By Angela Watts
Assistant GM, Washington D.C. Metro Area
** Click the links to the left to access hundreds of photos and dozens of video highlights from Wednesday’s semifinal game.
Robinson vs. Chantilly Highlights
VIDEO PHOTO
Broad Run Coach Dave Forman graciously clasped the hand of longtime Langley Coach Earl Brewer Wednesday evening at Westfield High School and, looking dead in his eye, smiled genuinely.
Then, with a quick nod, Forman said the one thing that every Saxon fan is hoping is true: “I think this is your year.”
It sure has been so far.
Langley, which two weeks ago claimed its first Northern Region title in program history, defeated Broad Run, 15-9, on Wednesday night at Westfield to advance to its first Virginia AA/AAA state championship lacrosse game in school history.
“I think this is about so much more than just lacrosse,” Brewer said. “I think it means a lot to this school … to Langley. If we can win this, I mean, our school is known for really one thing: Academics. We’re a smart school. We have great people and great teachers and a great administration, but boy if we could win a major state championship it would be huge for our school.
“And this is just the group that can do it. They’ve worked hard from Day 1; I love ’em. I love ’em. They drive me crazy sometimes, but they’re like my own kids at home. I wouldn’t trade them for anybody.’
The Saxons will face the winner of the second semifinal between Chantilly and Robinson, which was postponed Wednesday due to lightning and severe rain. Chantilly held a 5-3 lead over Robinson at halftime Wednesday night in the second game of the semifinal doubleheader when the two teams were sent into the school because of lightning. After a 61-minute delay the game was officially postponed and has yet to be rescheduled.
The championship game, however, is set for 8 p.m. on Saturday at Westfield. The boys’ lacrosse champion will be the last crowned at the 2009 Spring Jubilee, where state champions will be determined Saturday in girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer, baseball, softball, girls’ lacrosse and boys’ lacrosse.
“Listen to me, all you have to do now is go 1-0, right?” Brewer said to his players after the semifinal victory. “All you’ve got to do is go 1-0 and you’ll be state champions.”
To get there the Saxons first had to dispose of the Spartans, and they took little time Wednesday night establishing their intent.
Langley scored three goals in the games’ first 3 minutes, 14 seconds on consecutive shots by junior defender Thomas Robinson, senior midfielder Alex Devlin and senior attacker Ryan Ningard. The Saxons added a fourth unanswered goal by senior midfielder Matt Cronin with 6:28 to play in the first quarter before the Spartans ever knew what hit them.
The Spartans fought back, narrowing the gap to 4-3 with 1:17 remaining in the opening period on two goals from senior midfielder Tim Sanders and another from senior attacker Kyle Ward, but Langley never relinquished its lead.
“I think you saw that the difference today may have been conditioning,” Brewer said. “We could run some more bodies at them, and that was a big difference. I credit my assistant coaches to subbing guys in-and-out at the right time.”
The Saxons could also credit the defensive play of Robinson, senior Trevor Shafran and senior goalie Galen Kuney, who were superb throughout the game. So, too, were Ningard and junior attacker Ethan Bailey who led Langley with five and four goals, respectively. The only other multiple-scorer for the Saxons was and junior midfielder Joey Byrne with two.
“Ningard’s just the Energizer Bunny, isn’t he?” Brewer said with a laugh. “He just never stops. At the end there I really wanted us to **** the rest of the time, but he runs in there and shoots and scores another goal. He just doesn’t have an off-switch. It drives you nutty sometimes, but he’s a great kid.”
Ward paced Broad Run with a team-high four goals — the last of which found its way to the back of the net with just :01 second left in the game — while Sanders added three scores for the Spartans.
But this was the Saxons’ day. And, if predictions hold true, it just might be their year, too.
“It would mean the world to us not only to get the regional title but to get a state championship,” Devlin said. “That’s all we’re looking for right now. Since the beginning of the season we all knew, in the back of our minds, that this was our goal. But none of us said it. It was one game at a time. That’s how we took it.
“Now, that one game we wanted is finally here.”
Email: awatts@digitalsports.com
VHSL Boys’ Lacrosse Championship History
2006 — Robinson 11, Oakton 6
2007 — Robinson 11, Westfield 3
2008 — Chantilly 12, Oakton 5
2009 — Langley vs. Robinson/Chantilly winner, 8 p.m. Saturday at Westfield High School
GAME 1
Broad Run 3 1 4 1 — 9
Langley 5 2 6 2 — 15
Goals: Broad Run — Kyle Ward 4, Tim Sanders 3, Nick Khouri, Andrew Londos; Langley — Ryan Ningard 5, Ethan Bailey 4, Joey Byrne 2, Matt Cronin, Alex Devlin, Jack Lundeen, Thomas Robinson.
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