Emma Gonosey
Executive Sports Editor
Boys lacrosse beat the Peninsula Panthers, 8-5, on April 22, and will now advance to the first round of CIF. As of right now, the team will find out the date, time, and location of its next game tomorrow.
During the first quarter against Redondo, both teams stayed even. While the ball went back and forth, neither team made a big play. However, the Mustangs were able to secure a 2-1 lead going into the second quarter.
“Coming out for the second quarter, I was much more confident,” co-captain and senior attacker Jack Storer said. “The first quarter is always slow, but we always pick it up during the rest of the game.”
The Mustangs started scoring more goals during the second quarter. However, the Panthers were pressing hard on defense, which made it increasingly difficult for the Mustangs to take control of the ball.
“Based on the defense they were throwing at us, we were thinking about what other wrinkles we could make in the offense,” Storer said. “They were pressing me a little more off-ball, which made me have to work to get the ball more. That definitely made it more challenging for me to get the ball.”
The Mustangs decided to make some changes at halftime. According to Storer, switching positions with junior midfielder Jack Fiorito was a large factor that led to the Mustangs eventual win.
“One thing we decided to do after halftime was to play a little more midfield,” Storer said. “Jack Fiorito and I switched, so I went midfield and he went on attack. That opened up some opportunities, and I ended up scoring two goals once I changed positions. That also opened other opportunities for the team to score.”
Going into the fourth quarter, the stakes were high, as the Mustangs had to win this game in order to advance to CIF.
“I understood that the stakes were high,” Storer said. “Our team plays best when we play smart but loose. Only the top two seeds are guaranteed a spot in CIF, so [this game] was a must-win.”
The fourth quarter stayed quiet, and the Mustangs never lost their lead. The Mustangs eventually pulled out an 8-5 win.
“I’d say the main reason why we pulled again was because we had far less turnovers than they did,” Storer said. “We played much more disciplined and forced them to adapt to us.”
The Mustangs are now preparing to enter CIF. Because of exposure to COVID-19, their original game was postponed.
“The biggest thing going into CIF is being more disciplined,” Storer said. “And paying attention to close details both on and off the field.”
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