Top Lax Recruits
Top Lax Recruits -
By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 7/18/19
FREDERICA, Del. – There could have been no more dramatic an ending to a game that went back-and-forth as two undefeated teams fought for the girls’ high school championship today in 90-plus heat at the Maverik National Lacrosse Classic at the Delaware Turf Sports Complex.
Kira Varada scored her fifth goal of the game off a brilliant draw feed from Noelle Demarinis just seconds into a special 4-on-4 Braveheart-type overtime to help Metro New York repeat as champion in a 9-8 thriller over New Jersey.
New Jersey had forced the OT period by scoring three straight goals in the final 8 minutes of regulation. But in the OT, Demarinis (2021 MF, Somers) fired a long pass off the draw over the heads of Varada (2021 MF, Hendrick Hudson) and her defender, but Varada snared the groundball, went to goal and won it.
“I just thought, ‘Get this ball, put it in the goal,'” said Varada. “We worked way too hard to lose this. I’ve been in 1v1 (Braveheart) before, but never like this and never in a championship game.”
Demarinis, one of just several players on last year’s Metro title team, had been placing draw control passes as far as 40 feet away.
“I knew that if I was able to get it over their heads, Kira would get that ball because she is such a hustle player,” said Demarinis, who had two goals and three assists. “I knew from the second we were on the field together that I needed to get it to her and we were going to score if we got it.”
Samantha Paglino (2021 MF/ATT, Yorktown), who had two goals, said her team meshed from the start. “Even though we just formed this team, I feel like everyone on the team values teamwork so much,” she said. “We all clicked and our connection on the field is so strong.”
“We won because of teamwork and communication,” added goalie Kate Laico (2021, East Meadow). “Every position huddles and everybody made sure we were positive. We’d just say, ‘We have the next one.” We held our heads high.”
Said Varada: “We’re a new team and a lot of us haven’t played together. When you see us you think we have always played together. We won all these game beacuse of the team and because of the coaches. We really came together.”
New Jersey was led by Julia Dell’Angelo (2020 MF, Notre Dame-NJ), who had four goals, including the one that sent it into OT; and Kira Sides (2020 MF, Middle Township).
Metro team co-coach Kevin Backus (The 300) wanted to credit and thank his co-coaches, Taylor Scialdone (head coach, Legacy Lax club of Westchester), Mackenzie Porter, and Jacklyn Phillips.
The post Metro New York repeats as @NLClacrosse girls’ HS champion, topping New Jersey, 9-8, in thrilling overtime appeared first on Top Lax Recruits.