Stories

Warriors surge

June 10, 2015
by Bart Isley

Augusta Peds

Western Albemarle boys lacrosse coach Alex Whitten didn’t mince words.

Western Albemarle boys lacrosse coach Alex Whitten didn’t mince words.
“The first quarter looked ugly,” Whitten said.
But after that? Western looked on point, mashing down the accelerator in the second quarter en route to an 18-10 victory over Fauquier in the Group 4A state semifinals. The Warriors earn the right to take on Loudoun Valley in the state final Saturday night at 2 p.m.
“We just stopped turning the ball over in open space,” said Western keeper Jackson Sours. “We were throwing the ball away in fastbreak situations so many times. In the second quarter, the ball movement was just so much better. We started passing, catching and playing our game.”
The offense got in gear during that second quarter and helped turn a one-goal deficit into a 9-5 halftime lead. Carter Elliott, Holland Corbett, Taylor Godine and Sumner Corbett all scored during that 6-2 run to end the half. A couple of those, including a Sumner Corbett goal with 3:05 left, were lasers. That offensive spurt helped the Warriors’ defense settle in as well as they cut down on the unforced first quarter turnovers and cleared the ball well for the rest of the game.
“It helps so much — when people start stinging corners like that it’s just a weight off my shoulders,” Sours said.
Sours finished with 11 saves to anchor the Warriors’ defense while Ryan Ingram led the Warriors with six ground balls. Oliver Herndon and Kyle Landis each had three ground balls as well.
The offense looked particularly dynamic for Western in unsettled situations with Elliott, who had five goals and an assist, leading the way. Godine and A.J. Donovan each posted hat tricks. Ingram and Clark Sipe did the heavy lifting setting the table with Ingram notching three assists and Sipe finishing with four helpers.
“In the second quarter we just started performing,” Whitten said. “We had guys kind of settle into the game. We knew that (Fauquier) had a strong defense so we knew our attack wouldn’t be initiating a lot of stuff, that we’d be initiating from our midfield and when those guys turned it on we looked pretty good.”
Nic Crissey and Holland Corbett each had a pair of goals for the Warriors.

Western will face Loudoun Valley Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Group 4A final.Western Albemarle boys lacrosse coach Alex Whitten didn’t mince words.

“The first quarter looked ugly,” Whitten said.

But after that? Western looked on point, mashing down the accelerator in the second quarter en route to an 18-10 victory over Fauquier in the Group 4A state semifinals. The Warriors earn the right to take on Loudoun Valley in the state final Saturday night at 2 p.m.

“We just stopped turning the ball over in open space,” said Western keeper Jackson Sours. “We were throwing the ball away in fastbreak situations so many times. In the second quarter, the ball movement was just so much better. We started passing, catching and playing our game.”

The offense got in gear during that second quarter and helped turn a one-goal deficit into a 9-5 halftime lead. Carter Elliott, Holland Corbett, Taylor Godine and Sumner Corbett all scored during that 6-2 run to end the half. A couple of those, including a Sumner Corbett goal with 3:05 left, were lasers. That offensive spurt helped the Warriors’ defense settle in as well as they cut down on the unforced first quarter turnovers and cleared the ball well for the rest of the game.

“It helps so much — when people start stinging corners like that it’s just a weight off my shoulders,” Sours said.

Sours finished with 11 saves to anchor the Warriors’ defense while Ryan Ingram led the Warriors with six ground balls. Oliver Herndon and Kyle Landis each had three ground balls as well.

The offense looked particularly dynamic for Western in unsettled situations with Elliott, who had five goals and an assist, leading the way. Godine and A.J. Donovan each posted hat tricks. Ingram and Clark Sipe did the heavy lifting setting the table with Ingram notching three assists and Sipe finishing with four helpers.

“In the second quarter we just started performing,” Whitten said. “We had guys kind of settle into the game. We knew that (Fauquier) had a strong defense so we knew our attack wouldn’t be initiating a lot of stuff, that we’d be initiating from our midfield and when those guys turned it on we looked pretty good.”

Nic Crissey and Holland Corbett each had a pair of goals for the Warriors.

Western will face Loudoun Valley Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Group 4A final.

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