WORTON — The long bus ride to Salisbury last week was worth the trip for Kent County High School’s boys lacrosse team, which defeated Wicomico in the regular-season finale to force a tie with Elkton atop the standings in the Class 1A East II Region.
A coin toss gave KCHS the top seed, a first-round bye and home field throughout the region tournament.
Kent County [4-8] will host North Dorchester [2-11] today at 4 p.m. in a region semifinal.
This will be a rematch of a game the Trojans ran away with, 14-3, during spring break.
The opening face-off is at 4 p.m.
The cost is $6 for adults and students; admission is free for anyone 6 and younger.
“We are definitely looking forward to being the top seed in the region. After a long tough season the boys deserve to feel the success that all their hard work can produce,” head coach Ben Joiner told The Evening Enterprise on Wednesday, May 6.
Joiner said the Trojans “have stayed upbeat and positive, despite the tough losses against some bigger schools in the conference.”
Kent County’s 7-1 win at WiHi on April 29 — its first win since the blowout against North Dorchester on April 10 — put the proverbial train back on the tracks and provided a much-needed boost of confidence.
Sophomore Quinten Joiner scored three goals and assisted on another.
Juniors Gabe Parr and Colin Fry [two assists] each contributed two goals, and rookie Trenton Montooth had an assist.
Parr, Fry, Joiner and Aiden Ruiz each scooped up five or more ground balls.
The first-round bye has given the Trojans time to prep for the playoffs, rest and heal from injuries.
“We’ve played nearly every team in the region already this season and we’ve had some success against them,” coach Joiner said, “so we are feeling pretty confident heading into the postseason.”
That said, “we are making sure that we aren’t taking any of these teams lightly,” he added.
No. 5 seed North Dorchester eliminated No. 4 seed Bohemia Manor, 14-4, in the first round Wednesday.
Elkton [4-8] is the No. 2 seed and will host No. 3 seed Cambridge [3-7] in today’s other semifinal. Both received first-round byes.
The championship game is Monday, May 11 at the highest remaining seed.
