FREDERICK — Centennial’s 2023 season had a dream ending: a state championship. But a senior-laden Eagles team lifting the championship trophy meant the run toward a repeat would have a much different look.

Despite significant roster turnover, the Eagles are returning to the season’s premier stage. No. 8 seed Centennial swept fifth-seeded Eastern Tech, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20, in Tuesday evening’s Class 2A semifinal at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Centennial will face No. 7 Williamsport at noon on Saturday at Harford Community College’s APG Federal Credit Union Arena.

With just four seniors on the roster, longtime coach Mike Bossom knew there would be some growing moments with young players thrust into increased roles. Now one win away from the program’s 16th state title, which would tie a state record, Bossom marveled at their growth.

After a season of adjustments, Centennial hit its stride in the regular-season finale against Crofton. The Eagles (10-7) fired on all cylinders and swept the Cardinals to build momentum for their postseason run.

“What stands out was when we put in different pieces and they perform,” Bossom said. “With this team, if we needed to put in another piece from the bench, they would have performed. Against Crofton, I just thought we played well in all phases of the game. I think that helped.”

That maturation manifested itself in different ways in the semifinal. Junior Audrey Smallidge was the focal point of the offensive attack with senior setter and captain Joy Chen displaying leadership and setting up Smallidge and the other hitters.

“I’m just really proud of all our younger hitters,” Chen said. “I feel like they’ve gained a lot of confidence and really matured into their roles. As a captain, I’d say this team makes it really easy to lead. They all know their own jobs. We all have good team chemistry, so it’s just a matter of staying consistent.”

Centennial gets one more opportunity to showcase its development Saturday, a performance it hopes will end with them hoisting a second straight 2A title.

“The chance for them to be the star of their movie,” Bossom said of the state championship. “We talk about visions and dreams and goals. It’s their chance to do that. A lot of them were on the bench and had smaller parts to play [last year]. This time, they have a much larger part to play.”

Broadneck advances to 4A final

BURTONSVILLE — Broadneck volleyball has not dropped a set since the last week of the regular season. Matches expected to be easier were. Those marked at the beginning of the season as threats were about as dangerous to the Bruins’ Class 4A postseason run as rain on stone.

Tuesday’s state semifinal was no different.

Broadneck walked into Paint Branch High, quickly dispatched Perry Hall, 25-14, 25-11, 25-13, and walked back out in a tight 54 minutes.

There could be no better confidence boost for a team this close to a state final.

“It just feels amazing knowing we’ve made it this far,” said junior Anna Graves, who totaled 11 kills and four aces. “We’ve worked as hard as we could and we’ve done everything we can. Knowing where we are now, we just have to play our best and leave it all on the court.”

Now, the stress levels can begin to rise again. Broadneck (18-3) will face defending 4A state champion Richard Montgomery, which hardly graduated anyone from last year’s squad, at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at Harford Community College’s APG Federal Credit Union Arena.

Broadneck has not returned to the championship stage since its fabled, five-set heartbreaker against Arundel in 2019 and is chasing its first title in 15 years. The Bruins dominated Maryland high school volleyball at the turn of the century, stacking six state crowns from 2001 to 2009.

The possibility of a new one is what put the light in coach Tracey Regalbuto’s eyes on Tuesday.

“Majority of the girls starting are juniors, a couple sophomores. But they want it like seniors,” she said. “At practice [on Monday], I asked them what they were most excited about moving forward and they talked about winning.

“They’re not afraid of anything, and they’re gonna do whatever they have to do to do it.”

— Katherine Fominykh

Patterson Mill falls in 1A semifinal

FREDERICK — It has been more than a month since Patterson Mill lost a set. But in Tuesday’s Class 1A state semifinal, the Huskies had no answers for the two-time defending state champions.

Even when Patterson Mill reached the precipice of its first set victory of the night, Clear Spring countered. The Huskies, down two sets but leading, 24-21, and were one point away from a win to get back in the match. But the Blazers scored six of the next seven points. A Patterson Mill strike sailed just beyond the back line and its season ended in a flash.

“We dug ourselves holes,” senior setter Zoe Valan said. “It was our mistakes.”

Patterson Mill fell in straight sets to Clear Spring, which moves on to face Boonsboro and play for its third straight 1A state championship on Saturday. But for Patterson Mill, the top seed in the 1A bracket that had only lost twice before Tuesday, the focus prematurely shifts to next season.

— Taylor Lyons

Howard’s unbeaten run ends

BURTONSVILLE — Before his team’s Class 3A state semifinal on Tuesday, Howard coach Grant Scott said the team that made the fewest mistakes would win. Unfortunately for Scott and the Lions, that team was Thomas Wootton.

The Patriots used an impressive front line and an opportunistic offense to defeat previously undefeated Howard, 26-24, 25-26, 25-19, at Paint Branch High.

For the Lions (18-1), their season ends two games short of their state championship goal. The Patriots (16-3) will play North Hagerstown, which beat Northern-Calvert in the other 3A semifinal, for the title on Saturday.

“Credit to Wootton; they played amazing,” Scott said. “They played almost mistake-free volleyball. They forced us into situations where we couldn’t run our offense. That put us in situations where we started to make mistakes.”

For Howard, the loss ends one of the most celebrated runs in the school’s history. It was the Lions’ first trip to the state semifinals since 1980 when they won a state title.

— Mike Frainie, for The Baltimore Sun