Centennial Eagles’ Magical Season Ends with Loss to Milford Mill in Maryland Class 3A State Title Game

Saturday’s Maryland  Class 3A State Championship came down to one thing – experience.

Milford Mill, the defending state champions, had it and Centennial, making its first trip to the title game, did not.

The Eagles let their nerves get the best of them early, making just one shot from the floor in the first quarter as the Millers opened up an 11 point lead that Centennial would struggle to overcome.  

The Eagles’ shooting woes continued throughout the game –shooting just 25.9 percent from the field - one of the main reasons Centennial eventually fell to Milford Mill, 56-44.

“We were close, but we couldn’t get over the edge,” said Centennial head coach Chad Hollwedel. “They did a good job taking away our strengths.”

Milford Mill pressured the Eagles’ shooters as soon as the game started, and Centennial struggled to find a rhythm.

The Eagles got off to a slow start, scoring just two points in the first quarter. The Millers, meanwhile, drew on their big game experience. They had been in this situation before – winning the championship just last year. And Milford Mill looked poised to repeat early, outscoring Centennial 13-2 in the game’s opening period, led by senior Tevin Hanner.

Hanner  scored a game-high 19 points to go along with 17 rebounds.

The Eagles quickly fell behind and needed to adjust if they wanted to stay in contention.

The Millers hit a few early shots in the second quarter, extending their lead to 13 points, 17-4.

“When I see the scoreboard 17-4, I am like, ‘ok, it’s just time to play some ball,’” Harbinson said. “I know how we can play.”

Centennial rebounded midway through the second quarter, thanks in large part to senior forward Mike Stefan.

Stefan, who was 0-5 from beyond the arc in the Eagles’ semifinal matchup with South Hagerstown, hit two huge 3-pointers to narrow the deficit.

The team that could not buy a bucket in the first was hitting clutch shot after clutch shot in the second, outscoring the Millers 14-8 to pull within five points to 21-16 in the quarter.

 “We felt like as poorly as we had played on the offensive end, to be down five points at the half was outstanding for us,” Hollwedel said.

Any ground Centennial gained in the second was erased by a 6-0 Milford Mill run to begin the third, ballooning the Millers’ lead to 11 points.

“I feel like there was a little bit of deflating after that,” Hollwedel said. “We were pretty excited coming out of the locker room.”

The Eagles continued to fight – junior Keonte Potts had seven points in the quarter - but by the end of the third Milford Mill was still on top by double digits, 35-25. Potts finished the game with 11 points.

With their backs against the wall in the fourth, the Eagles began to force shots.

Milford Mill outscored Centennial 16-8 in the first five minutes of the quarter - extending their lead to 19 points, 52-33.

Then the Eagles went on a run.

“I never doubted that we were going to come back,” Hollwedel said. “We were not going down without a fight.”

Centennial finished the game on an 11-4 run, but came up just short.

“This was the first game in this entire season that we have not been in the lead in the fourth quarter,” Hollwedel said.

Milford Mill completed the wire-to-wire victory, sealing their second straight Maryland Class 3A State Championship, 56-44.

But Harbinson still sees the Eagles’ championship loss as a moral victory.

“I feel like we did show that we can play with teams that are higher caliber – we can hold our heads high.”

Centennial (44):

Harbinson 11, Potts, 11, Stefan 10, Aaron Adams 7, Myelz Ocadiz 5

Milford Mill (56):

Hanner 19, Kentrell Myers 9, Duane Miller 8, Isaiah McCray 6, Chase Cormier 4,  Troy Parker 3, Tommy Heard 2, Devonte Williams 2, Ryan Jackson 2, Dedrick Lee 1