On Thursday, March 10, the MSD men’s varsity lacrosse team took on the Cypress Bay High School Lightning on what was the team’s senior night. After wins against Boca Raton High School and Ransom Everglades High School, MSD sought to even out their record at 4-4 on the season and claim a third consecutive victory

After a ceremony honoring MSD’s varsity lacrosse seniors on both the men’s and women’s teams, the match commenced at 7 p.m. in front of a packed crowd at Cumber Stadium.

The Eagles started strong, pressing the Lightning defenders and causing several turnovers. These changes in possessions led to several early chances for MSD, and their momentum shifted completely in their favor.

Five minutes into the match, goals from midfielders Quinn Kelly (24) and Ryan Spallina (5) created an early 4-0 lead for the Eagles. However, the Eagles’ defense eventually slowed down, conceding two goals before the end of the first period.

After their lead was cut down, MSD stifled Cypress Bay’s momentum with four consecutive goals in the second quarter. Three of the four were scored by attacker Darren Edenbaum (8), who had a dominant performance over the Cypress Bay defense.

Although Cypress Bay was able to string together three goals to end the half, the Eagles still entered the halftime break with a lead of 8-5.

Once the teams returned to the field of play, the Lightning fell completely behind and were blistered by the Eagles’ attackers.

Edenbaum added two more goals to his tally for the night in the third quarter, extending the Eagles’ lead to 11-6.

With the match being the team’s senior night and the Eagles having a commanding lead, many senior players were given the freedom to play different positions. Many were even given more playing time than usual, compared to most games.

“It was a great experience to play some offense and it is very hard to know seniors are almost leaving because they bring so much to the team,” defender Alec Gordon (20) said.

Other defensive players such as Zackary Stevens (10) and Ethan Rabes (6) were able to contribute to the attack and eventually add to the Eagles’ lead in the final period.

Defender Matthew Burris (21) was given the opportunity to play an attacking role for the first time this season, where he helped contribute two goals and multiple assists for the team in a very special performance.

“I could feel the support from my teammates and their families, it definitely strengthened the team’s bond,” Burris said. “I was finally able to score without having to run across the whole field.”

As the clock expired, the Eagles celebrated a 16-6 win over Cypress Bay with a confident performance on senior night. With four matches left in the season, the team hopes to extend their three-game win streak as a way to build momentum for the upcoming district playoffs.

The Eagles’ next game will be on Tuesday, Mar. 15. The team will be traveling to Ft. Lauderdale to face Calvary Christian Academy at 7 p.m.

Tagts