GREENWOOD VILLAGE | Neil McCarthy doesn’t want to take the chance he will lose the fruit of his team’s labor — The Hammer — so he puts it in his garage.
The Eaglecrest boys lacrosse coach again can return the meaningful, though impractical, traveling trophy to a spot amongst tools and whatever else he has in his garage after the Raptors’ 8-5 win over rival Smoky Hill Wednesday night at Stutler Bowl.
Senior Tyson Clark scored four goals for Eaglecrest, which scored seven straight goals after falling behind the Buffs by two in the opener quarter. The Raptors have now had possession of the Hammer since 2018, which includes five straight victories and the 2020 season in which no game was played due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Seniors Presten Legette and Tanner Neeley, junior AJ Katagi and sophomore Paxton Beecher also had goals for Eaglecrest, which snapped a four-game losing streak to even its record at 6-6 on the season and 3-3 in league play. Smoky Hill, meanwhile, dropped its seventh straight contest and is now 4-9.
Coach Logan Booth’s Buffs — seeking the Hammer for the first time since 2017 and 10th time overall — put up the first two goals of the game, which included the first two of scores for sophomore Landon Bailey.
With junior goalie Greg Atencio looking sharp in goal, things looked bright through half of the opening quarter. But Clark scored twice late in the period — including one in which finished after he snared a rebound of a shot that ricocheted off a post — and the Raptors took their first lead at 3-2 on Legette’s score off a feed from senior Brendon O’Brien.
Clark also scored in the second period and he capped Eaglecrest’s seven-goal run with a wicked shot from deep with just under five minutes left in the period that skilled past Atencio, who had been outstanding in keeping the game close.
Freshman goalie Camden Colglazier had made a number of timely saves for the Raptors to allow the run, but Smoky Hill managed to get three of the last four goals of the game. Senior Cooper Conger tally with 6:06 remaining made it a three-goal game, but the Buffs couldn’t get any closer.
The Raptors play host to Prairie View at 8 p.m. Friday at Legacy Stadium, while coach Logan Booth’s Buffs are in action the same day with a 7:30 p.m. road game at Arvada West.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
Eaglecrest 8, Smoky Hill 5
Score by quarters:
Smoky Hill 2 0 1 2 — 5
Eaglecrest 2 3 3 0 — 8
SCORING
First quarter: Smoky Hill — Unknown; Smoky Hill — Landon Bailey, 6:42; Eaglecrest — Tyson Clark, 4:36; Eaglecrest — Clark, 2:33
Second quarter: Eaglecrest — Presten Legette (Brendon O’Brien), 9:36; Eaglecrest — Clark, 9:21; Eaglecrest — Paxton Beecher, 0:04
Third quarter: Eaglecrest — Tanner Neeley, 6:37; Eaglecrest — Clark, 4:57; Smoky Hill — Bailey (Brady Smith), 4:05; Eaglecrest — AJ Katagi (Everett Breniser), 1:41
Fourth quarter: Smoky Hill — Cody Scott, 9:12; Smoky Hill — Cooper Conger, 6:06
