The Vashon Boys High School Lacrosse Club bounced back from three tough losses to finish its season with three consecutive victories.
On Senior Night, May 7, Vashon opened with its second game against Kennedy Catholic, a team that beat Vashon a week earlier, 15-10.
Kennedy scored first, but Vashon responded to take a 5-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Vashon could not stop Kennedy’s top scorer in the second quarter, allowing Kennedy to even the score at 7-7. The game remained tied at the end of three quarters, 10-10.
At the beginning of the fourth, Vashon’s offense erupted for five unanswered goals. Leading off with two goals from Caz Mozeleski and Luke Hembree, Vashon peppered Kennedy’s goalie. Vashon’s defense wore down the Kennedy offense, allowing just one goal with three minutes left in the game. Mozeleski led Vashon scorers with five goals and one assist. Evan Anderson established himself as Vashon’s top ground ball man, collecting eight ground balls.
It was a fitting honor for Vashon’s seniors Luke Hembree, John Smith, Konnar Fall, Dan Lofland, Will West and Max Croonquist.
With little time to rest, Vashon relied on its back-up players to carry the team against Klahowya on Tuesday. At the outset, Vashon’s offense took time to find its rhythm. Led by Charlie Penwick and Eli Sedgemore, the defense disrupted Klahowya to keep within striking distance. Klahowya led by a 2-1 margin at half. Vashon’s offense awakened in the third quarter to score three goals while the defense shut out Klahowya. Though Klahowya scored twice in the fourth, Vashon’s AJ Ford ripped a shot past its goalie for a 5-4 victory.
Vashon played its final game of the season on Wednesday against Seattle’s Garfield High School. Garfield had edged out Vashon for a playoff berth with a victory earlier in the week, giving Vashon extra incentive to show that it belongs among the top teams in Washington’s Division II High School Lacrosse. Despite playing two consecutive games before its showdown with Garfield, Vashon held nothing back as this game opened. With Winter Krimmert repeatedly winning face-offs, Vashon raced to a 9-1 lead. Vashon’s offense cooled in the second quarter, but it’s defense denied all but one Garfield-scoring opportunity, giving Vashon an 11-2 lead at half. In the third quarter, Vashon’s offense came alive again.
Goals from Hembree, Mozeleski and Anderson extended Vashon’s lead to 15-3. Vashon continued to frustrate Garfield with goalie Aaron Bomber making Herculean saves and Vashon’s offense recording four additional goals to secure a 19-3 win.
With 15 saves, Bomber secured his place as one of the state’s top two goalies in Division II. Mozeleski finished the game with seven goals and two assists. Hembree had six goals and one assist and finished the season with the most goals of any Division II player. While Vashon did not make the playoffs, its 9-7 record gave it an eighth place ranking in Division II.
