Getting back to the state finals would be a tall task for this year’s Nation Ford Falcons boys’ lacrosse team at this point of the season.
Ravaged with injuries the season hasn’t exactly started the way the Falcons would hope. The team sits at 4-3 on the season and 2-0 in Region 3-5A, after handily beating the Indian Land Warriors 25-0.
Despite the offensive explosion, this season could be considered a tough one, according to head coach Cory Turner.
“We are beat up” he said. “The injury bug has caught us. Key players are down. We got a lot of new guys getting opportunities. Our numbers are off this year. If we can survive. Hopefully, we can get to the playoffs and the experience will take over. We got a long way to go.”
Nation Ford was slow and methodical to start the match. The Falcons controlled possession winning face-offs led by Griffin McNaughton. However, when Nation Ford started scoring, they quickly took off.
When the Falcons scored initially it got things rolling as Rhys Nelson scored 66 seconds into the first quarter. Ezra Williams came back a little over two minutes later to score for the Falcons.
Cam Larranga, Devin Moll, and Keegan McClung all added goals within the first six minutes of the match, before Williams scored his second of the quarter.
After a timeout, both Jack McNaughton and Triston Ross scored for the Falcons. Moll, scored his second and Banks Denmby, Griffin McNaughton, and Aiden Constantine each added a goal as well. Ross added his second one before the end of the first quarter to put Nation Ford up 13-0.
Griffin McNaughton opened the second quarter scoring his second goal 16 seconds into play. Daniel Graban and Brayden Franke scored, and Ross got a hat trick scoring with about eight minutes left in the half for the Falcons. Nelson added his second goal of the match two minutes later starting a running clock at 18-0. Ross would add one more goal before the end of the first half for the Flacons.
In the third quarter, Larranga and Jack McNaughton both added their second goal of the match.
In the fourth quarter, Ross added two goals for five total in the match with Graban scoring his second goal and Moll getting a hat trick with his third goal.
Up next for the Falcons is Clover on March 23.
March 14 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge softball team beat Gaffney 10-0 late on Friday, March 13 and lost to Indian Land 4-1, Byrnes 15-5, and West Oak 7-1 on Saturday, as part of the Lady Rebels Invitational. Catawba Ridge is 6-6 this season.
The Fort Mill softball team split a doubleheader against AC Flora in the Lady Rebels Invitational winning 6-4, before falling 6-2 and then losing to Nation Ford 9-1. Fort Mill is 3-6 on the season.
The Nation Ford softball team split a doubleheader to falling Hillcrest 3-1 and winning 7-6. They also beat Cane Bay 8-1 and Fort Mill 9-1 as part of the Lady Rebel Invitational. Nation Ford is now 7-2 overall.
Late Friday, the Nation Ford girls’ soccer team beat Dutch Fork 6-0 and improved to 5-1 on the season.
Late Friday, the Catawba Ridge boys’ soccer team beat Northwestern 2-0 to improve to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in Region 3-5A.
Late Friday, the Fort Mill girls’ soccer team lost to Clover 2-1 on the road dropping to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Region 3-5A.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
