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| Simply 7 |
Scott Wykoff's Blog
THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010
Simply 7
THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010
Simply 7
The story of Yeardley Love will be told throughout this weekend in Baltimore as her hometown hosts the Men's and
Women's NCAA Lacrosse Championships. Her memory will be honored.
At the same time there is another inspirational lacrosse story that has yet to have been told as the lacrosse world
descends on Baltimore for a weekend celebration of the sport.
It's the story of the 2010 Queen Anne's County High School lacrosse team and the number 7.
Women's NCAA Lacrosse Championships. Her memory will be honored.
At the same time there is another inspirational lacrosse story that has yet to have been told as the lacrosse world
descends on Baltimore for a weekend celebration of the sport.
It's the story of the 2010 Queen Anne's County High School lacrosse team and the number 7.
Sure their story of winning the Class 2A-1A State Title in exciting fashion has been told. Queen Anne's senior Cody
Figiel scooped up a ground ball and fire the game winning goal to beat Glenelg with 28 seconds to go.
What will you will learn in this blog entry is the story of how this group of young men from the Eastern Shore went
above and beyond the call of duty in honoring the memory of James Smith during the state title game at UMBC this
past week.
Figiel scooped up a ground ball and fire the game winning goal to beat Glenelg with 28 seconds to go.
What will you will learn in this blog entry is the story of how this group of young men from the Eastern Shore went
above and beyond the call of duty in honoring the memory of James Smith during the state title game at UMBC this
past week.
A story highlighted by simply a number. The number 7.
It was 2 years ago when James Smith's life was cut short as the Loch Raven High School lacrosse player was struck
and killed crossing the street in his neighborhood on a June day. The neighborhood where he lived and grew up
playing lacrosse in Towson is a long ways from Centerville where the players from Queen Anne's County High School
grew up playing lacrosse.
A week ago James' friends and teammates at Loch Raven played Queen Anne's in the state semifinals. As the 17-3
scored indicates, it wasn't much of a game as Queen Anne's made quick work of Loch Raven. It's what happened after
the game that would forever tie together these two high schools separated by an hour and a half drive.
It was 2 years ago when James Smith's life was cut short as the Loch Raven High School lacrosse player was struck
and killed crossing the street in his neighborhood on a June day. The neighborhood where he lived and grew up
playing lacrosse in Towson is a long ways from Centerville where the players from Queen Anne's County High School
grew up playing lacrosse.
A week ago James' friends and teammates at Loch Raven played Queen Anne's in the state semifinals. As the 17-3
scored indicates, it wasn't much of a game as Queen Anne's made quick work of Loch Raven. It's what happened after
the game that would forever tie together these two high schools separated by an hour and a half drive.
The players and coaches from Centerville noticed a number 7 Loch Raven jersey hanging over the Raiders bench.
They learned it was the jersey worn by James Smith and retired by the team after he passed away. They learned about
James and how important lacrosse was to him. They learned James' number 7 was always there when Loch Raven
played.
That was it.
Coach Mike Ransom's Queen Anne's County High School lacrosse team was moved by James' story and how it was told
by his former Loch Raven teammates and coaches. To honor the memory of a player they never even knew, the team
decided as a group to wear James' number 7 on their helmets a few days later in the state championship game against
Glenelg at UMBC.
And they wore that number 7 with honor and distinction as they held off a gutsy Glenelg team to win the 2010 Class
2A-1A State Championship.
They learned it was the jersey worn by James Smith and retired by the team after he passed away. They learned about
James and how important lacrosse was to him. They learned James' number 7 was always there when Loch Raven
played.
That was it.
Coach Mike Ransom's Queen Anne's County High School lacrosse team was moved by James' story and how it was told
by his former Loch Raven teammates and coaches. To honor the memory of a player they never even knew, the team
decided as a group to wear James' number 7 on their helmets a few days later in the state championship game against
Glenelg at UMBC.
And they wore that number 7 with honor and distinction as they held off a gutsy Glenelg team to win the 2010 Class
2A-1A State Championship.
In a special tribute to James after the game, coach Mike Ransom held one of his player's helmets to the sky. A gold
helmet with a black 7 on its the side.
In a season in which lacrosse has received attention for all the wrong reasons with the murder of Yeardley Love, this
team of teenagers from a small town on Maryland's Eastern Shore personified all that is good about the young men
and women who play this game. As has been the case so many times before, this is a glowing example of how the
lacrosse community comes together for one of its own.
It was a simple act putting a number 7 sticker on a helmet. But how those boys wore that number 7 and honored the
memory of a young man was anything but simple. It took a special group of young men to do what they did and to do it
with a greater purpose.
Everyone who I have spoken to about this story says the boys who make up the state champion Queen Anne's Lions
are a special bunch. A quality team made up of boys of character.
#3 Sophomore Patrick Clark, #7 Junior and Captain Tyler German, #8 Senior Billy Sietzer , #18 Senior Captain Cody
Figiel and #34 Senior Nathan Holsey to name just a few.
helmet with a black 7 on its the side.
In a season in which lacrosse has received attention for all the wrong reasons with the murder of Yeardley Love, this
team of teenagers from a small town on Maryland's Eastern Shore personified all that is good about the young men
and women who play this game. As has been the case so many times before, this is a glowing example of how the
lacrosse community comes together for one of its own.
