Warriors capture JD title

With all the weather delays, cancellations and so forth, it’s been tough for just about every team to find a groove heading into the post season.

However, the Western Albemarle girls lacrosse teamed looked particularly poised on Thursday evening, defeating Charlottesville 15-8 to win the Jefferson District championship.

“We’ve made huge adjustments in the past two weeks,” said Warriors coach Nancy Haws. “That’s really helped us. This team is not afraid to be told of their weaknesses, and that’s what every coach dreams of.”

The Warriors (11-4) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first 20 minutes behind four goals from senior Jordan Lynn, the Black Knights came to life toward the end of the first half.

“Recently we’ve just been practicing really hard,” Lynn said. “We’ve been [substituting] our midfielders a lot, keeping us fresh. With our conditioning and our new way of rotating players, we’ve just had a lot more energy lately and that’s what wins us games.”

Harding Coughter put Charlottesville (10-4) on the board 10 minutes before halftime. In the second half, Maria Gonzalez and Elaine Galbraith helped trim the Warriors’ lead to five.

“I think we just came out nervous and a little shaky,” said CHS coach Lauren Smith. “Late in the first half they calmed down and started playing smart and hard lacrosse. Things were a lot better in the second half.”

However, the five-goal deficit was as close as the Knights would get, as both teams traded goals back and forth until time expired.

Lynn led all scorers with seven goals, while teammates Jordan Haws and Ellen Shaffrey contributed four and three goals, respectively.

Galbraith led the Knights with a hat trick and an assist.

With Lynn and Jordan Haws drawing plenty of defensive attention all year, Nancy Haws has been pleasantly pleased with Shaffrey’s development into one of the team’s top offensive threats.

“She’s become a really unselfish player,” Haws said. “She’s one of those kids that has a natural athleticism and so now it’s just fine tuning that about when to take a shot, when to pull out and look for the pass, and I’m even more proud of her assist tonight than of her goals, but those goals don’t hurt, either.”

Charlottesville travels to Broad Run on Monday at 5:30 p.m. for their Region II quarterfinal game.

The Warriors’ first round Region II game will be against Loudoun County at home on Monday at 7 p.m.