Few high school athletes know each other as well as Blake seniors Molly Wannen and Sammy Allen. After playing together in three sports for three years, they can anticipate each other’s moves, communicate without a look, finish each other’s sentences.
Monday afternoon their rare simpatico produced an overtime goal to propel Blake to a 1-0 victory over rival Springbrook.
Employing an old-school give-and-go — one like they might use on the basketball court or lacrosse field — Wannen sent a long pass in transition to Allen and kept running downfield, knowing a return pass was on its way. When Allen slid the ball across the circle, Wannen tapped it right to dodge Springbrook goalie Lauren Kessler’s aggressive lunge, then walked it to the cage for the first goal of her career.
“She knew I would be there. I knew she’d get me the ball,” said Wannen. “It’s just something we have — a Sammy-Molly thing.”
Allen (seven goals) usually is the finisher. This time she paved the way for Wannen, who doesn’t get many chances to score from her halfback slot.
“It was just set up perfectly,” said Allen. “When Molly got me the ball, I knew she would keep on going. I passed it back knowing she’d be there.”
Both have started for three years in the backcourt for the Blake basketball team. Both were All-Montgomery County selections for the Bengals’ region championship lacrosse squad.
Monday they conspired against Kessler (three saves) who is in goal after playing forward for three seasons. Last year she scored 17 goals, leading Springbrook to the state championship game. This fall, she is playing well, but struggling mentally with the long periods of inaction that come with her new position.
“It’s really hard in a game like that,” said Kessler. “It’s horrendously frustrating — to be standing there and want to do something so much and not being able to do anything else but stand there.”
Slap shots
» Young Blake (4-1) is off to a strong start under coach Janis Maloney, who assisted Shella Burch since the program’s inception before taking over the team this year.
» Blake goalie Kelly Arguero (three saves) also plays varsity lacrosse and basketball with Wannen and Allen.
» Springbrook (2-2) lost its season opener to a strong Poolesville squad.