It was a simple act putting a number 7 sticker on a helmet. But how those boys wore that number 7 and honored the
memory of a young man was anything but simple. It took a special group of young men to do what they did and to do it
with a greater purpose.
Everyone who I have spoken to about this story says the boys who make up the state champion Queen Anne's Lions
are a special bunch. A quality team made up of boys of character.
#3 Sophomore Patrick Clark, #7 Junior and Captain Tyler German, #8 Senior Billy Sietzer , #18 Senior Captain Cody
Figiel and #34 Senior Nathan Holsey to name just a few.
Look at their record this year. They finished the season 19-1 by winning their last 16 straight games. After losing in last
year's state title game they dedicated themselves to getting back to the big game this year and this time winning it.
The Lions also showed their character earlier in the season during a win over Dunbar. While the Poets are known for
their standout football and basketball teams, Dunbar's lacrosse team struggles against powerhouses like Queen Anne's.
That said, the Lions showed great sportsmanship in their win over Dunbar and that made for a day when both schools
walked off the lacrosse field winners, despite the score.
These state champions have proved they are champions both on and off the lacrosse field.
year's state title game they dedicated themselves to getting back to the big game this year and this time winning it.
The Lions also showed their character earlier in the season during a win over Dunbar. While the Poets are known for
their standout football and basketball teams, Dunbar's lacrosse team struggles against powerhouses like Queen Anne's.
That said, the Lions showed great sportsmanship in their win over Dunbar and that made for a day when both schools
walked off the lacrosse field winners, despite the score.
These state champions have proved they are champions both on and off the lacrosse field.
Here's a story that shows just that. It was told to me today by a staffer at Queen Anne's High School:
"I have discovered they did a can food drive and volunteered to make t-shirts for our Bocce Ball kids. Our Bocce Ball team
is made up of some of our special kids and other athletes working with them and has been an exciting new sport for them.
The lacrosse boys wanted them to have their own team shirts and the kids were thrilled!"
You see what I mean. It is no surprise that this team put that number 7 on their helmets in the biggest game of their
careers. A number 7 to honor the memory of a fellow lacrosse player they never knew.
Another staffer at the high school in Centerville might have put it best when I asked about this group of boys:
"In addition to being very talented athletes they are just as nice a group of young men that you could ever hope to have
the pleasure of working with."
The 2010 Queen Anne's County High School Lions lacrosse team has proven it is truly the "Pride of the Eastern Shore".
"I have discovered they did a can food drive and volunteered to make t-shirts for our Bocce Ball kids. Our Bocce Ball team
is made up of some of our special kids and other athletes working with them and has been an exciting new sport for them.
The lacrosse boys wanted them to have their own team shirts and the kids were thrilled!"
You see what I mean. It is no surprise that this team put that number 7 on their helmets in the biggest game of their
careers. A number 7 to honor the memory of a fellow lacrosse player they never knew.
Another staffer at the high school in Centerville might have put it best when I asked about this group of boys:
"In addition to being very talented athletes they are just as nice a group of young men that you could ever hope to have
the pleasure of working with."
The 2010 Queen Anne's County High School Lions lacrosse team has proven it is truly the "Pride of the Eastern Shore".
Special Thanks For Great Shots
Special thanks to Gail Oldershaw. She is the Queen Anne's County High School Lacrosse
team photographer who took all these great pictures of the Lions playing in the state title
game with James' number 7 on their helmets.
CLICK HERE to see more of Gail's work and to learn more about Gail Oldershaw
Photography
Gail is one fantastic photographer who took time out of her busy schedule to send me these
great photos.
She is also very dedicated to this great group of boys who honored James Smith's memory
by wearing his number 7 on their helmets in the State Championship Game at UMBC .
She has done a wonderful job honoring James' memory with these photos.
Special thanks to Gail Oldershaw. She is the Queen Anne's County High School Lacrosse
team photographer who took all these great pictures of the Lions playing in the state title
game with James' number 7 on their helmets.
CLICK HERE to see more of Gail's work and to learn more about Gail Oldershaw
Photography
Gail is one fantastic photographer who took time out of her busy schedule to send me these
great photos.
She is also very dedicated to this great group of boys who honored James Smith's memory
by wearing his number 7 on their helmets in the State Championship Game at UMBC .
She has done a wonderful job honoring James' memory with these photos.
Name: Scott Wykoff
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
I joined the WBAL Radio news department in 2002. In my career, I've covered the
September 11th terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, Cal Ripken’s Hall of Fame
Induction, the 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Barbaro's
breakdown in the Preakness and shootings at the Capital, the White House, and the
National Zoo. Now, I'm thrilled to be working for WBAL Radio, covering BOTH 2008
political conventions. I'm honored to be the recipient of three national Edward R.
Murrow awards from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
I joined the WBAL Radio news department in 2002. In my career, I've covered the
September 11th terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, Cal Ripken’s Hall of Fame
Induction, the 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Barbaro's
breakdown in the Preakness and shootings at the Capital, the White House, and the
National Zoo. Now, I'm thrilled to be working for WBAL Radio, covering BOTH 2008
political conventions. I'm honored to be the recipient of three national Edward R.
Murrow awards from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.
| A.J. wearing #7 on his helmet |
| I don't know how long the link will work, but for now, click on the WBAL logo to go to the original of this blog entry. |