Tournament spirit hit Falls Church High School last week as the boys and girls varsity lacrosse teams entered National District tournament play on May 1.
First up for the evening, the third-ranked boys team, with a season record of seven wins to six losses, challenged hometown rival, the J.E.B. Stuart High School Raiders. The boys defeated the Raiders, 19-9.
Game play moved fast for the Falls Church Jaguars, with their first goal made by freshman Skylar Hays 30 seconds into the first quarter. Sophomore Roger Rodriguez and senior Alex Nanthavong contributed goals to push the Jaguars lead to 10-4 before halftime. A minor injury for senior Jeremy Jones took the midfielder off the field till near the end of the third quarter, when Jones managed a goal before time was called.
The boys advanced to the semifinals on May 5 at Washington-Lee High, trumping the Generals 21-17.
Following the boys onto the field on May 1, the second-ranked girls team, with a 9-4 record for the season, took on seventh-place Westfield High in an evening game that handed the girls a shutout 16-0 victory and a place in the semifinals.
Strong offensive plays from seniors Jackie Jubien and Sarah Kane ensured the Jaguars’ early dominance in the game. During the second half, freshman Kayleigh Boveri scored two straight goals, and set the pace for the remainder of the game. Westfield failed to break the Jaguars’ formidable defense.
The girls moved on to fight Mount Vernon on May 5 in the district semifinals, edging out the competition to win 14-13.
Both teams now move on to the National District Finals, with the boys and girls teams traveling to Yorktown tomorrow, May 8. The boys will tackle Mount Vernon, who is ranked second in the district. The girls will be facing Yorktown.