Bill Ryan/The Gazette Walkersville High School's Branden Smith moves through the Urbana defense during last week’s Monocacy Valley Hockey League tite game at Skate Frederick.

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The Walkersville High School ice hockey team’s season came to an end Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to Walt Whitman in the quarterfinal round of the Maryland Student Hockey League’s 2A state tournament.

The Lions (10-8) were frustrated by goalie Matt Bruns (19 saves), and when they did beat the all-state selection, the puck hit a post or avoided their sticks following rebounds. Brady Policelli scored the team’s only goal late in the third period.

“It stinks and we didn’t get the bounces,” said coach Sean Donegan. “But the boys had a fantastic season. We’re looking forward to next year.”

If the team can develop depth, it could be a legitimate state title contender next season. His son and captain, Casey Donegan, graduates, but several of Walkersville’s front-line skaters are scheduled to return. Juniors and top-3 scorers Brady Smith (18 goals), Nathan Miller (13) and Policelli (15) are all expected back along with Brian Donegan and goalie Dani Hannan.

Gov. Thomas Johnson High School forward Matt Bloom was selected to the all-state first team along with Urbana defenseman Adam Gnatowski.

Talent at the top: Eleven of the 14 individual champions at last weekend’s Frederick County Wrestling Championships came from a total of four schools: Middletown (which won the title), Urbana (which finished in second), Catoctin and Tuscarora.

The three wrestlers to win titles who weren’t from those schools were Walkersville heavyweight Ty Tucker, Oakdale’s 220-pounder Ryan Simonica and Linganore’s 145-pounder Chad Ellis.

The only wrestler to appear in the finals, win or lose, that wasn’t from any of the aforementioned schools was Brunswick’s Jake Fisher, who Tucker pinned in the heavyweight finals.

Who’s afraid of MoCo?: First-year Oakdale swimming and diving coach Jared Minetola said he’d heard the hype about Montgomery County’s talented swimmers but decided not to get too wrapped up in it.

“I didn’t look too much into Montgomery County schools. I just told my guys to go in and worry about Oakdale,” Minetola said.

Montgomery County has a bevy of elite-level swimmers who train in the sport year-round. Saturday’s state championship meet at the University of Maryland, College Park, will mark the first time that Montgomery County has participated in the state meet.

Oakdale hung with Poolesville the duration of Saturday’s Class 3A/2A/1A West Region meet held at the Fairland Aquatic Center in Laurel, but ultimately finished second in both boys and girls standings. Poolesville’s girls won 375-332 while the Falcon boys prevailed 336-269.

“Overall it was a great day,” Minetola said of the region meet. “A lot of time dropped, a lot of personal records were set. To finish first would’ve been nice but I’ll take second any day.”

Wrestling How They Rank

1. Urbana Hawks

Will attempt to regroup after losing to Middletown in the Frederick County championship.

2. Middletown Knights

Judd Ziegler (182) won the battle of undefeated wrestlers against Urbana’s Joe Rimel.

3. Catoctin Cougars

Finished third at county tournament with three individual champions.

4. Tuscarora Titans

Austin Wenzlaff (160) and Anthoney Savage (113) both won county titles.

5. Oakdale BearsCame in fifth at the Frederick County tournament. Ryan Simonica won at 220.

Hockey: How They Rank

1. Walkersville Lions

Nathan Miller had five postseason goals for the Monocacy Valley Conference champions.

2. Urbana HawksStrong season ended with sobering loss to No. 1 in ultra-competitive MVC.

3. Oakdale BearsA 6-2 loss in MVC tournament to Urbana was not as bad as scoreboard indicated.

4. Gov. Thomas Johnson Patriots

Top Frederick team in regular season almost didn’t field a team this winter.

5. Middletown Knights

Will they make playoffs next season?