The Battlefield boys lacrosse team gave up the first goal of Tuesday’s Virginia Class 6 semifinal against Madison. The Bobcats didn’t concede another for more than 23 minutes.
Battlefield settled in after the opening goal, controlling possession thanks to its success on the faceoff
Madison fought back late, but Battlefield took advantage of its first-half success and a six-goal halftime lead for a 12-10 home victory over the back-to-back state champion.
The Bobcats (19-1) not only advanced to their third state championship game in four years, but also avenged their loss to the Warhawks in the 2022 Class 6 final. The Bobcats, still seeking their first state title, They will face Robinson on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Deep Run High in Glen Allen.
After Madison (15-6) opened the scoring early Tuesday, Teegan Louise responded with back-to-back goals to give Battlefield its first lead. Owen George then scored twice in the second quarter and the Bobcats went on a 7-0 run for the rest of the half.
“(The first half) gave us a great cushion and allowed us to figure out some things,” George said. “We could really go in our sets, get our second subs in a little bit more, save our starters in case that inevitable push came.”
Will Rubley scored in the first two minutes of the second half to get Madison back on the scoreboard, but Louise responded quickly to complete a hat trick and restore Battlefield’s seven-goal lead. He finished with a game-high four goals.
The Warhawks cut their deficit from there, scoring twice on lead opportunities in the fourth quarter and adding another goal to pull within two with less than four minutes remaining. But George scored the Bobcats’ first and only goal of the fourth quarter a minute later to hold off Madison and secure another appearance in the state championship game.
The Bobcats are confident those previous championship game losses have prepared them to win the state title this weekend.
“I have two (losses in championship games), I can’t have a third. “I’m sick of it,” George said. “You can’t lose that much. You have to win one. Then being able to come back, especially defeating Madison. . . It’s a perfect story.”
Robinson controlled their semifinal matchup from the start by beating visiting Deep Run, 12-1, to advance to its first state title game since 2019.
The Rams (21-0) took an 8-0 lead into halftime and added four goals in the second half to secure another victory in dominant fashion.
Robinson also entered the postseason undefeated two years ago before falling to Lake Braddock in a regional semifinal and finishing its season 19-1. Coach Matt Curran said the experience has prompted this year’s team to finish the season differently. On Saturday, the Rams will try to complete an undefeated season and win their first state title since 2016.
Riverside defeated Midlothian, 15-6, in a Class 5 semifinal in Leesburg, earning a berth in the state championship game for the fifth consecutive season.
The Rams (17-2) led 7-3 at halftime and were lifted by a pair of star seniors: Drew Mazzocco scored five goals and added three assists, and Danny Rice scored four times and recorded three assists.
Riverside has won four straight state championships, capturing the Class 4 title in 2019 before winning three straight Class 5 championships, most recently against Douglas Freeman.
“We have a great promotion of eight young people. … They’re going for a chance to win four state titles in four years,” coach Nick Worek said. “That’s something really special, and it’s a credit to them and the way they work and lead.”
The Rams will face Kellam on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Glen Allen High. Riverside and Robinson have five state championships each, tied for the most in VHSL history.
Loudoun County wins in Class 4
Loudoun County took a 5-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back as it advanced to the Class 4 final with a 10-7 victory over visiting Western Albemarle.
The Capitanes (15-6) earned their second state championship game appearance a decade after falling to Albemarle in overtime in the Class 5 final in 2014. Loudoun County will face Atlee on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Charlottesville High.
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