By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
The reminders are everywhere around the Gonzaga boys lacrosse program — on T-shirts, on the team website and in Coach’s office.
“Don’t Give Up”
So although Gonzaga entered Monday’s WCAC quarterfinal game against Paul VI as a No. 4 seed with a handful of damaging losses to conference foes, the Eagles feel they have a strong chance at the WCAC title.
Gonzaga showed that fire Monday on its soaked home field, beating Paul VI by a score of 6-5 for the second time this season to advance to Thursday’s semifinals against top-seeded DeMatha, who beat Ireton 9-5.
The Eagles (9-10, 4-4) took losses to the WCAC’s top three seeds by a combined four goals this season, including a 6-5 loss to DeMatha on April 6. Gonzaga also took some hard defeats to Bullis (by one goal), Severn (by three goals), Mt. St. Joe’s (by one goal) and Landon (by two goals).
The only local team the Eagles actually beat in a close game was Paul VI, who finished the season 13-6 and 6-4 in the conference with a landmark win over the Stags.
“We’ve definitely had a lot of close games,” Gonzaga Coach Casey O’Neill said. “Every team we lost to in league play was a close game. It did start to wear and tear on the kids a little bit but they kept believing and showed up the next day and that’s all a coach can ask for.”
Gonzaga was pumped up from the get-go Monday. Eagles attackman Jacob Ruffing scored just 24 seconds into the game after Chris May won the opening faceoff and Gonzaga went on to take a 4-1 lead late into the second quarter.
The Panthers bounced back, however, on back-to-back goals by Danny Barcklow just five seconds apart.
Senior Andrew Wasp scored a big goal for the Eagles 41 seconds later, with one minute, 7 seconds left in the first half on a nice assist from Rawley Loken, however, that boosted the Eagles into the locker room.
The second half belonged to the Gonzaga defense and in particular four-year starting goalie Connor Baucum, who received the game ball afterwards. Baucum made several huge saves down the stretch of the game to preserve the win.
“We just play with our hearts,” Baucum said. “When we have it like today we find a way to win. It’s will.”
Both teams were scoreless through the third quarter and PVI didn’t notch a goal until 9:46 left in the fourth quarter.
Gonzaga again fought right back, getting a goal by freshman Sean Whitcomb that proved to be the eventual game-winner. Whitcomb dodged through three Panthers defenders before bouncing in the shot at 8:29.
Whitcomb suffered a dislocated knee cap before the season and missed the team’s first 10 games, something he said helped him sit back and learn from watching others’ mistakes. He returned about four weeks ago and has seen limited action. Monday was his first multi-goal game of his career.
“It was definitely a lot faster,” Whitcomb said of the playoff atmosphere. “It was a lot of fun.”
Paul VI’s Barcklow scored with 12 seconds left to bring the Panthers to one goal behind but Gonzaga’s May won the resulting faceoff to run out the clock.
“I knew we were going to win,” Baucum said. “I had confidence in my defense and faceoff man Chris May.”
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