War on the Shore

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War on the Shore
SportLacrosse
Teams
First meetingApril 6, 1974
Washington 16, Salisbury 11
Latest meetingApril 24, 2026
Salisbury 6, Washington 4
StadiumsRoy Kirby Stadium & Sea Gull Stadium
TrophyCharles B. Clark Cup
Statistics
Meetings total58
All-time seriesSalisbury, 38-20
Largest victoryWashington, 24-4 (1986)
Longest win streakWashington, 12 (1982-1990)
Salisbury, 12 (2003-2012)
Salisbury, 12 (2014 - Present)
Current win streakSalisbury, 12 (2014 - Present)

The War on the Shore is the annual Men's Lacrosse game between rivals Washington College and Salisbury University.[1] These two schools are located on Maryland's eastern shore and are just 82 miles (132 km) apart. This game is nicknamed "The War on the Shore" because they are two major colleges on the eastern shore of Maryland and the close proximity creates a natural rivalry between the schools. This Division III game is played every spring and is considered one of the most anticipated games of the year in lacrosse.[2]

Charles Branch Clark, a 1934 graduate of Washington College and lacrosse coach at both schools, has been called the "tie binding the lacrosse traditions of both schools."[3] After Clark's passing in December 2003,[4] the Charles B. Clark cup was named in his honor and has since been awarded annually to the winner of the war on the Shore. The game between these two teams draws several thousand fans each year earning this game the title "The Biggest Little Lacrosse Game in America."[3]

The Shoremen and Sea Gulls have faced off 57 times, with Salisbury leading the overall series 37–20, since the series began in 1974, including 10 times in the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship.[3] The competition did not occur in 2020 or 2021 amid both universities closing for the COVID-19 pandemic,[5] but returned in 2022.

From 2002 to 2012, the Sea Gulls of Salisbury had won 10 straight games over the Shoremen of Washington until the Shoremen broke the streak with a 7–6 victory in 2013. Each game is played either at Roy Kirby Stadium on the campus of Washington College or Sea Gull Stadium on the campus of Salisbury University.

Results

Salisbury victoriesWashington victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 April 6, 1974 Chestertown, MD Washington 16–11
2 April 30, 1975 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 10–8
3 April 28, 1976 Chestertown, MD Washington 13–10
4 May 5, 1981 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 20–15
5 May 1, 1982 Chestertown, MD Washington 15–9
6 April 30, 1983 Salisbury, MD Washington 11–10
7 May 11, 1983 Geneva, NY Washington 19–7
8 April 21, 1984 Chestertown, MD Washington 14–7
9 May 13, 1984 Geneva, NY Washington 13–8
10 April 28, 1985 Salisbury, MD Washington 16–6
11 April 19, 1986 Chestertown, MD Washington 16–7
12 May 7, 1986 Geneva, NY Washington 24–4
13 April 18, 1987 Salisbury, MD Washington 18–7
14 April 9, 1988 Chestertown, MD Washington 14–6
15 April 29, 1989 Salisbury, MD Washington 13–8
16 April 28, 1990 Chestertown, MD Washington 14–12
17 April 27, 1991 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 20–4
18 April 25, 1992 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 22–8
19 April 24, 1993 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 17–5
20 May 16, 1993 College Park, MD Washington 12–11
21 April 23, 1994 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 13–8
22 May 15, 1994 College Park, MD Salisbury 24–6
23 April 22, 1995 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 21–8
24 April 20, 1996 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 23–11
25 May 18, 1996 College Park, MD Washington 11–10
26 April 19, 1997 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 16–5
27 April 18, 1998 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 24–11
28 May 17, 1998 New Brunswick, NJ Washington 12–10
29 May 1, 1999 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 16–15
30 April 29, 2000 Salisbury, MD Washington 15–10
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
31 May 14, 2000 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 21–9
32 May 5, 2001 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 8–7
33 May 4, 2002 Salisbury, MD Washington 14–10
34 May 3, 2003 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 17–12
35 May 1, 2004 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 21–7
36 May 23, 2004 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 13–11
37 April 30, 2005 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 11–10
38 April 29, 2006 Baltimore, MD Salisbury 13–7
39 May 17, 2006 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 8–4
40 April 28, 2007 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 13–5
41 April 26, 2008 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 15–11
42 April 25, 2009 Chestertown, MD Salisbury 12–11
43 May 8, 2010 Salisbury, MD Salisbury 12–7
44 May 7, 2011 Chestertown, MD #1 Salisbury 17–3
45 April 21, 2012 Salisbury, MD #1 Salisbury 17–5
46 April 17, 2013 Chestertown, MD #12 Washington 7–6
47 March 19, 2014 Salisbury, MD #2 Salisbury 12–7
48 May 18, 2014 Salisbury, MD #2 Salisbury 13–8
49 April 18, 2015 Chestertown, MD #10 Salisbury 23–5
50 March 16, 2016 Salisbury, MD #2 Salisbury 14–2
51 March 11, 2017 Chestertown, MD #1 Salisbury 14–1
52 March 17, 2018 Salisbury, MD #8 Salisbury 7–6
53 April 13, 2019 Chestertown, MD #1 Salisbury 15–142OT
54 April 9, 2022 Salisbury, MD #1 Salisbury 22–8
55 April 15, 2023 Chestertown, MD #2 Salisbury 23–9
56 April 13, 2024 Salisbury, MD #1 Salisbury 12–7
57 April 25, 2025 Chestertown, MD #2 Salisbury 20–6
58 April 24, 2026 Salisbury, MD #7 Salisbury 6–4
Series: Salisbury leads 38–20

Sources:[6][7]

References

  1. "No. 1 Salisbury lacrosse rallies to beat rival Washington College to win War on the Shore". www.ncaa.com. April 13, 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. Wilson, Connor (April 7, 2014). "The Greatest Lacrosse Rivalries Ever". Lacrosse All Stars. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  3. "War on the Shore to be televised". MyEasternShoreMD. May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  4. Dewar, Heather (December 14, 2003). "Charles B. Clark Sr., 90, teacher, lacrosse coach". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  5. "2020 Men's Lacrosse Schedule". Salisbury.
  6. "Men's Lacrosse History vs Salisbury University". Washington College. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  7. "Division III Men's lacrosse championships records book" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org. 2018.