Miami-Killian's Carson Snodgrass on fast break against Norfolk Collegiate, Photo: Sherri Beregovoy
Over spring break, the Miami-Killian Cougars followed up their recent convincing 12-8 win against district rival Coral Reef (see game summary and box score below) with a trip to Virginia by a reduced size and younger Cougar squad to play against regional private school power houses, tour college campuses, and watch college lacrosse games.
Unlike Florida where both public and private schools are all under one recognized FHSAA sport class, in Virginia the 30+ year old independent private school league is completely separate from the more recently started public school teams. The private school teams are generally much more competitive. These teams have well established elementary school and club lacrosse feeder programs and consistently produce a large number of Division I, II and III athletes (Miami’s Chazz Woodson played for Virginia private schools Blue Ridge School and Norfolk Academy).
After a rain delay on Tuesday, Killian took on back-to-back games against Hampton Roads Academy on Thursday and Norfolk Collegiate on Friday. As a side note, both games were played under full NCAA rules instead of USL/NFHS rules. NCAA rules are the standard adopted by the independent private school league in Virginia.
Killian Freshman Alberto Aquistapace on a ride against Hampton Roads Academy, Photo: Sherri Beregovoy
Hampton Roads Academy finished last year second in their class and this year returned nearly all their players built around a core of current juniors who have played extensive travel lacrosse together for the last 4 or 5 years. After one quarter the Cougars were quickly down 1-7, but then adjusted resulting in a 0-3 second quarter and a 2-1 third quarter. In the 4th quarter both teams substituted liberally and the HRA Navigators added 6 more goals. Parents with history going back to Killian’s club start in 2004 noted that HRA was the best skilled team that Killian had ever played. Coach Franklin described the loss as exactly the kind of game the team had wanted for the trip, “We wanted to get way out of our comfort zone and test ourselves on this trip against a much better team. I was very happy the way we adjusted; our junior players received quality playing time against an extremely good team. HRA plays like a good college team.” Game ball went to rookie Junior Phillip Bowers. Complete box score is below.
Junior FOGO Freddy Canales comes up with faceoff against Norfolk Collegiate, Photo: Sherri Beregovoy
On less than a 24 hour turn around, Killian took on the Norfolk Collegiate Oaks on Friday afternoon. The Cougars drew first blood and after a last minute goal in the first quarter by the Oaks, the score was 2-1 in favor of Killian. Killian immediately widened the lead to 3-1 in the second, but offensive patience by the Oaks and a great performance in goal by Norfolk Collegiate’s Prinkwalter lead to a 3-3 tie at the half. After several lead changes in the third quarter, the Oaks lead 8-6. Despite a number of opportunities from FTOs in the 4th quarter, the Cougars could not make a sustained run and the game ended in a tough 10-7 loss. Game ball went to Senior Warren Fields. Five of seven goals were assisted. Complete box score is below.
The Killian trip is the first out-of-state lacrosse trip for a Miami-Dade County Public School. Despite the two losses, Coach Franklin described the trip as a positive paradigm shift for most of the boys regarding the game of lacrosse: “For some of them it was seeing just how well that better college and high school players can play this game – the bar for their own goals and expectations is now much higher. For others, seeing college campuses connected them with the idea that there is life after high school, i.e. college, and you have to work hard to get there if you want to play lacrosse. The scores and the playing experience are such a small part of what this team accomplished this week. They represented Miami-Killian, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Florida lacrosse with true class. The trip will be a great motivator as we enter the second half of our regular season and run up to districts.”
The Cougars finish the first half of their regular season 3-5. Upcoming games this week include Coral Springs Christian Academy on Tuesday and Western-Davie on Thursday. This will be the first ever match up against the Coral Springs Crusaders on Tuesday. Thursday’s game revisits an intense, long-time Dade-Broward club rivalry; last year Killian beat Western 16-12.
