ST. MARY’S CITY — Senior captain Joshua Martel etched his name into St. Mary’s College of Maryland lacrosse history Wednesday, scoring six goals to lead the Seahawks to a commanding 27-1 victory over Cairn University in the United East Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship Tournament semifinals at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium.
The top-seeded Seahawks (11-7) overwhelmed the fourth-seeded Highlanders (2-9), outshooting them 62-13, winning 23 of 31 faceoffs, and collecting 49 ground balls. Martel, a 5-foot-8 attackman from Linthicum and North County High School, entered the game needing five goals to break the program’s record. He finished with six goals and one assist for seven points, pushing his career total to 157 goals and surpassing the previous mark of 155 held by Aiden Doyle ’25.
The Seahawks built an insurmountable lead early, closing the first quarter with a 13-0 advantage.
Sophomore midfielder Gavin Phipps from Mayo and South River High School opened the scoring, followed by goals from senior Gavin McKay of Urbana and Martel. Martel added multiple tallies in the quarter with assists from teammates, including junior defensive midfielder Jackson Pailthorp of Fallston and Calvert Hall, and senior attackman Liam McNulty of Severna Park.
The second quarter saw continued offensive firepower. Sophomore attackman Mike Machiran from Ellicott City and Marriotts Ridge scored first, assisted by first-year attackman Jack Reiter of Damascus. First-year midfielder RJ Cusson from Towson and Loyola Blakefield added a goal, followed by a man-up tally from sophomore attackman Charlie Reid of Catonsville and Glenelg Country. First-year midfielder Drew Sullivan from Baltimore and Calvert Hall notched two goals, both assisted by Reiter. St. Mary’s led 20-1 at halftime.
Sullivan opened the third quarter with another goal assisted by Reiter at the 11:33 mark. Machiran and first-year midfielder Sam Duch of Wilmington, Del., added goals, with assists from Sullivan and Reid. Reiter and first-year midfielder Matthew Martel of Linthicum and North County closed the quarter with goals, giving the Seahawks a 26-1 lead heading into the final period.
In the fourth, senior captain Adam Martin from Kent Island scored his first goal of the season at the 1:20 mark, assisted by Reiter. Cairn managed one goal in the game, scored by Cole Heffler.
Reiter quarterbacked the offense with a career-best six assists and two goals for eight points. Sullivan posted his first career points as a Seahawk with three goals and three assists. Senior Matteo Ciccarello from Crofton and Arundel dominated faceoffs, winning 22 of 28 and collecting 18 ground balls.
The Seahawks will host the championship game Saturday against No. 2 seed Penn College (14-4), which defeated Pittsburgh-Bradford 29-6 in the other semifinal. Faceoff is set for 12 p.m. at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and children.
St. Mary’s College, located in Southern Maryland, has built a strong program that draws local talent from counties including Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s. Wednesday’s blowout victory showcased the depth of players from the region, with multiple contributors from area high schools helping secure the program’s advancement to the conference final.
The win advances the Seahawks’ quest for a United East title and potential NCAA Tournament berth. Martel’s record-breaking night caps a standout career and highlights the team’s offensive balance, with 11 different players finding the net.
Cairn’s Adain Holliday led the Highlanders with eight ground balls, while Daniel Lafferty made eight saves. The lone goal for Cairn came from Heffler, who also had three ground balls.
Southern Maryland fans are expected to turn out in force Saturday to support the hometown Seahawks in their bid for conference hardware. The program has elevated its profile in recent seasons, blending local standouts with strong recruiting to compete at a high level in the United East.
