Blue Ridge’s boys lacrosse team is headed to the VIC championship after winning an up-and-down thriller Monday against Hargrave 18-17 in the conference semifinals.
Ty Ewen netted the game winner for the Barons as part of an explosive eight-goal, four-assist performance by the junior. Ewen scored off an Iceysis Lewis feed after Lewis picked up a ground ball.
Lewis and Christian Gutilla combined on the other end to force a turnover with a double team in a man-up situation as Hargrave tried to kill the penalty. The Tigers turned it over and Lewis scooped it up and took off toward the other end where he found Ewen on the crease. Ewen spun and stung the ball high in the Hargrave net.
With a late defensive stand as Hargrave was man-up in the final 30 seconds, Blue Ridge had the win and a berth in the title game.
Blue Ridge jumped out to a 4-2 lead but Hargrave picked up the pace on faceoffs and scored 10 second quarter goals to storm back from that early deficit and lead 12-9 at the break. The Barons trailed by just one at the end of the third. A switch to a zone defense limited Hargrave to just a single goal in the final frame.
Shane Ford also had a huge night for the Barons, scoring seven goals and dishing out four assists. Gutilla scored twice and Lewis had one goal and two assists. Rhys Rodriguez got going with three assists to help trigger the offense.
While the Barons gave up 17 goals, Connor Modd managed nine saves, with the bulk of them coming after halftime.
Ewen and Ford’s efforts helped offset a productive performance by Hargrave’s own dynamic duo of Connor Rogers and Nic Thompson who poured it in all night.
