High School Hockey: Northstars prove a point in playoff opener

The Washington County Northstars have put the rest of the teams in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League on notice.

Led by hat tricks by both Travis Biggs and Drew Brooks, Washington County ran roughshod over Damascus, defeating the Hornets 12-2 in their MSHL Class 1A West semifinal game.


Brooks opened the scoring for Washington County with 12:15 left in the first period, but Damascus’s Connor Miller evened the score and the first period ended tied at 1.

The Hornets outshot the Northstars 11-5 in the opening frame.

“That first period was a gut check. (Damascus) should have never been able to hang with us like that,” said Washington County coach Jamie Blackwood. “But once we got our confidence back, we turned it on.”

Michael DiMercurio broke the tie minutes into the second period on a shorthanded clear that snuck under the glove of Damascus goalie Grant Munson and sent the Northstars into a frenzy.

Washington County lit up the Hornets in the second period, with two goals by Biggs, Brooks’ second tally and scores by Keith Koontz and Sean Kreps to take a 7-1 lead.

Alex Belman scored the second goal for Damascus (10-6-2) at the end of the second, but it was all Northstars in the third period.

“We decided to put the pedal to the metal in the second period and it was pretty much all over from there,” said Blackwood.

Josh Barron tallied two goals, Biggs and Brooks earned their hat tricks and J.R. Lowery found the net to close Washington County’s scoring. The Northstars outshot Damascus 44-19 for the game.

Washington County won’t play again until Feb. 24 in Rockville against yet-to-be determined opponent, but Blackwood and his boys on a mission.

“If we play like we did in the second and third periods tonight, I don’t care who our next opponent is,” Blackwood said. “We came out with a purpose and we’re going to take it out on our opponents.”

Barron had three assists and Lowery and Savon Ambush had two assists each for the Northstars.