The McIntosh Lady Chiefs lacrosse team recently picked up two more wins, beating East Coweta 21-5 and Newnan 16-8.

In the win over East Coweta, Kelly Polo had seven goals, while Taylor Lugash added six and Rachel Weissman also scored multiple times. Scoring one goal in the match were Christen Downing, Jessye Ebbinghouse, Kristen Farren, Audrey Dowis, Lindsey Beard and Emily Holloman. Lugash, Polo and Dowis each had two assists.

Against Newnan, Lugash scored seven goals, while Polo added three and Dowis and Holloman each had two. Scoring one goal in the match were Farren and Gabby Yokaris. Dowis had four assists in the win, while Elizabeth Langley had three and Holloman had two.

The Lady Chiefs’ offensive attack all season has been led by seniors Lugash and Polo, who continuously turn in strong performances. Dowis, a senior, along with Yokaris, a junior, Holloman and freshman Farren continue to play consistently well in rounding out the Lady Chiefs’ offensive attack.

Defensively, seniors Weissman and Downing provided strong defensive play in the mid-field with their speed and aggressiveness. Junior Olivia Char and sophomore Ashley Stewart continue to play well as goalkeeper in their first full year at that position.

”We showed improvement in moving the ball in the Newnan game, particularly from defense to offense,” said McIntosh coach Michael Roache. “However, I still don’t believe we’ve played at a level that our team is capable of playing at. We’ll be put to the test on Friday night against Starr’s Mill.”

The McIntosh boys lacrosse team lost a tough decision to the highly rated McCallie School, 10-5, last Friday on a wet night at McIntosh stadium.

McIntosh started strong, leading 3-2 at the end of the first quarter with two goals by DJ Ward and Kell Harrison scoring for the first time this season. The well-played first half ended with both teams even at three goals apiece.

McCallie scored three unanswered goals in the third quarter and four more in the fourth as its ball control offense simply dominated the second half. Caleb Benson and DJ Ward added goals in the second half, but it was not nearly enough.

The Chiefs’ offense could not get on track, and despite strong play from Andrew Huffman in the goal, their defense fell to strong ball movement by McCallie in unsettled breaks initiated by McIntosh mistakes.

McIntosh returned to the stadium on Monday night and seemed to take out its earlier frustrations by dominating the new program from Newnan 18-0.
Their signature transition momentum and passing has not looked better all season as the Chiefs led 10-0 at the half and never looked back.

Goalie Cooper OBrien started his first game of the season, playing well in the shutout victory with help from Nathan DeRosa, Milani, Bexley, Harris and Randolph on defense. Zach Ward and Nicco DeRosa led all scorers with four goals each, with other scores coming from Lee, DJ Ward, Bornhofen, Elward, Christ, Benson and Carl Scheumann. In addition, Brennan Ott had three assists and Huefner had one.

Starr’s Mill’s girls defeated East Coweta 18-0 recently behind three goals from junior Sarah Jagstadt, two goals apiece from seniors Sarah Risley and Cerena Wandersee, juniors Alix Stanley and Katie Heflin and sophomore Logan Harris. Players who netted one goal in the game were seniors Olivia Cathcart, Kelsey Bishop and Lindsey Shirley, junior Morgan Scott and sophomore Melissa Cammpisi.

The Starr’s Mill boys crushed East Coweta 16-1. Senior attackman Jake Moore led the Panthers with seven goals. Senior attackman Jeff Turner added two goals, as did senior mid-fielder Brian Griffin and junior Tanner Carson.
Senior defenseman Tyler Willeson, senior mid-fielder Kyle Mahaffey and freshman attackman Zach Klinker each scored one goal.

Significant contributions came from senior mid-fielders Sean Gossner and Peter Glaeser in both face-offs and ground balls. The Panthers defense did an outstanding job holding the Indians to a single goal and was anchored by seniors Willeson and Drew Wiemann, junior Dan Johnson and sophomore Trey Moore.

The Panthers record now stands at 7-0 and the team is well poised to go the state playoffs. This is the best performance in the three-year history of the boys lacrosse program.

Reflecting back over the boys great start to their season, Panthers coach Larry Overton made the following comments: “Our senior attackmen are leading the team in goals and assists. Jake Moore and Jeff Turner have been exemplary. Our defense is steadily improving, and my hope is that they will peak at the time of the state playoffs.

“The team is just now beginning to play to the expectations of the coaching staff. My personal goals for the team this season were to realize 12 to 13 victories and to make the state playoffs for the first time. This team is only three years old and our original goal was to reach the playoffs in our fifth year.

“Last year we had our first winning season with ten wins and eight losses. Our first season we won five and lost twelve.”

Jack Kennedy directs the Panthers defense from his position as goal keeper. He is having a great season in his first year as goalie.

The Pantherss defense is led by seniors Willeson and Luke Guerrero.

Wiemann has excelled in a special team roll called a long-stick middie.

Panther victims so far this year include Green Briar High School from Augusta, North Gate, Newman and East Coweta as well as Marist High School

McIntosh and Starr’s Mill squared off in boys and girls matches last night at Panther Stadium after the paper went to press.

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