Words: Giana Han
The Lady Eagles went down in a valiant effort to beat rival Mount Hebron in the lacrosse game May 2.
At the start of the first half, the Lady Vikings got off to a quick start with two successive goals from Jennifer Giles and Jordan Stevens.
However, senior Kay Kelly helped to turn the game around with a goal, putting the Eagles within one. Giles quickly came back with another goal of her own. Dani Wilson took back that goal, then Alicia Hsieh tied it up at 3-3.
With 1:36 left in the half, Hsieh had a clutch goal that pushed the Eagles ahead of the Vikings for the first and only time in the game.
Steven’s quickly tied the game again, and two more goals put Hebron up at the half, 6-4.
After the teams came out of halftime, it became clear that Hebron did not want their last game of the season to ruin their undefeated record, and they went on a scoring run.
Chachi Kelehan scored the first goal of the half. Wilson matched that with one of her own, but Hebron then went on a 6 goal scoring streak. Ally Unkenholz and Kelehan each scored one, and Stevens and Giles put up two more before Wilson was able to cut into the run with a Centennial goal.
Wilson, Hsieh, and Devin Mcintyre added three more goals to Centennial’s score, but combined with a higher number of turnovers and fouls, it was not enough, and the Eagles went down 16-9.
The boys’ team attempted to avenge the loss that night when they faced Hebron on their home field.
The game was more of a defensive struggle, the first goal not coming until late in the first period when John Kolp scored a goal off of an assist from Quinn Western.
Andrew Gavlin had an assist to Dean Fochios for the second goal of the night, which gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The Vikings began to push the ball down into Eagle territory, putting more pressure on the defense. Dan Pomeranz had an amazing save, but Hebron’s Shane Brookheart was able to squeeze one by him to cut into the Eagles two point lead.
Just like the Lady Eagles did, the Vikings had started a turn around. With 1:47 left in the second period, Zach Stevens came around the crease and scored, tying the game. 29 seconds later, his teammate Bryce Brookheart put the Vikings ahead.
Luckily, just before the buzzer sounded, Western was able to get it to Gavlin for a goal to tie the game 3-3.
After tying the game, the Eagles were able to stop the Viking’s momentum. Pomeranz had several great saves. Fochios scored two more goals for a total of three goals that night, and Gavlin scored another.
The Eagles were up 6-3 when, with 34 seconds left, Hebron was able to get its final goal. However, Kolp scored the seventh and final goal with five seconds left, sealing the Eagle’s victory over Hebron.
“It feels like nothing else,” said Fochios, who was the high scorer for the game. “It feels great to beat our biggest rival in the county. When we tied it, we started getting pumped up, started playing with heart, and that’s what helps win the game.”
Both varsity lacrosse games will be moving on from these final games against Hebron to the play-offs.
