ENGLEWOOD — There will be a new team hoisting the Class 4A girls lacrosse state championship trophy this weekend.
Green Mountain and Thompson Valley both advanced to their first-ever lacrosse title game with victories Wednesday night at Englewood High School. It will be a rematch of a game earlier this season where Thompson Valley edged Green Mountain 13-12 on April 12.
With the impending weather moving into the Denver Metro Area, CHSAA announced on Wednesday night that the Class 4A girls lacrosse championship will be moved from Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday at the University of Denver.
The 5A girls lacrosse game will also be moved to 3 p.m. Sunday at DU.
(5) Green Mountain 14, (1) Evergreen 11
Green Mountain senior Shea Murphy is finally getting to play in a state championship game.
The multi-sport athlete who played in three Class 4A state girls basketball semifinal losses for the Rams guided Green Mountain to a come-from-behind girls lacrosse state semifinal victory Wednesday night at Englewood Stadium.
“I’m so excited that we finally made it past the Final 4,” Murphy said after she scored five second-half goals for the Rams to erase a 10-8 deficit. “I’m glad I’m going to get to go my senior year.”
The Rams defeated top-seed and defending 4A state champion Evergreen 14-11.
It will be the first state championship appearance for Green Mountain’s girls lacrosse program that is coached by Green Mountain alum Maddie Ossello.
“They have worked their butts off for the last four years since I’ve been the coach,” Ossello said. “I played when this team had nothing. We’d win one game a season. I’m so proud of what these girls have accomplished.”
While Green Mountain (12-6 record) led throughout the first half, the Cougars (13-4) scored three straight goals to open the second half and take a 9-7 lead. However, the Rams finished the game outscoring the Cougars 7-2 in the final 17 minutes.
A big change for the Rams in the second half was Murphy using her draw stick in the second half. Green Mountain started controlling draws more and keeping the ball out of the hands of the potent Cougars’ offense.
“We’ve kind of become a second-half team,” Murphy admitted. “We really kicked it in during the second half.”
Green Mountain’s defense held Evergreen juniors Averi Gardner and Bella Reece to just two goals each. Gardner and Reece had combined to score 141 goals in the Cougars’ 17 games this season.
“We were really just focused on 12 (Gardner) and 13 (Reece),” Murphy said.
The Rams went on a 6-0 run during a 14 minute run in the second half.
“We always talk about playing for your teammates and playing for each other,” Ossello said of the turnaround in the second half. “We also said, ‘Fire under your feet. Empty the tank.’ We have a lot saying this year that have got them fired up.”
Murphy finished with a game-high six goals. Junior Sophia Warren and freshman Avery Freedman scored four goals each in the historic win for Green Mountain. Junior Gretchen Hoffman got the victory in goal for the Rams.
Junior Riley Harrington and freshman Emma Crosbie led the way with three goals each for Evergreen.
(2) Thompson Valley 11, (3) Castle View 9
Thompson Valley juniors Aidan Carr and Fia Greco sealed the first trip to the girls lacrosse state championship game late Wednesday night.
“It was physical game, but that is what we’ve been training for,” Carr said while her teammates celebrated the win over last year’s state runner-up. “When the playoffs come anybody can win it. The regular season doesn’t matter.”
Carr won a couple of key draws with the Eagles (17-1) clinging to a 1-goal lead in the final minutes against Castle View. Greco scored the final tally with 55 seconds left to give Thompson Valley a 11-9 victory.
“We just needed to keep calm. Those draws were key for sure,” Carr said. “Possession was so key in this game. As long as we kept possession we had it.”
There was never more than a 3-goal lead either way for the Eagles or Sabercats. Castle View jumped out to a 4-1 lead early, but Thompson Valley rallied from the deficit in the first half. The Eagles scored five unanswered goals to eventually take a 6-5 lead at halftime.
Sophomore Rory Carr led the Eagles with three goals. Older sister Aidan, along with junior Taryn Thompson and Greco had a pair of goals each in the 17th victory of the season for the Eagles.
“We are making history for Thompson Valley lacrosse,” Carr said. “We want to have fun with it. Last game of the season no matter what, win or lose.”
Castle View (14-4) was led by juniors Samantha Hughes and Riley Schultz with a pair of goals each.