Boys' lacrosse dominates Paint Branch

BLAZER STADIUM, April 13--

In their sixth game of the season, the Blair boys' lacrosse team (3-3) dominated Paint Branch (2-4), taking and holding on to an early lead for a final score of 15-5. The young Blair team has continued to refine their communication and offensive skills, playing a strong all-around game that served as a sign for a good finish to the season.

Blair took the lead early, ending the first quarter ahead by two goals, and maintaining this tenacity throughout the entire game. The Blazers kept play on the Panthers' side of the field, putting pressure on them and ending the first half winning 9-4. The Panthers pounced in the third quarter, but were not able to convert and the Blazers came back with three more goals before the fourth quarter. The domination continued through the end of the game, with junior Nate Goodin and senior Justin Kung both scoring hat tricks.

Kung had an incredible game, scoring four goals and making three assists. He played for most of the game while being active on the field and supporting the team. The day gave Kung even more reason to celebrate as it was his 18th birthday.

The Blazers never lost the lead in the game, despite two players being penalized for three minutes each in the beginning of the second quarter. As a result of this penalty, captain senior goalie Joshua Blockstein was not able to play, and without a backup goalie, senior Michel Devynck played for those three minutes. Despite not being accustomed to playing in goal, Devynck made an impressive two saves.

This was an important win for the Blazers, as it represents the progress they have made since the start of the season. Last year, Paint Branch beat Blair, but the Panthers loss of several key players coupled with the Blazers new team unity helped create this win. Blockstein was pleased with the team's performance, particularly on the offensive end. "[This was] the best offensive effort of the year," he said.

Cohesion in the attack will be critical to the Blazers success in future games. Junior Nick Porter, like Blockstein, asserts that a strong offense was a key part of the win against the Panthers. "Any time you score fifteen goals, you're doing something right," he said.