Second-half flurry gives Centreville first district win
By Dave Buschenfeldt
The Centreville boys lacrosse team entered Tuesday's regular-season finale at Fairfax in the midst of a six-game losing streak, and after falling behind 4-1 midway through the second quarter, it appeared as if the Wildcats were headed for another defeat. But instead of accepting a negative outcome, Centreville's players went on the offensive, pulling within a goal at halftime and scoring six times in the second half to pull out a thrilling 10-9 victory.
“We were a little flat in the first quarter,” Wildcats coach Jed Williams said. “From halftime on, we picked it up to another level. We were going after every ground ball with full effort and that's what carried us.”
The win – Centreville's first in Concorde District play – improved the Wildcats' record to 4-8 on the season. They will be the No. 6 seed in the upcoming district tournament, and will likely face two-time defending state champion Robinson in the first round.
With his team trailing, 5-4, five minutes into the third quarter, Centreville senior Kyle Cragg netted the third of his game-high four goals to even the score. Senior David Hall added his second goal two minutes later and the teams entered the final quarter tied, 6-6.
“It's hard to single anyone out,” Williams said of his team's offensive performance. “It's our seniors that stepped up and carried us. They all came together and played hard.”
Goals from sophomore Jordan Lilly, junior Brent Sikora and Cragg gave the Wildcats a 9-6 lead with just more than eight minutes to play. After a Fairfax goal, Sikora scored again to reestablish the three-goal advantage. The Rebels found the net twice in the final three minutes, but Centreville's defense withstood a late attack and preserved the win.
“It really shows their true character,” Williams said of the victory. “We've been on the other end of these games. It's really great to get a win like this when two teams are fighting hard in an even game. We'll see if we can carry some momentum into [the postseason].”