The McIntosh boys lacrosse team met the Starr’s Mill team in Brooks on Friday night for the final game of the regular season. The Chiefs won 14-2 against a very physical Panther team.

Fans reported some cheap shots and poor sportsmanship by several Starr’s Mill players but McIntosh head coach Mike Muetzel chalked up the overly physical play to frustration on the part of the Panthers. One play that got his attention and the attention of Dan Ward, the team’s statistician/assistant coach was when a Panther player came out of the penalty box and ran head on to cross check D.J. Ward, who had five goals and one assist in the game. The hit knocked Ward’s helmet off and when the rest of the Starr’s Mill team and fans cheered the hit, Dan Ward addressed the official, the Panthers coach, Larry Overton, and some of his players. There is a rule in Georgia lacrosse that only head coaches are allowed to speak to officials during a game and Overton allegedly asked for Ward to be removed from the game.

Muetzel did not think there was anything really unusual with the game and that teams often get emotional in the final game of the year. When you add the fact that McIntosh and Starr’s Mill have a built in rivalry and that many of the players on both teams have played club ball together, you get an even more emotional game. Muetzel was proud that his team kept their cool, did not get too many penalties and maintained the culture of discipline that he has established.

In addition to Ward’s goals, which took his season total to 51 goals, 19 assists in the 15 game season, junior Sean Griffin had two goals and three assists and finished the season with 23 goals and 39 assists.

Sophomore Garret Lee and freshman Nicco DeRosa also had two goals apiece, with other scores coming from Evan Meyers, Carl Schuemann and Patrick Schneider.

The Starr’s Mill girls lacrosse team (6-8-1) opened the state playoffs last night at St. Pius (10-4-1).

Look for results in Friday’s paper and on the Web site, www.thecitizen.com, on Thursday afternoon.

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