The boys lacrosse team swept the Carlmont Scots 18-3 in an easy win on Thursday evening.
The Bears wasted no time setting the tone for the match, with junior attacker Carey Wolf sinking a speedy goal six seconds into the first quarter. Building off that momentum, the Bears showed their strategic defense with senior goalkeeper Olivier Yuk easily saving the few shots the Carlmont took.
With seven minutes left in the first quarter, senior midfielder Eric Torre gained possession during the face-off and ran the ball to the crease and into the cage, bringing the Bears to an early 3-0 lead. M-A’s offense commanded the pitch with multiple goal attempts, constant movement, and lively communication, keeping the team focused.
The Bears remained ahead and took advantage of the penalty given to a Scot. Carlmont stood no chance as sophomore offensive midfielder Will Torre fired a shot right between the Carlmont goalkeeper’s legs, ending the quarter with M-A up 5-0.
The Bears continued to control the game into the second quarter. Will worked with offense to sink the sixth shot for the Bears with 10:15 left on the clock. The movement amongst the Bears kept the Scots’ defense under constant pressure.
M-A gained quick possession following a face-off and made way for Wolf to drive the ball into the cage, furthering the Bears’ lead to 9-1 with 8:30 left in the quarter. Back on defense, the Bears were relentless, forcing missed passes from the Scots and stolen possessions. Yuk remained a force in the cage, blocking shot after shot.
Despite the Bears’ intense defense, the Scots successfully snuck a goal in with 3:38 on the clock, giving them a little hope for a comeback. In retaliation, the Bears drove in four quick goals in the last minute of the quarter, with an impressive shot by senior attacker Jonas Roodman as he fought against heavy contact from the Scots’ defense.
The Bears ended the first half with a 12-point lead. “I think the best part about the team is our chemistry, which sets us up for amazing success throughout our games,” Roodman said.
M-A started the second half displaying the same control they had held since the beginning. Sharp passing on offense and tight coverage on defense maintained the Bears’ lead. Junior defender Jack Haarman was able to drill in his first goal of the season with 7:40 on the clock, resulting in an electric atmosphere on the sidelines and stands.
The Scots gained some momentum in the second half of the third quarter, scoring twice within the last two and a half minutes. However, the running clock and a crucial save from Yuk crushed their dreams of a late comeback. This brief hope for the Scots ended the quarter with the Bears still up 16-3.
Heading into the final quarter, the Bears’ lead kept the morale high as the sun went down. After a barrage of unsuccessful shots, the Bears found the net as junior offensive midfielder Ben Skirboll seamlessly bypassed two Scots and buried the ball with 3:38 remaining.
The match ended in a scramble for a dropped ball, with M-A coming out with possession but ultimately not having enough time to drive home a final goal. As the clock expired, the Bears dominated the easy competition, winning with a final score of 18-3.
“We have our annual spring break trip to Texas, so we’re trying to take the momentum we had from this game to that, finish out the rest of our league undefeated, and win our third consecutive league championship,” senior attacker Colin Kryer said.
The Bears will travel to Austin, Texas, to play the Westwood Warriors on Thursday at 6:45 p.m.
