The Carlmont boys lacrosse team defeated Sequoia 13-7 Friday night, scoring relentlessly throughout the game despite the intensity of the Sequoia crowd.
With a total of 13 goals scored against them, Sequoia found itself helpless against the Scots, who now have recorded their third blowout win this season.
To beat Sequoia, preparation was crucial. The players and coaches analyzed films from the Ravens’ previous games to gain as much information as possible on their opponent’s strategy.
“Along with our scouting process, we worked on our team defense during practices since we knew defense was going to be extremely important for us to win,” said Todd Irwin, coach of the boys varsity lacrosse team.
Still, no amount of preparation can simulate what it’s really like to be on the field.
“At first, I think some of us were nervous, especially the younger guys on our team that had not played against Sequoia yet,” said Spencer Kelley, a senior on the Scots.
As the game began, the Scots quickly racked up a 3-0 lead. The two teams continued to fight throughout the remainder of the first and second quarters until a goal by Trevor Douglis, a senior, led to a 4-0 run by the Scots to end the half. The Scots were now up 8-2.
“We were feeling good at halftime,” said Zain Patel, a senior on the team. “Our plan for the rest of the game was to play intense defense and tire out Sequoia. We could not let them breathe on either end of the field.”
For both teams, the third quarter was havoc. Each team scored only one goal, and the players were starting to get more aggressive on the field.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Ravens trimmed the Scots’ lead by two goals. The fans roared louder as Sequoia began to mount a comeback.
Despite the roaring crowd, the trash-talking Ravens, and the game’s physicality, the Scots maintained their composure.
“The trash-talking by the fans and the opposing players just fueled us even more,” Patel said. “It gave us more energy and allowed us to finish on a high note.”
The Scots would finish the game by scoring another four goals.
“Towards the end, we were focused. Our mindset was to keep playing hard until no time was left,” said Reid Rodriguez, a senior on the team.
When the clock read zero, the final score was 13-7.
Douglis, with six goals and two assists, and Kelley, with four goals and three assists, led the way on the offensive end for the Scots.
“Being able to beat our rivals by this much is a great feeling,” Douglis said. “Making sure that our opponents never felt comfortable and that the crowd stayed quiet during the game was a great accomplishment for the team.”
On defense, Jamison Blackwell, goalie and senior on the team, recorded a spectacular total of 15 saves.
“The goalie for Sequoia only had three saves in comparison,” Irwin said. “We won our battle by having a better goalie and by having a strong defense that forced Sequoia to take bad shots.”
With this fantastic win, the Scots feel confident for the remainder of the season. But for Carlmont, there is always room for improvement.
“We just have to clear up the little mistakes,” Douglis said. “We have to work on what’s going to put the nail in the coffin for the next game.”
