This match began with another slow start for the Panthers. It was a close first half, but then the Panthers ran away with it in the second half, ending the game 14-4.
“We know each other and that’s huge,” head coach Jeff Schmidlkofer said. “Also, they’re very talented. We’re big on the little details. When they’re so talented and they focus on the details and do the little things right, they take that talent to another level.”
Beginning the game, the Panthers and Cadets had a lot of back-and-forth play. In the second quarter, the Panthers stepped up both offensively and defensively, maintaining possession and ending the half up 6-3.
“Our defense plays lights-out every single game,” junior Caleb Brown said. “The scores speak for itself.”
The teamwork in the first half was impressive, with six different players scoring for the Panthers.
“Defense communicated well and cleared very well,” senior goalkeeper Seth Maxwell said. “Graham, Makoa, and Ethan and them are always talking and communicating.”
The Panthers kept their stride during the entire second half. Maxwell had a number of saves, only allowing one of many attempts of scoring from the Cadets get past him. Meanwhile, the Panther offense could not be stopped, putting up eight more goals.
“We had good defense,” senior Taylor Ratinaud said. “And good offense in the second half. We just played better as a team.”
Ratinaud tallied four more goals in the second half. Sophomore Tanner Via added two more, completing his hat trick for the game. Senior Andersen Cardoza and sophomore Lucas Hamilton also joined the list of goal scorers in the second half.
“Everybody’s athletic now in the semi-finals, and everybody’s gonna be good,” Schmidlkofer said. “So who does the little things right? And do you do exactly what your coaches tell you to do?”
The Panthers now travel to Norcross for a state semifinal match up against Wesleyan at 7 p.m. This marks the third consecutive year Starr’s Mill lacrosse has made it to the state semifinals. A win puts the Panthers into the state championship for the first time in program history.