Herndon Boys Lacrosse Loses Heartbreaker to Yorktown

The Herndon Hornets travelled to Yorktown and gave the National District champs all they could handle Tuesday night, falling 8-7 in overtime.

Early on, it looked as if the Patriots were going to run away with it, taking a quick 3-0, but the Hornets came roaring back to take a 7-5 lead into the final period. Yorktown equalized early in the fourth and the teams battled to a stalemate in regulation. Unfortunately for the Herndon faithful, the deadlock was broken just 23 seconds into the overtime on a fluke goal from Yorktown’s long stick midfielder. Senior Brad Mank led Herndon with 4 goals in his final game as a Hornet.

From the Onset of the game, Herndon looked to be the stronger more physical team. They dominated possession around the Yorktown net and created a slew of opportunities. The Patriots looked rattled, struggling to connect passes and cheaply turning the ball over, allowing the Hornets to keep the pressure on. However, the Hornets were unable to capitalize, missing an empty net and hitting the crossbar in first few minutes.

The Patriots made them pay moments later with a great goal against the run of play by senior Michael Crowe. Fellow senior Cameron Cornelius assisted sophomore Joe Crawford on a pair of goals in as many minutes and just like that it was 3-0. 

But the Hornets quickly responded as Mank capitalized on the Hornet’s first trip back into the Patriot zone. Mank then whipped in a spinning catch-and-shoot and the Hornets were right back in it.

Yorktown pushed it back to 2 with a goal from Jack Maher, but this time John Shull pulled the Hornets back to within a goal. Then Mank took over again powering his way through the Yorktown defense to put in the equalizer. A pushing penalty gave Yorktown a great chance to recapture the lead with a man advantage, but the Hornet defense held strong and the teams went into the halftime break deadlocked at 4.

In the second half, the Hornets got back to the aggressive physical play that had given them the edge in the opening minutes, and this time were able to convert on the offensive end. In a pivotal moment, Yorktown was called on a delayed penalty for slashing, but Herndon passed the ball around until Junior Austin miller gave them their first lead of the game. Then with the man advantage Mank struck again to give the Hornets a two-goal cushionn

Just when it looked as if the Hornets had complete control, Crowe converted on another amazing run. The slender attacker slithered his way through the Hornet defense before beating a defender with a reverse pirouette and powering it into the roof of the net. A flashing penalty then gave Yorktown a great chance to equalize, but again the Herndon defense was up for the challenge, and midfielder Mat Stevens restore the two-goal lead with nine seconds remaining in the third.

The Hornets began the fourth conservatively serving an illegal stick penalty. Although the Hornets were able to get back on the attack, they were again caught out in transition as Yorktown senior Stephen Kang scored on the break.

A minute later, a blistering shot cracked the hand of Yorktown’s star keeper Jim Roberts, and reserve James Krech was called upon to save the day in the final stages of the biggest game in his Yorktown career. The 6-foot-4-inch, 230 pound netminder was up for the task, making his presence felt immediately with a pair of point blank saves.

Yorktown was able to get the ball back to crow in the Herndon zone, and the flashy playmaker went back and forth behind the goal before splitting the defense with a great diagonal pass to Martim Cohen, who slammed it on the net to tie the game with 6 minutes remaining.

While both teams aggressively went for the winner, neither was willing to give it up, as the opposing defenses banded together to form walls in their respective nets. Both teams threatened with half chances, but the team concluded regulation tied at 7. As fans and players alike braced themselves for 4 minutes of overtime action, no one could have seen what came next.

A scrappy draw led to a wild fight for possession, and when the ball popped loose to Yorktown’s Stewart Micali, the senior long stick middy saw he had a clear path to goal. Two defenders converged at the last second, but a quick juke and a high release from the long stick rendered the Hornets helpless. Just as soon as the overtime had started, the game and the Herndon season had ended in heartbreaker.

And although the team and their fans will clearly be disappointed with the outcome, they can take pride in having nearly knocked off the National District’s best on the road.