Miami-Killian Cougars 12 – Coral Reef Barracudas 8:
Killian: Game ball went to David Felipe. Individual stats: David Felipe – 6 goals, 1 assist, 1-0 face offs, 6 GBs, 3 FTO; Jose Medina – 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 GBs; Ben Gross – 2 goals, 1 assist, 10 GBs, 4 FTO; Spencer Gervais – 1 goal, 2 GBs; Cole Cropley – 1 goal, 1 GB; Robert Cazzoli – 1 assist; Austin Anderson – 9 GBs; Kevin Trinchet – 4 GBs, 4 FTOs; Warren Fields – 7-6 face offs, 4 GBs, 2 FTOs; Michael Read – 4 GBs, 1 FTO; Nick Shrack – 1-0 face offs, 4 GBs; Hayden Grahl – 2 GBs, 1 FTO; Freddy Canales – 3-3 face offs, 2 GBs; Edvin Svedin – 1 GB, 1 FTO; Max Burger – 1 GB, 1 FTO; Andrew Cruz – 2 FTO; Miguel Andrillon – 1 GB; Mike Hidalgo – 1 GB; Nick Shea – 16 saves, 1 GB; Kody Goss – 1 GB; David Newman – 1 FTO.
Coral Reef: Daniel Varela – 1 goal, 2 assists; Jesse Sardina – 2 goals; Justin Garcia – 1 goal, 1 assist; Michael Insua – 1 goal, 1 assist; Ian de Schyver – 1 goal; Nicholas Chicalo – 1 goal; Spencer Grant – 1 goal
Hampton Roads Academy Navigators, 17 – Miami-Killian Cougars, 3:
Navigators: Canavos – 4 goals; Harris – 3 goals, 1 assist; Worley – 3 goals; Bateman – 1 goal, 2 assists; Fitzharris – 2 goals; Maser – 1 goal, 1 assist; Carpenter – 2 assists; Topping – 1 goal, 1 assist; Daniels – 1 goal, 1 assist.
Killian: Game ball went to Phillip Bowers. Individual stats: Cole Cropley – 2 goals, 2 GBs; Phillip Bowers – 1 goal, 1 GB, 1 FTO; Warren Fields – 6-6 face offs, 1 assist, 7 GBs, 1 FTO; David Felipe – 1 assist, 3 GBs, 3 FTO; Freddy Canales 3-5 face offs, 3 GBs; Sebastian Quintana – 2-1 face offs; Ben Gross – 6 GBs, 2 FTO; Austin Anderson – 5 GBs; Jose Medina – 4 GBs; Edvin Svedin – 3 GBs, 2 FTO; Freddy Montgomery – 2 GB; Kody Goss – 2 GB; Adoness Hall – 1 GB; Michael Hidalgo – 1 GB; Carson Snodgrass – 1 GB; Alberto Aquistapace – 1 GB; Nick Shea – 7 saves, 2 GBs; Andre Villalobos – 2 saves.
Norfolk Collegiate Oaks, 10 – Miami-Killian Cougars, 7:
Oaks: Orner – 4 goals, 1 assist; Cottrell – 3 goals; Thomas – 2 goals; Ritter – 2 assists; Lee – 1 goal.
Killian: Game ball went to Warren Fields. Individual stats: Warren Fields – 3 goals, 1 assist, 7-4 face offs, 6 GBs, 1 FTO; Cole Cropley – 2 goals, 1 GB, 1 FTO; David Felipe – 1 goal, 1 assist, 7 GBs, 1 FTO; Adoness Hall – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 GBs; Jose Medina – 1 assist, 2 GBs, 4 FTO; Phillip Bowers – 1 assist, 5 GBs, 1 FTO; Freddy Canales – 5-4 face offs, 3 GBs; Ben Gross – 7 GBs, 2 FTO; Carson Snodgrass – 4 GBs, 1 FTO; Edvin Svedin – 1 GB, 1 FTO; Austin Anderson – 3 GBs; Michael Hidalgo – 1 GB; Nick Shea 11 saves, 3 GB.
