The Carlmont varsity boys lacrosse team lost to the Sequoia Ravens 5-3 at Carlmont High School on Saturday, April 20. The Scots, now 9-4 overall, had a fierce match against the Ravens but ultimately fell short.
The Ravens scored first, with a strong charge during the first minutes of play. However, seniors Jacob Tom and Owen Livesay pushed through Sequoia’s defense, and Carlmont managed to equalize before the end of the first quarter.
During the second quarter, both teams pushed back attacks, becoming more defensive in anticipation of quick turnovers. The Scots faced a fast turnover and scored, but the Ravens controlled the final minutes, equalizing before halftime.
During halftime, defensive coach Michael Leavitt described the team needing to charge.
“You guys kept fighting, but we really need to play small and charge when we need to,” Leavitt said.
At the start of the third quarter, the Ravens scored. Even with the help of the small charge tactics described at halftime, Carlmont missed opportunities, and Sequoia managed to make another shot before the end of the quarter.
“We kept pushing back, but they just kept coming,” said senior Braeden Kumer.
Going into the fourth, with Carlmont trailing, Sequoia continued to apply pressure and scored halfway through the final quarter. In the final minutes, Carlmont scored and tried to close the gap, trailing two points behind Sequoia. Ultimately, they fell short, despite senior Nicholas Tolod making last-ditch efforts and leading nearly the entirety of both teams to Sequoia’s goal.
“I thought we played at a high level in some games and poorly in others because of specific quarters that ended up costing the game,” Tom said.
The Scots have been working hard throughout the season, as seen on the field, even though they lost.
“I appreciate the effort you guys are putting in. We played well, but their defense played better,” Leavitt said, addressing the team after the game ended.
The Scots previously beat the Ravens 10-6, and their defeat showed them what the team needs to improve. With many past wins and a successful previous season, the Scots hope to take on the rest of the season with enthusiasm.
“Our current strength is in our team chemistry with one another, especially playing off each other on defense,” Tom said. “We can improve capitalizing more on power plays, hopefully securing the important quarters and winning more games.”
