By Todd McElwee | Staff Writer -- Gazette.net

Momentum was the word on everyone's lips Monday night.

Visiting South Carroll High took control early and never let host Brunswick build up any steam to claim a 20-12 victory in the Class 2A-1A West Region boys lacrosse semifinal.

South Carroll advances to Wednesday's region finals, where it will visit Glenelg at 7 p.m.

"Any time a team gets a goal we always try to come back and answer," said South Carroll junior attackman Chris Frederick. "Any team that has the momentum has a good shot to score."

Outfitted in their black road uniforms, the Cavaliers had a quick response for every Brunswick tally. Fives times, South Carroll (12-4) put together multiple-goal stretches after a Railroaders' score. Only twice could the home team muster consecutive scores.

Down 6-2 at the end of the first quarter, Brunswick struck with a Sean Anderson score roughly a minute into the second. The Cavaliers went on to post the next four goals for a 10-3 lead with 4:04 remaining before the half.

Dylan Hunt got the Railroaders back on the board at 3:37. Wining the subsequent face off, South Carroll's Ben McCarty retaliated roughly 10 seconds later. McCarty, after taking another draw, hit again at 3:12 then found Frederick for a goal at 2:02. South Carroll led 13-4 at intermission.

"They have some guys who can shoot, so we didn't want to get [into] the situation where we lost the momentum," said South Carroll head coach Bill McDermott.

Frederick posted five goals and an assist. McCarty added four scores and an assist while Nic Cimino had three goals. Joe Wright and Dylan McDermott tallied two goals apiece. Taylor Schmitz recorded 15 saves in the cage.

Brunswick fought throughout, outscoring the Cavaliers 8-7 after halftime. The Railroaders just could never sustain the attack.

"We were just scratching and clawing to get a goal, and when we would get one, they would just go back down and get another one top just take all the momentum away from us," said Brunswick head coach Jeffrey Hartman.

Tate Rolland led the Railroaders with four goals and an assist. Anderson had three goals and an assist. He'll play for Pennsylvania's Seton Hill University next year. Kevin Wilson added two scores and an assist. Hunt had two goals. Goalie Anthony Malik finished with 13 saves.

Brunswick arrived as legitimate contenders in 2010. The Railroaders finished with a program-best 12-4 mark after recording just five wins last season.

"I've had groups that had more talent, but this was a group that really worked hard and came together," Hartman said. "We're very proud of their efforts. In no game did they ever quit."