawks lone goal. Decatur and Northeast then played two overtime periods, but neither could score, forcing the playoff contest to be settled with penalty kicks. Decatur finally prevailed, 2-1, on penalty kicks by Bruce Howe and Cosi Aroh, who each fired shots passed the Northeast keeper.

The big story, however, was Decatur goalkeeper Nick Hogan, who made an unheard-of four saves during the decisive penalty kick phase. Hogan was solid all day for the Seahawks, recording 14 saves during regulation. The win advanced Decatur to the region semifinals on Monday against top-seeded Bel Air, meaning the Seahawks would have to make their second trip across the Bay Bridge in two days to face another new Class 3A opponent.

Whether it was the extensive travel or the upgrade in the level of competition in the states, Decatur lost a tough one to top-seeded Bel Air on Tuesday, falling 1-0. The loss in the semifinals did little to tarnish what was another great season for the Seahawks under first-year coach Jamie Greenwood. The Seahawks finished with a 9-5 overall record including a 5-3 mark in the Bayside Conference.