Community - Game of the Week(*)

Each week during the 2008 season we'll be hitting the road to bring you an up close look at some of what and who is happening locally at the youth, high school and college levels.

Sunset @ Jesuit

Fresh off their first ever win over OES, the Sunset boy's crossed town for their first ever meeting with Jesuit. Although a first year program on paper, Jesuit has a number of players with Varsity experience and is off to a great start in their first year together. Tied atop the OHSLA Metro division the two teams played a tough, low scoring game on a cold and wet night. Tied at 2 at the half, Jesuit's Ryan Leaverton got things going in the third, scoring on a coast to coast clearing effort to take a 3-2 lead. It remained a one goal game throughout the half as Jesuit senior goalie Jordan Cundari came up big, repeatedly turning back the Sunset offense. Jeff Calderwood finally found the range for Sunset and scored with just over 6 minutes remaining to eventually take the game to OT tied at 3-3. Jesuit had a golden opportunity to steal the game at the end of the first OT as with 9 seconds left, a long clearing pass led to a cross crease feed and quick stick attempt that was stuffed by Sunset goalie Jack Regan as the buzzer sounded. Senior middie Dominic Cerri ended the night however in the second OT to give Jesuit the upset win. These teams meet again at Sunset in the last week of the regular season and safe to say we have a new rivalry in the Metro to keep an eye on.

Westview @ Sunset

Sunset hosted Westview earlier this month on a cold night that saw each team enter the game at 4-1, tied atop the OGLA's Metro division. It would end up to be Sunset's night as they came out and looked to me like a team that could do some damage come playoff time. Great hustle and transition play lead to easy scoring chances and the Apollos made them count. Seven players put up scoring numbers for Sunset. Led by Laura Krull's 4 goal night Sunset scoring included 3 point efforts each from Lauren Skaggs (2g,1a) and Alexa Jellison(2g,1a). Westview played hard through a tough night and got some offense rolling in the second half with 2 goals from Julie Rilling and 1 from Mary Schubert but it was all Sunset from then on out as they cruised to the 10-3 victory.

LAKE OSWEGO @ LAKERIDGE

Three undefeated regular seasons, three consecutive state titles and a 62 game in state winning streak. That's what was on the line last Friday as Lakeridge hosted their cross town rivals from Lake Oswego HS in the first of two regular season meetings. Always two of the stronger teams in the state perhaps no one outside of OES has suffered more during the Pacers incredible streak than the Lakers. Having been left to play second fiddle to the Pacers the last few years the Lakers came into the game with their strongest team in years and finally found the formula to take down the Pacers. A slow, low scoring first half saw both teams struggle for control of the game. LO seemed to dominate in time of possession but the Pacers got out to the early lead midway through the 2nd at 2-0. Lake Oswego got on track and tied the game at 2, then went ahead to take a 4-3 half time lead. The pace increased dramatically in the second half as the offenses woke up. The teams traded goals as LO went up 5-3, then 6-4 and 6-5 before Lakeridge finally pulled even as senior Andrew Clayton scored to tie the game at 6-6 with about 9 and a half minutes remaining. The next 9 minutes were by far the best and most exciting part of the game as sophomore Blake Heim put the Lakers up 7-6 on the next possession only to see the Pacers tie it right away at 7-7 with under 7 minutes remaining. Junior middie Brian Greenberg's goal at 5:03 sparked a three goal Laker run that would end with senior Sean Silverstein's goal with 55 seconds remaining making the score 10-7. Lakeridge was able to get in one more tally however to make the final 10-8 before the clock ran out on this game and their incredible winning streak. While the night and the victory belonged to the Lakers and deservedly so, we have to tip our hat to the Pacers and recognize something in the domination of that 62 game streak that I doubt we will ever see locally again. Congrats to the Lakers for knocking off Goliath and congrats to the Pacer program as a whole for their great run. One streak ends, time for a new one to begin? Stay tuned.

Wilsonville at Southridge

This week game took us out to Southridge High School as the Skyhawks hosted the Wilsonville Wildcats in an early season OGLA match up. The calendar said March but it felt more like January once the sun went down but like true lacrosse players the girls hung tough and played through the low 40 degree temperatures. Southridge, playing their second game in as many nights came into the game fresh off a rough outing against Lake Oswego and was determined to make sure this night saw a different result. A slow paced first half saw both teams still trying to find a groove here in the early season as well as having to battle the weather conditions but Southridge clung to a one goal lead heading into the break at 3-2. Southridge came out a carried the play for much of the second half and could have blown this game wide open had it not been for a strong effort in goal by Wilsonville goalie (#20) Jamie Robinson. Robinson turned away 5 great looks during the half to keep the Wildcats within one even as Southridge dominated the time of possession. The Skyhawks finally got some breathing room with 4 minutes remaining as they scored to make it 4-2. Wilsonville had one more opportunity to get back within one goal but Southridge goalie (#31) Cynthia Trujillo answered the call and turned back Wilsonville's best look of the half with a great kick save on a breakaway opportunity. Southridge capped off the night with a pretty quick stick goal from an inbounds play behind the goal to take home the 5-2 decision. Thanks for the great game girls and best of luck the rest of the way!

MERCER ISLAND vs. OES

And we're off! The 2008 lacrosse season kicked off last weekend with a number of northwest teams crossing the Columbia for some non league action to start the year. Among the teams that travelled south we're reigning Washington State Champs Bainbridge Island and perennial State champions Mercer Island. In our first installment of the 2008 Game of the Week we took a look at the OES v Mercer Island battle on Saturday afternoon at West Linn high school. Both of these programs have turned out a number of NCAA varsity players and have a long successful history in their respective states. OES has reached the Oregon State title game 5 years in a row, taking home the 2004 championship and Mercer Island has reached the Washington State Div. 1 finals 7 years running, taking home 4 championships including 3 straight from 2004-2006. A great early season match up as both teams look to replace key losses to graduation and finally get after someone in a different color jersey after three weeks of practice. As you would expect the first half was a little slow on the offensive ends as players shook the rust off and begin to learn how to play with new line mates against live action. Tied at 3 entering the half each team scored once in the third quarter and it looked like we would head to the fourth tied again until a late transition goal lifted OES to a 5-4 lead just before the buzzer. That goal seemed to energize the OES squad as they came out and took control of the fourth quarter with a signature OES effort. Strong goaltending, solid team defense with great full field transition play from the long poles and unselfish play from the offense led the Aardvarks to the 8-4 victory. It was a great game to kick off the season with. Both teams are loaded with talent at both ends of the field and you should fully expect to see them in their familiar positions at years end playing for their respective state championships.