On Saturday, April 11th, the Men’s Lacrosse team will face off against the Lakeridge Pacers in the annual Fritz Hayes Classic. The Crusaders enter the matchup with something to prove after suffering a heartbreaker in last year’s state championship game, falling 9–10 to the Pacers.
This year’s game is more than just a regular season game, as the Crusaders believe that this game will set the tone for the rest of the season. Senior captain Davis Dolp explains what this game means to him and what the Crusaders must prove this Saturday.
“This game means everything. We’ve felt last year’s state championship loss, and it stuck with us. We don’t need extra motivation, we’ve had it all year. This game is about proving we are state bound,” Dolp said.
Jesuit has already built momentum this week, rolling past Tualatin 18-4 on Thursday. With a score of 2-2 after five minutes, the Timberwolves looked like they might give the Crusaders a tough night, but Jesuit’s defense locked in and refused to allow a goal until the 3rd quarter. On the other side, the offense played smoothly and spread out the scoring.
“They had some solid players and it allowed us to go full speed and work as a full unit one last time before the big game. We took care of business even though we definitely didn’t play to our full potential. The scoring was pretty spread out which makes us really hard to gameplan against, and the defense has been improving throughout the year. I believe we can make a big statement on Saturday,” senior Ryan Devine.
The Crusaders have prepared for Lakeridge by giving their all in practice and holding one another accountable. After an intense, focused week, they head into Saturday with confidence.
“Coach Torrey has done a great job preparing us for this game by making practice very intense and pushing us to be the best team possible. We are all holding each other accountable and competing hard every day. We are feeling great about our chances on Saturday, we have put in a lot of preparation for the game on Saturday and all the guys are ready to get the job done,” senior captain Dimitri Lampros said.
Faceoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Lakeridge, following the game between Oregon Episcopal School and West Linn. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $1 for kids.
