Last week was a good week for the Vashon Lacrosse Club, with the junior varsity team winning both of its games and the varsity team notching its first victory.
On Monday, March 28, JV hosted its first game of the season against Tahoma. Freshman Evan Anderson scored Vashon’s first two goals to establish a lead that Vashon never relinquished.
While Tahoma never fell more than two goals behind, Vashon consistently responded to Tahoma’s runs to maintain the lead throughout the game.
Tahoma scored with a minute and a half remaining, but Vashon hung on for a 7-6 victory.
Anderson finished as Vashon’s top scorer with three goals. Sophomore Anthony Baker devoured seven ground balls and scored twice. Junior Will West and freshman Hart Heffelfinger were a steady presence for Vashon’s defense.
The JV team hosted Gig Harbor two days later. Vashon jumped to a first-quarter lead, thanks again to scoring from freshmen Evan Anderson and Grif Jennings. After a flurry of goals early in the game, Vashon went silent until part way through the third quarter.
Freshmen Marquiss Stendahl and Nick Amundsen ignited Vashon’s offense late in the third quarter to seal an eventual 10-9 win over Gig Harbor.
The Vashon varsity team notched its first win of the season over Seattle’s Lakeside School. Vashon started slowly in the first half, which gave Lakeside momentum. Lakeside dominated the ball early on, but Vashon managed to tie the score 2-2 by the end of the first quarter.
Lakeside continued its ball control to take a 4-3 lead into halftime. While sophomore goalie Aaron Bomber made saves to keep the game close, Vashon’s offense simply could not hold the ball to develop scoring opportunities.
Things changed rather suddenly for Vashon early in the second half. Junior Luke Hembree scored his first goal unassisted, only one minute into the half, to tie the game at 4-4. Forty seconds later, sophomore Caz Mozeleski took a pass from junior Dan Lofland to score again for Vashon’s first lead. It was a lead that Vashon would not relinquish.
Vashon finished with four goals in the third quarter and six in the fourth, while Lakeside could only muster four goals in the half. Vashon finished with a 13-8 victory.
Vashon’s attack began to show its scoring potential in this game. Hembree finished with five goals and two assists, and junior co-captain John Smith and Mozeleski both had two goals and one assist. Lofland scooped up an eye-popping 16 ground balls, while Sam West provided ever-increasing leadership at the defensive end.
After spring break, Vashon will face its toughest opponent of the season in a home game against Bainbridge at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 13. Vashon will host Lynnwood at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16.
— Charley Rosenberry is the coach of the Vashon Lacrosse Club.
