PARKER — It was a matter of quick draws turning into quick points Thursday.
From the whistle, Chaparral took advantage of Palmer Ridge in a 19-12 girls lacrosse win at Sports Authority Stadium. The Wolverines charged down the field after each draw win and frequently buried it in the net. Their first four goals came off draws, and they won 16-of-28.
“We have been working a lot about being a faster starting team,” Chaparral coach Dix Baines said. “If anything, we were impatient on our transitions.”
That’s tough when there isn’t a transition between the draw and the net. Chaparral started the game with a 4-2 lead and never looked back. The Wolverines worked their way to an 11-5 halftime lead, scoring two goals as an answer to each Palmer Ridge goal throughout most of the half.
“We were playing catch-up ball right from the opening draw,” Palmer Ridge coach Nancy Fritzsche said. “Draws were huge. Whoever got draw control could easily take it down.”
“It took us a while to get organized. We haven’t played a team of this caliber this year, and it was a great test for us.”
With nine Chaparral seniors having graduated, the Wolverines found themselves in 2011 with just two seniors, six juniors and seven sophomores, but the youth of the team hasn’t shied from filling roles.
Junior Kacey Griese found her stride after suffering an ankle injury. She put in six goals, three in each half, and added two assists.
“She is a good quarterback,” Baines said. “She has good vision. She tries to understand the defense’s vulnerabilities.
“You graduate nine and you don’t know where you are in September. By January, I thought we would be all right.”
Palmer Ridge’s Emily Mather led the Bears with four goals.
“We started off a little frantic,” Griese said. “It’s an awesome win for us. These wins are about getting experiences, which is great for our team with only two seniors.”
Palmer Ridge 5 7 — 12
Chaparral 11 8 — 19
Chaparral (goals-assists) — Griese 6-2, Wolf 2-2, Easter 2-0, Griffin 2-1, Baines 4-0, DeWinter 2-0, C.Richardson 1-0, E. Richardson 0-1.
Palmer Ridge — Deeds 1-0, J.Koeger 2-0, Bryant 2-0, Mather 4-0, Gramlich 2-0, Ross 1-0.
Shots on goal — Chaparral 24; Palmer Ridge 17. Saves — Chaparral 5 (Toledo); Palmer Ridge 7 (Callender).
