Nation Ford, Fort Mill high school lacrosse teams 1 win away from SC title appearances
The first two rounds of the lacrosse playoffs are in the books, and the Nation Ford Falcons and the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets are headed for the Upper State championship games in the next two days.
In the boys division, Nation Ford got wins in the first two rounds to earn their spot in the Upper State title contest, which they’ll play on Tuesday night.
In the opening round against Spartanburg, the Falcons managed a 7-3 lead at halftime. They turned it up in the second half with a dominating performance and won 16-3. The key was a 6-0 third period, which left them with a 13-3 cushion heading to the final quarter.
Tyler Demarco led the way with four goals and Josh Ameo added three to the winning effort.
“We stepped it up in the second half,” said Nation Ford head coach Cory Turner. “I think our skill showed up in the second half, and that was the difference.”
In the second round the Falcons struggled in the first half before putting away Riverside with a dominating second half performance.
Nation Ford led 6-5 at the break, but Riverside scored early in the second half to tie the count. After that, the contest belonged to the Falcons.
The Falcons took the lead for good midway through the third period when Owen Ameo’s goal produced a 7-6 lead. They tacked on another goal to make it 8-6 at the end of the session. Ameo scored his fourth goal of the game when the clock ticked just inside the four minute mark, and it was 9-6.
Demarco put the icing on the cake with a goal just inside the two minute mark for a 10-6 advantage. The teams added one goal each the rest of the way.
Ameo led the scoring parade with four goals, while Ashton Tauzin and Luke Letterhos added three goals each.
“We made some adjustments on both ends of the field at halftime,” added Turner. “We challenged the players to just play their game, and we were much better in the second half.”
Nation Ford will host JL Mann on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Upper State championship game. Playing at home is huge for the Falcons.
“It will help us big time,” added Turner. “Our fans have been there all year, but they have been especially loud in the first two games and that made a big difference.”
The win improved the Falcons to 18-0 on the year, which could have proven to be a distraction down the stretch.
“Trying to remain undefeated was a big challenge during the regular season,” added Turner. “We’re in the process of doing something no other Nation Ford team has ever done.”
That concern changed when the playoffs started.
“The playoffs are different,” said Turner. “We were focused on just playing well and winning in the first two rounds. We were not concerned about the unbeaten record. Our players have been very dedicated to what we are doing now.”
The 5A Lower State championship is also being played on Tuesday. It features Wando and St. James.
In other 5A postseason action: The Clover Blue Eagles, who got an at-large bid after finishing third in the region, were defeated in the first round. They lost 12-2 to JL Mann and finished the season with an overall mark of 6-11.
In 4A playoff action, the Catawba Ridge Copperheads were eliminated in the first round. They dropped a 21-0 decision to Christ Church and completed the year with an overall record of 7-8.
Fort Mill girls head to Upper State title
In the girls division the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets got a first round bye, and then edged the Byrnes Rebels 16-15 in overtime in the second round.
The Yellow Jackets led 10-9 at intermission, and had to come from behind several times in the second half to tie the contest at 15-15 at the end of regulation. Auri French led the Jackets in the second half. She scored four goals in the final two quarters, and then after being fouled in the overtime session, she notched the game winner with a one-on-one penalty shot.
Fort Mill head coach Kirsten Terry felt like playing in a tough game would help her team moving forward.
“Winning in overtime in the playoffs gives us more confidence,” Terry said before the game. “We had quite a few players step up for us down the stretch. We have had excellent leadership all season.”
The numerous comebacks in the back and forth second half also drew praise from Terry.
“That kind of effort speaks for itself,” she added. “We are a very resilient and determined team.”
The Jackets will host Riverside on Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Upper State championship game, and the home field will certainly help the Yellow Jackets, who are 5-1 on their field.
“Playing at home is very significant for us,” she added. “Getting that home crowd behind us will really help.”
Fort Mill is in the same spot they were a year ago when they advanced to the third round before losing to eventual state champion Riverside on the road. The Yellow Jackets will take an overall mark of 9-7 into the Upper State title game on Monday night.
The 5A Lower State championship is also being played on Monday. Wando and Chapin square off in that contest.
In other girls 5A playoff action, the Clover Blue Eagles were eliminated with a first round loss. They dropped a 13-8 decision to Riverside. The Blue Eagles, who were the runners-up to Fort Mill in the region, completed the campaign with an overall mark of 10-7
In 4A post season play, the Catawba Ridge Copperheads were knocked out in the opening round. They were defeated 15-14 by Waccamaw. Catawba Ridge finished the season with an overall record of 6-9.