By Emma Rosenbaum
Sports Editor
Anytime a team wins a game in double-digits, a large accomplishment has been made. The Mira Costa boys lacrosse team achieved this for the fifth time this season on March 28 in its game against Peninsula.
By defeating the Panthers, 20-4, Costa reinforced its place as a threat in Bay League.
This win brings the team’s Bay League record to 5-1 and its season record to 7-3. The team’s win sets it up for its next game against Beverly Hills on April 13.
“This win does not mean that we don’t have lots of room to improve,” coach Chris Jewitt said. “We still need work on our transitions and our off-ball movements. We need to tighten up our number of penalties, but we looked really great out there in the game.”
In the first quarter of the Peninsula game, Costa started the game fast and strong. Junior Chris O’Brien had a hat trick within the first eight minutes. Peninsula snuck in a single goal past senior Mustang goalie John Mayfield, but senior Tajee Mobley scored two more goals during the first quarter, both assisted by senior Tom Farrell. The quarter ended with a score of 5-1, Mustangs ahead.
“It was really a team effort, but I am proud that I was able to start the game off well,” O’Brien said.
The next quarter started with a succession of passes from senior Ryan Kole to O’Brien to senior Clay Russert from around the goal to senior Mark Matsushima and finally into the net. Senior Marcus Egeck and junior Austin Hafdel contributed two more goals in the next four minutes. Junior Alec Weaver later ran the ball in from midfield with a break through Peninsula’s defense, raising the lead to 9-1. After more runs of the ball down the field, Costa ended the first half at 12-2.
“We really stepped up as a team and it showed,” Weaver said. “This game was really a team effort. I just found a good window.”
Costa started the second half of the game with a fast shot past the Panthers goalie by O’Brien, but an inadvertent whistle blow from a referee interrupted the goal. Because of the accidental whistle, Costa lost the goal. Despite the loss, the Mustangs ended the third quarter ahead by 14 with a score of 17-3.
“The referees did not really know what they were doing and that was really irritating, but that didn’t stop us from defeating Peninsula,” Hafdel said. “We played well despite the incompetence of the referees.”
The first minute of the final quarter marked Peninsula’s final goal by sophomore Lorenzo Nunziati. Costa went on to score three more goals, one of which was by senior Julian Trivers, who had to fight for a ground ball against the Panthers’ defense only a few yards from the goalie box.
“We just didn’t play at our best,” Nunziati said.
O’Brien led Costa’s offensive attacks with four goals in the game. Mobley was not far behind, adding three goals to Costa’s total of 20.
With the lacrosse season continuing after Spring Break, Costa looks forward to facing off against Beverly Hills.
“Our offense looked really great out there,” Jewitt said. “We will continue to prepare.”
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