On a bus ride back from Baltimore Wednesday, after Georgetown Prep defeated Gilman, 8-7, senior Brian Tabb calculated his faceoff percentage. He had won 15 of 19 draws against the Greyhounds, but it wasn’t enough. Tabb was short of his 80 percent goal.
So the Little Hoyas teased him. Tabb was a slacker. He wasn’t pulling his weight. He was the reason Prep didn’t win big.
The Little Hoyas know better. For three years, the Georgetown-bound Tabb has been the possession engine fueling the team’s 34-game winning streak that will be tested 11 a.m. Saturday as Prep (5-0) heads back up I-95 to take on another Baltimore power, St. Paul’s (3-0).
“Brian’s huge for us,” said attack Ryan Shuler, also Georgetown bound. “He gives us possession and we can control the game. It’s great knowing he will never let us down.”
Two years ago, Prep was beset with injuries and struggling. In three games against teams from the Baltimore-based Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Little Hoyas were out-scored 29-14.
“We lost to Gilman, 10-4,” said Shuler. “And [Danny] Glading had all four goals. That was probably the low point.”
But that was before Prep coach Kevin Giblin turned the faceoff duties over to Tabb, then an under-sized sophomore at 5-foot-8, 150 pounds. With Bullis threatening to beat Prep for the first time since 1988, Tabb claimed 19 of 21 faceoffs, keying an 8-7 overtime decision was the Little Hoyas’ first win in their current string.
“I don’t why he’s so good. It’s a skill I don’t really understand,” said 6-7 defenseman Kevin Ridgway. “When he’s dominating faceoffs, it takes pressure off our defense and puts it on the other team.”
If Ridgway and his fellow defensemen are feeling pressure this season, it’s because of the loss of long stick middie Bray Malphrus (Virginia) to a back injury. There’s plenty of talent left, however, with returning defenders Derek Styer and Joe Bennett, both bound for Princeton, in front of first-year starting goalie Danny Guitierrez, who made two of his 14 saves in the final 20 seconds against Gilman.
Georgetown Prep at St. Paul’s
When » 11 a.m., Saturday
» Prep and St. Paul’s are ranked Nos. 2 and 14 respectively in the nation by Inside Lacrosse.
» Prep’s current streak of five straight wins over MIAA teams, including three by one-goal, is its longest ever.
» St. Paul’s is led by GK Stuart Wheeler (Delaware), A Cliff Larkin, MF Chris Clements (Virginia), D Tyler Boykin (Delaware) and D Scott Matthews.
