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Hazelwood Central Boys Lacrosse Wins MSLA Division 2 State Title
HAZELWOOD CENTRAL HAWKS celebrate their MSLA Division II State Lacrosse Championship.
Story and photos by Jim Wieners
For years the Hazelwood Central Boys Lacrosse Club (a.k.a. Hazelwood Boys Lacrosse Club) is a sport that has no competition in North County and gets no support from the high school.
In fact the Hazelwood Lacrosse team plays their home games behind Hazelwood Northwest Middle School, formerly Hazelwood Junior High, the second oldest secondary school in the Hazelwood School District. However, on May 28 at Lindenwood University’s Harlen C. Hunter Stadium Hazelwood (Central) won their first Missouri Scholastic Lacrosse Association Division II State title. Hazelwood completed the championship season with a comeback 5-4 overtime win over Rockwood Summit.
Ryan Geist (right) helps to defend Hazelwood Central Goalkeeper Mason Goodwin in a 5-4 Hawk win for the MSLA Division II State Title.
Conner McPartland tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth quarter with 2:30 left off a pass from Joey Mirth that completed a three-goal period in overcoming a 4-1 Hawk deficit. And with 1:30 left in overtime McPartland was set up in front of the goal and took a pass from Casey Wade and shot it home for the game-winner.
“Rockwood Summit was very physical,” said Hazelwood head coach Brian Livingston. “We need to finish the shots. And it did not look good for the Hawks when Chris Broy scored with 1:16 left in the third quarter that gave Summit a 4-1 lead.
So when the fourth quarter started Wade took 34 seconds to score and chip away the deficit to 4-2. With 6:42 left and Summit playing short-handed with a man in the penalty box Jeremy Williams scored to cut the deficit to 4-3. Prior to the tying goal by McPartland Hawk goalie Mason Goodwin made a game saver as he stopped a Falcon shot in front of him.
“We really started pressing with long poles,” Livingston said. “We just chipped away.” And the result was a comeback win. McPartland was named the top offensive player and Goodwin was the top defensive player.
Summit scored in the first quarter to take a 1-0 lead. Mirth tied it early in the second quarter but Summit responded quickly with two goals which held up through halftime at 3-1.
Hazelwood (Central) finished the season with a 15-4 record and was second in the American Conference with a 12-1 record. The Hawks only American Conference loss was to (Rockwood) Marquette, 7-4 May 12 at Hazelwood Northwest. The Hawks opened the MSLA Tournament May 20 with a home win over Wentzville-Holt, 7-4 then on May 26 at Lindenwood University defeated Parkway Central, 7-5.
