Kimandi Binns and Mardela High School edged arch rivals St. Michael's 2-1 during a thriller in Maryland last Tuesday night to advance to the Bayside Division A semi-finals for the third straight year.

Junior forward Jordan Bebee scored a brace to lift the Warriors past their bitter rivals who hit back through a late, disputed penalty that forced the visitors to "sweat it out" to the sweet end.

"The environment was great and the boys were ready to go. And it was so refreshing to see them play the way I know they are capable of," commented Warriors' Bermudian coach and former North Village captain Binns.

Warriors took the lead midway through the first half when Bebee, fresh off a hat-trick in last week's 9-1 quarter-final demolition over Snow Hill High School, buried a shot from 30 yards that gave the 'keeper absolutely no chance as it flew into the roof of the net.

Bebee then doubled the visitor's lead ten-minutes later when he calmly side-footed Evan Keplinger's pass at the back post across the line before St. Michael's' fiercely debated penalty cut it close near the end.

"It was an intense last 10 minutes," Binns said.

Last Tuesday's win came at a cost, however, as Keplinger limped off with a suspected broken ankle and is now highly doubtful to take any part in the Warriors' Bayside Division A semi-final on Friday against North Dorchester - the team that beat Binn's men at the same stage last season in a penalty shootout.

"We might've lost Evan for the rest of the season," Binns said, now in his fourth season as coach of the Warriors.