On Saturday, Castle View’s fledgling lacrosse program took a huge step to earning some statewide praise, rallying for an 11-9 victory at Colorado Academy at Slater Field.
“It’s fun. There are good days and bad days that go with the frustrations and growing pains of a young program,” said Castle View coach Mark Miyashita, whose team finished just out of the playoff chase last season.
“But we’ve been on an upward arc in terms of improving our record and our talent.”
Castle View improved to 7-3 and all three losses are by one goal. Colorado Academy dropped to 6-3.
It’s hard for goalies to steal the show in this game, but Sabercats senior Stephen Hill did. In a heated game that featured multiple players in the box, Hill stood firm when his team was two men down for well over a minute. He allowed one goal in that second quarter stretch and kept his team in the game.
“It was sort of a zone thing,” said Hill, who stepped in when nobody else wanted to play the position four years ago. “It’s a lot more fun out there then it was early on.”
Hill, bound for Niagara Community College to continue playing, finished with 15 saves.
The Sabercats grabbed the lead for the first time in the game early in the fourth quarter. Senior attackman Joe Barnard scored two of his game-high seven goals just 35 seconds apart to put Castle View up 8-7.
Colorado Academy received four goals from Will Baird and two from C.J. Clinkscales.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354, or jyunt@denverpost.com
