St. Paul's caps a 'perfect' MIAA B Conference season with a second straight championship
Tyler Clary scores twice as the Crusaders edge Severn in the title match
by Derek Toney
Tyler Clary likes to keep things loose for St. Paul’s School’s soccer team which, sometimes, gives his coach pause.
But, on the field, Clary is all business. Sunday evening, the senior helped the Crusaders continue their rebirth.
St. Paul’s defeated Severn School, 2-1, in the MIAA B Conference title game at UMBC Stadium, part of the MIAA's Soccer Championship Sunday at UMBC Stadium.
Clary accounted for both goals for the Crusaders (13-3-2 overall), who completed a perfect run (12-0 including postseason) through the B. Nick Melfi scored for Severn (13-6-1).
It was a perfect ending for Clary, one of 12 seniors. Two years ago, St. Paul’s had a disastrous season in the MIAA A, prompting a move back to the B Conference.
“It’s awesome…senior year to be able to get the win twice in a row is amazing,” said Clary. “It was a great season with the guys.”
Clary broke through for St. Paul’s in the waning minutes of the first half, getting his foot on a loose ball and placing it wide of a diving Severn goalie Connor Leach.
The Crusaders capitalized on an Admiral defensive lapse as Ezra Riojas sent a ball to Clary, who slipped ahead of an Admiral defender, about five yards from the front of the goal, and knocked it in the 50th minute.
St. Paul’s coach Paul Fisher said he knows what to expect from Clary.
“T.C. (Clary) sometimes he drives me crazy but he always plays really really hard,” said Fisher. “He’s goofy but that’s ok because the minute the whistle blows, he’s not goofy at all. He’s incredibly competitive, incredibly focused.”
“The way I lock in, I can’t just sit there…I’m anxious, I like to make people laugh, that’s how I get my mind right,” said Clary. “When the clock starts, I know I got to turn it on.”
Melfi got Severn back into contention in the 57th minute, getting his foot high on a loose ball and putting it in from about six yards.
The Crusaders defense held firm. In the 67th minute, senior goalie Ned Doherty extended his body over an oncoming Ezra Rojas in the front of the goal for a save.
Severn’s Zach Yusuf got a ball just outside the box and broke towards the goal, but freshman Henry Evans was able to impede Yusuf’s progress.
The Admirals got one final chance, with 0.2 seconds to play, but Will Cawlfield’s free kick sailed far from the goal.
“I really thought we had some good momentum after that goal,” said Severn coach Mike McCarthy, whose team has won five B championships since 2014. “They blocked it in and played a slow defensive game.”
A year ago, St. Paul’s defeated the Admirals (2-1) at Under Armour Stadium. The Crusaders won, 4-2, during the 2024 regular season.
St. Paul’s didn’t lose a league match (10-0-2 including playoffs) last year, winning its first championship since 2010 (B).
“We struggled in the A and we came back down and have done really really well,” said Fisher. “We still challenge ourselves playing A Conference and D.C. schools. It’s satisfying to have a goal, have a goal for the culture and accomplish it.”