Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Heritage/Littleton squeaks by Air Academy 13-12

Pat Rooney, Special to the Rocky

Published May 10, 2008 at 5:58 p.m.
Updated May 10, 2008 at 5:58 p.m.

Text size  

CASTLE ROCK— Junior Elizabeth Datino of Heritage/Littleton has a knack for “taking it to the goal in the pressure situations,” according to coach Nikki Kucharski.

Datino did just that on Saturday, putting herself in the right place at the right time to score a fortuitous goal with 13 seconds remaining that lifted Heritage/Littleton to a 13-12 victory against Air Academy in the girls lacrosse state semifinals at Douglas County Stadium.

Third-seeded Heritage/Littleton (16-2) ended the Kadets’ bid for an undefeated season and will play Cherry Creek for the state title on Wednesday.

Datino’s goal, her third of the match, occurred after a flurry of action in front of the Air Academy crease left the ball loose on the ground. Datino swatted at it to score the winning goal and diffuse a valiant comeback the Kadets put together in the final two minutes.

“I just kind of flicked it up into the goal and ‘Hail Mary-ed’ it, I guess,” Datino said. “I was so surprised. I guess it paid off for us, but I don’t know how it went in.”

The tightly-contested match was tied 6-6 at halftime, but second-seeded Air Academy (17-1) scored the first three goals after the break to take a 9-6 lead. After calling a timeout, Heritage/Littleton proceeded to score the next six goals, taking what seemed to be a comfortable 12-9 lead with just under four minutes remaining.

But the Kadets tandem of juniors Hayley Bernstein and Allie McLaughlin, who wrecked havoc in the Heritage/Littleton zone throughout the match, propelled Air Academy back into the game with three consecutive goals. McLaughlin tied the match at 12-12 with 34 seconds on her fourth goal of the game, but Datino’s scrappy goal moments later ended Air Academy’s comeback, as well as its season.

“I knew it was going to come down to the last possession. It was one of those last-possession games,” Air Academy coach Sean Harmon said. “They stepped in front and got a big ground ball. We actually stopped their offensive play, but there was a loose ball in the crease and a garbage goal for the win. A garbage goal is a goal, and they raked it right in.”

Heritage/Littleton received four goals and an assists from senior Olivia Annalora and two goals from Maddie Hosack. Bernstein finished with six goals for Air Academy.

Heritage/Littleton 6 7—13

Air Academy 6 6—12

Goals—1, HL, Maddie Hosack (Kerry Keogh); 2, HL, Olivia Annalora (unassisted); 3, AA, Hayley Bernstein (unassisted); 4, HL, Hosack (unassisted); 5, AA, Bernstein (unassisted); 6, AA, Allie McLaughlin (unassisted); 7, HL, O. Annalora (unassisted); 8, HL, Ellen Brown (Anna Salemo); 9, AA, Bernstein (unassisted); 10, AA, Katie Reid (unassisted); 11, HL, Elizabeth Datino (O. Annalora); 12, AA, Bernstein (unassisted); 13, AA, Jane Olsen (McLaughlin); 14, AA, Bernstein (unassisted); 15, AA, McLaughlin (unassisted); 16, HL, O. Annalora (unassisted); 17, HL, Datino (unassisted); 18, HL, O. Annalora (unassisted); 19, HL, Keogh (Hannah Annalora); 20, HL, Salemo (unassisted); 21, HL, Sarah Renner (Salemo); 22, AA, McLaughlin (unassisted); 23, AA, Bernstein (McLaughlin); 24, AA, McLaughlin (unassisted); 25, HL, Datino (unassisted).

Shots on goal—HL, 13-10—23; AA, 10-10—20. Saves—HL (Anna Wallingford 8); AA (Ashley Keller 10).

Cherry Creek 18, Arapahoe 7: The Bruins cruised to a victory in the first girls lacrosse semifinal on Saturday and will be gunning for their third consecutive state championship, and their fifth in six years, on Wednesday against Heritage/Littleton.

The Bruins defeated Heritage/Littleton 16-10 on April 8.

Top-seeded Cherry Creek (14-2) scored the first four goals of the game and was never threatened by Arapahoe (13-5).

McKenzie Brown led the Bruins with five goals and four assists while Lauren Johnson recorded five goals and one assist and Kathryn Keppler added three goals and one assist.

Channing Ahbe led Arapahoe with three goals.

“We’re really proud of our team,” Brown said. “The main thing was that we were able to anticipate some of the passes they had. Our team defense kept the pressure on them in their settled attack. I think that was the big difference in the game.”

Arapahoe 4 3—7

Cherry Creek 12 6—18

Goals—1, CC, Kathryn Keppler (Morgan Johnson); 2, CC, Lauren Johnson (unassisted); 3, CC, McKenzie Brown (M. Johnson); 4, CC, Keppler (unassisted); 5, A, Channing Ahbe (Adison Rounds); 6, CC, L. Johnson (Amanda Simon); 7, CC, Brown (Simon); 8, A, Sammy MacCurdy (unassisted); 9, CC, M. Johnson (Brown); 10, CC, Brown (Annie Anton); 11, A, Ahbe (unassisted); 12, A, Stacey Birlson (unassisted); 13, CC, Elizabeth Hart (Brown); 14, CC, Brentlinger (Keppler); 15, CC, Keppler (unassisted); 16, CC, Brown (L. Johnson); 17, A, Katie Gerhard (unassisted); 18, CC, L. Johnson (Brown); 19, CC, Brentlinger (Anton); 20, CC, L. Johnson (Brown); 21, CC, L. Johnson (unassisted); 22, A, Kate Spring (Rounds); 23, CC, Brown (unassisted); 24, A, Ahbe (Rounds); 25, CC, M. Johnson (unassisted).

Shots on goal—A, 6-6—12; CC, 16-13—29. Saves—A (Jenn Widener 11); CC (Brittany Coyle 5.