Win Snaps Eight-Game Losing Streak
Fueled by a strong start, the Rockbridge County High School boys lacrosse team earned a 7-4 home win over William Byrd to snap an eightgame losing streak on Wednesday night at The Fields at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista.
With the win, following a 10-5 road loss to Albemarle (10-5) on Monday of last week in Charlottesville, the Wildcats improved to 4-10. They were playing at SVU because RC’s home field will have artificial turf installed in the coming months.
In last Wednesday’s lightning-shortened game, the Wildcats took a 4-0 lead in the first quarter, with a pair of goals from Parker Flint and one each from Caleb Robinson and Grayden Brown, who led RC with four goals. Flint assisted on Robinson’s goal.
“I’m really proud of the guys, coming out of the gate hot, right off the bat, a lot of energy,” said RC head coach Davey Jones. “Getting that big early
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ABOVE, Wildcats celebrating a goal are (from left) Parker Flint, Avery McDaniel, Grayden Brown and Malcolm Forbes. Brown led RC with four goals, while Flint scored two goals and had an assist. AT LEFT, RC senior midfielder Aiden Meyers runs with the ball while William Byrd’s Hendrix Wright chases him. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos) lead was huge for us.”
Kevin Green scored a goal for the Terriers (6-6) late in the first quarter, but Brown scored the next two goals in the first part of the second quarter to extend the Wildcat’s lead to 6-1. Byrd’s Hendrix Wright scored two goals before halftime to cut RC’s lead to 6-3.
At halftime, RC senior goalie Chase Kelly, who made three saves in the game, was honored for recently making his 200th career save.
The third quarter was scoreless until Brown put in a goal with 1:10 left. Morrison Wright scored for the Terriers just under a minute into the fourth quarter before the game was called due to lightning with a little under 11 minutes left.
Proud of his team’s performance against a Byrd team that beat the Wildcats 12-11 in Lexington last year, Jones said, “We knew the game was gonna be chippy and physical off the bat. I was really proud of the guys for keeping their heads and good attitudes throughout the game.”
Jones said that, during the losing streak, the Wildcats had players out for injuries or sickness, and it was nice to have a healthier lineup. “We haven’t been at full strength against a few of our opponents that we felt like we could beat,” he said.
One of the injured players returning was Brown, who was hurt in the Wildcats’ 8-5 road loss to Cave Spring a week earlier “There’s just such a difference having him in there,” said Jones. “He has such a powerful shot, and it was good to see him start taking some outside shots.”
The RC coach was also glad to see Robinson step up to play attackman, one of several Wildcats to switch to a different position. “He’s usually a defenseman,” said Jones. “In our last two games that he’s played attack, he’s had at least one goal [in each].”
Summing up the night, Jones said it was a “team effort.”
The Wildcats were scheduled to conclude the season on Monday at Hidden Valley, with the varsity game only at 7 p.m.
RC JUNIOR attackman Philip Brooke (right) hands the ball to Jack Jones (black sweater), standing next to fellow manager/ballboy Elliot Moore. Watching is RC sophomore Gus Daigneau (left). (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
