"War on the Shore" Set for Saturday, Game to be Broadcast on TV for First Time

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- The "biggest little lacrosse game in America" takes center stage this Saturday as the Washington College and Salisbury University men's lacrosse teams do battle in Chestertown in the annual "War on the Shore" rivalry game for the Charles B. Clark Cup. For the first time ever, the game will be broadcast live on Baltimore's ABC 2 (WMAR-TV) and online on ESPN3.com.

Separated by 80 miles of idyllic Eastern Shore landscape, Salisbury University and Washington College are in many ways opposite - Salisbury the larger, state university and Washington the small, private liberal arts college. Salisbury lies 20 minutes from the ocean on the southern half of the peninsula, while Washington lies 20 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay on the northern half of the peninsula.

The tie bonding the lacrosse traditions of both institutions is Charles B. Clark. A 1934 graduate of Washington College, Clark was an educator and lacrosse coach at both schools, leading the Shoremen to a share of the USILA Laurie Cox Division National Championship in 1954 and the Sea Gulls to their then-highest national ranking of third in 1981. A member of of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Clark passed away in 2003.  The following spring, the Charles B. Clark Cup was named in his honor and has since been awarded annually to the winning team of the "War on the Shore."

The Shoremen and Sea Gulls have faced off 43 times, including 10 times in the NCAA Division III Tournament, since the two teams first met in 1974. "The War on the Shore" routinely draws over 2,000 fans - an impressive figure for any Division III sporting event. 

ABC 2 is Baltimore's ABC affiliate and can be watched via an over-the-air antenna, on regional cable systems, and on DirecTV, Dish Network, and Verizon Fios within the Baltimore media market. ESPN3.com is available free on college campuses and military bases and via most major internet service providers, including Atlantic Broadband, Bright House, Cavalier, Comcast, Cox, TimeWarner, and Verizon.  For more information on ESPN3 and to find out if your internet provider carries it, check http://espn.go.com/espn3/faq. 

In addition to the ABC 2 and ESPN3.com broadcast, fans can also listen to the game locally on WCTR 1530 AM (or on the station's web site - http://wctr.com) and follow the game's live stats on http://WashingtonCollegeSports.com. 

There is no admission charge for the game, which begins at 1:00 p.m. on Kibler Field inside Washington College's Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium.