Broad Run LAX Moves On to State Semis

By Jeff Nelson

Sunday, May 31, 2009

A four-goal burst to start the second half sparked Broad Run’s girls to a 16-12 home win over Battlefield in the state quarterfinals Saturday.

The Spartans and Bobcats were tied at seven coming out of halftime, which featured “some really motivational talks” from coaches and players, according to Broad Run senior Meredith Rogers. One of the players to speak, senior captain Kate Sistare, combined with Rogers to help Broad Run race out to an 11-7 lead early in the second half. Sistare and Rogers both finished with four second-half goals and a total of five and six for the game, respectively.

Once the Spartans had their four-goal cushion, Battlefield could never draw even, despite the best efforts of senior Jessica Jacobson, who scored three of her team-high four goals after the break.

“They were very good,” Sistare said of the Bobcats, “but we knew we could take them and we just talked [at halftime] about staying focused.”

Broad Run lacked that focus to begin the game and trailed 3-0 early. But the Spartans responded with five straight goals, forcing Battlefield to rally to tie the score with 18 second to play before halftime.

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Broad Run's Meredith Rogers scores past Battlefield goalie Caitlin Hestter in the first half. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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Broad Run's Meredith Rogers moves into position to score in the first half. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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Broad Run celebrates its 16-12 victory over Battlefield in a state quarterfinal game. The Spartans are back in the state semifinals for the first time since 2007. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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“It was 0-0 again, basically,” Rogers said. “And we didn’t start well in the first half, so we had to redeem ourselves and do a lot better in the second half.”

Broad Run, which last reached the state semifinals two years ago, when it lost to eventual state champion Oakton, will play Robinson on Tuesday at Westfield High School.

Broad Run Boys Hold Off Furious Loudoun Valley Rally

With his team on the brink of blowing a 9-0 lead and less than two minutes to play in Saturday’s state quarterfinal at Broad Run, Spartans sophomore Ryan Madigan refused to settle for the safe play.

Instead of trying to kill more time and protect a one-goal advantage, the attackman threw a risky pass across Loudoun Valley’s crease, which was surrounded by Vikings. When the ball found the stick of Spartans senior Tim Sanders, who promptly deposited it into the back of the net for the final goal in a 12-10 victory, Madigan’s decision was validated.

“I was just trying to stay calm,” he said. “I knew they were going to double me, so I was looking for that open man on the crease.”

Of course, Sanders wasn’t exactly open, per se, even by his own admission.

“I was double-teamed; I think Ryan was double-teamed. There were sticks all over the place,” he said. “Ryan threw the best pass I’ve ever seen. He threaded it right onto my stick. All I had to do was finish it.”

Broad Run, which will be making its first state semifinal appearance when it faces Langley on Wednesday, built a 9-0 lead by absolutely dominating Loudoun Valley through the first 18 minutes.

But the Vikings chipped away, scoring two goals before halftime, the only goal of the third quarter, and two more to begin the fourth. After Broad Run responded with two goals to take an 11-5 lead with 5:58 remaining, the Vikings scored five straight, culminating with Chris Daddio’s laser near the two-minute mark.

“We came from nine down,” Daddio said he thought at the time, “and there’s nothing that can stop us now.”

The Vikings were called for a foul on the ensuing face-off, though, and Broad Run parlayed the possession into Madigan’s incredible pass and Sanders’ fourth goal of the game.

“We really held our own,” said Madigan, who also had four goals, “and finished it out.”

Tagged: Broad Run High School, high school sports, lacrosse, Loudoun Valley High School

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