The Starr’s Mill Panthers are back on top again.

Third-ranked Starr’s Mill broke open a scoreless game by scoring all its goals in the second half to defeat Woodward Academy 3-0 and wrap up the Region 2-AAAA title for the eighth time in nine seasons.

Starr’s Mill finished the regular season with a perfect record in the region (7-0), and, for the first time in the school’s 11-year history, the Panthers didn’t allow a single goal in region play.

The fourth-ranked Starr’s Mill’s girls, meanwhile, lost a heartbreaker to 10th-ranked Woodward, 1-0. The loss was costly for the Lady Panthers, as they fell into fourth place in the region with a record of 5-2.

Throughout the first half, neither boys team could manage to score a goal.

Then Starr’s Mill’s potent scoring tandem, brothers Grey Phelps and Jesy Phelps, combined to score three goals in the second half.

Sam Martin set up both of Starr’s Mill’s first two goals — the first by Grey Phelps, the second by Jesy Phelps — with a pair of creative passes off the dribble.

Grey Phelps added an insurance goal, taking a pass from Danny Hojaij and placing the ball into the back of the net.

“Woodward’s goalie played real well in the first half,” Starr’s Mill coach Mike Hanie said. “We kept playing hard, and we were able to create a lot clearer scoring chances in the second half. It was a great team effort.”

Starr’s Mill goalkeeper Chris Ward was never seriously tested. He finished the night with three saves.

The Panthers enter the playoffs Tuesday as the top seed from the region. The Lady Panthers will go into the playoffs Wednesday as the fourth seed from the region.

login to post comments