Flower child Meg Bartley snaps like carnivorous plant

The flower child of Cape sports Meg Bartley scored her 100th career goal in the early moments of last Friday, April 8's, waterlogged home game against Ursuline, accepted a bouquet with a gracious smile, then snapped like a carnivorous plant, scoring eight first-half goals, dishing off three assists and winning virtually every draw as Cape set the clock running in the first half, at one point leading 15-3.

The final score was 18-6. Bartley broke Cape’s single-game scoring record for points and sat out the entire second half because she had tweaked her knee.

"Two words-'Meg Bartley,' " Coach P.J. Kesmodel said after the game. “That was just one incredible first half performance."

Bartley brought statewide recognition to the sportsmanship side of the street when she and Jonesha Warren presented flowers to the Ursuline team and its injured point guard prior to a state tournament semifinal basketball game won by Cape. Bartley also received flowers after scoring her 1000th point late in the basketball season.

Joining Bartley in scoring against the Raiders were Anna Frederick, Caroline Judge and Maura Johnson, all with two goals; and Jackie Coveleski, Kat Judge, Allie Yeager and Sarah Young each with one goal.

Gina Voss had 12 saves for the game while Cecelia Cicone of Ursuline stopped 13 shots. Austin Noonan led the Raiders in scoring with 4 goals.

The Vikings, not content to bask in the sun like a Delaware fat cat on a warm window ledge, went looking for trouble Saturday morning in the cradle of Baltimore lacrosse and found it at the storied Severn School.

The Admirals had lost to McDonough, the number one team in the nation, 20-7 the day before hosting Cape.

Seven minutes into the game against Severn, Bartley had two goals and Cape led 2-0, which was looked upon with some amusement and little concern from the Maryland-side team that plays in the best conference in the nation.

Tied at 4 with 5:47 left in the half, Cape snapped with four unanswered--two each from Sarah Young and Caroline Judge--and led 8-4 at the half, sending shock waves across the vibrating cyberwires of the text message 4G networks.

Severn coach Renie Sotiropoulos, an admitted Philly girl and Eagles fan, was not happy with the halftime score.

“I told my team before the game not to underestimate them because they're not from Maryland. They’re a well-coached team with some really good players.

And I told them if you’re not focused, they’re a great team and you’re going to lose. If you want to play like a slouch, you are going to lose.”

The comeback commenced with the Admirals' winning some draws, but after Katie Yeager’s second goal of the game with 16:35 left, Cape still led 9-7.  After three straight Severn scores, Sarah Young found the net and the game was tied at 10 with 14:49 left to play. A Young goal--she had four for the game--tied it again at 11 with 12:09 remaining but the Admirals ran a 5 to 1 number at Cape the rest of the way with the final Viking goal coming from Jackie Coveleski.  Cape now awaits a Thursday, April 14, home game against 8-1 Saints Peter and Paul from Easton, Md.

"I spoke to a player after the CR game and she said, 'You guys play people I never even heard of,' "said Caroline Judge. “It is a loss but it showed us that we can play with the best teams around."

‘I like games like this better it's higher intensity and under pressure how are going to react situation,” Meg Bartley said.

Snippets- Creeden Hall on the Severn campus is named after my high school teammate and friend Bill Creeden. I tried sharing that factoid with a few Sussex County lacrosse parents but all I got were jokes--"Maybe Cape could name a sandwich after you”-- or aggressive disinterest, and I don’t blame them because knowing the guy the building is named after is just kind of weird even if it is true. The sports section lost a promised page, which is why I used my column space to package two game stories, plus everyone knows I’m a lax groupie who travels alone to games. As I look around my empty 4Runner, there is a message embedded like, “See you there, can’t wait to hear more stories about how you know people whose names are on buildings." Go on now, git!