There are support groups that have only one focus – to help people escape their demons. Cherry Creek could teach a class on how to do just that after Wednesday.
The Bruins started fast and barely held on for a 9-8 victory over the Golden Demons in the semifinal round of the boys state lacrosse playoffs at a packed All-City Stadium. The 2002 state champions moved on to the title game Friday.
The Bruins (15-2) scored on five of their first six shots to take a 5-0 lead, with Steve Lundberg opening the scoring in the opening two minutes and Spencer Cooperman adding back-to- back goals along with some flair in the first four minutes of play.
But back-to-back goals by Will Cantwell in the final two minutes made Cherry Creek goalkeeper Mark Stone sweat.
Cooperman led Cherry Creek with four goals, including one from behind his head in the first quarter.
Golden (14-3) nearly added another Cinderella chapter to its fairy-tale season, thanks to three goals by Cantwell, the state’s points leader.
But the Demons, in their first semifinal game in school history, came up short.
“Throw away the first quarter and we got ’em,” Golden coach Mike Thumim said. “I feel bad most of all for the seniors. They got us respectability. … Not only are we trying to do it for ourselves, but we are trying to do it for the little guy. Lacrosse is growing so much in the state and we are trying to say, ‘Hey, look around you. There are teams everywhere that are getting good.”‘
Cherry Creek, which has not lost to an in-state opponent this season, took an 8-3 lead in the third quarter when Cooperman took a pass from Ben Tilton and scored.
But Golden scored three unanswered goals by Cantwell, Josh Secora and Chase Larson, in the third quarter.
“You never want to think you have a team beat, especially a team like that. We let down a little bit and we shouldn’t have,” said Cooperman, who will play at Colgate University.
Colin Bollins made the score 9-6 in the fourth quarter, but Cantwell scored twice, the last with 57.7 seconds to play. The Demons won the groundball and Secora rifled a quick shot that went just left of the net.
Golden0 0 3 3 2 – 8
Cherry Creek 5 1 2 1 – 9
Goals – G: Cantwell 3, Secora 2, Baruch, Morelli, Robinson; CC: Cooperman 4, Kerr 2, Bollins, Driver, Lundberg. Assists – G: Baruch, Cantwell, Gallagher, Larson, Wilarski; CC: Driver, Kerr, Lundberg, McKinstry, Mueller, Tilton.
Shots on goal – Golden 16; Cherry Creek 16. Saves – Golden (Bockman) 7; Cherry Creek (Stone) 8.
