Going into this season, Centennial was a puzzle. On one hand, it was Centennial, state finalist four times in the past 10 years and winner of two. On the other hand, the Eagles were younger than they have been in a long time. There were six underclassmen in the starting lineup, including five sophomores at times.

In the end, Centennial did not live up to its lofty legacy, falling to Patapsco, 8-6, in a May 21 Class 3A state semifinal at Joe Cannon Stadium, in Severn. But the young Eagles did perform up to all reasonable standards and made a showing that hints to success for years to come.

"We've got a bunch of new guys, and they played incredible this year. They should look forward to their future because all they're going to do is get better," said Ben Winter, one of four Centennial seniors to swing a bat in the state semifinal.

After a junior season in which he batted a scorching .500 with 15 extra-base hits, Winter did not see a lot of good pitches this season. But the emergence of junior cleanup hitter Joe Couch made opponents hurt for pitching around Winter, as they did May 21.

In the bottom of the first, after senior shortstop James Cowan singled and Winter drew one of his two walks on the day, Couch lined a low arcing three-run homer over the right field fence.

"When I hit it I didn't think it was gone at all. I thought maybe it was a double over that guy's head, but that wind helped me a little bit," said Couch, who was batting .400 with three home runs entering the game.

With senior Shane Mattingly (5-1, 1.35 ERA) on the mound, three runs would normally be enough. In 16 of their 24 games, the Eagles allowed three or less runs. But Patapsco, which averaged 12 hits and 10 runs per game, would not go quietly.

The Patriots tied the game in the second on four singles and a walk. But then Mattingly seemed to settle in. After Centennial reclaimed the lead on an RBI triple by sophomore Richard Duffee, Mattingly retired the side in each of the next two innings, getting some help from his defense. He loaded the bases in the fifth with one out but got out of the jam on a diving catch by Duffee and a strikeout.

"At that point in the game the intensity was all up. I figured I had to either make the play or miss it and let our offense come through," Duffee said. His catch was so spectacular that the Patapsco runner on third did not tag up.

Mattingly left the field pumping his fist and screaming, and the Eagles were flying high. Trouble was around the corner, however.

Patapsco starting pitcher Manuel Prassinas led off with a double (he was 3-for-3 on the day and was hit by a pitch). With one out and Prassinas on third, Centennial pulled in the outfield, anticipating a bunt. Instead, leadoff man Eric Ryan drove a triple over the pulled in outfield and all the way to the left field fence.

Ryan later scored and the Eagles were down, 7-4, after a four-run sixth.

Meanwhile, it had been four long innings since Centennial had gotten a runner past second base, and Patapsco scored again in the top of the seventh.

Centennial finally chased Prassinas off the mound with a walk and two singles in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs and getting the tying run to first base, but he was stranded there.

"It wasn't the best game we've played all year," Centennial coach Denis Ahearn said. "But when you have a game like that you try to gut it out in the end, which we did."

"It surprised a lot of us how we came together as a team, and how far we got from what we started with," Couch said. "It was a great season, I'll never forget it, but we'll always have next year."

E-mail Andrew Conrad at aconrad@patuxent.com.

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