HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS LACROSSE: Saratoga goes to second-straight comeback, for second-straight Sect’l title (2024)

SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y. — Saratoga Springs girls varsity lacrosse head coach Jennifer Furze said she’s always liked the nickname, ‘cardiac kids,’ ever since she heard it early on in the regular season to describe her group.

It’s fitting, as for a second-straight game, this time in the Section 2 Class A Finals, the Blue Streaks came back from the brink of defeat in the final quarter to win and defend their reigning champion status.

“For whatever reason they thrive when they are down. They just use that as fuel and they just love a good comeback and it does give us all heart palpitations, but they have grit,” Furze said.

“We knew we had to fight for every single game. It wasn’t just given,” added Blue Streaks’ senior attack Carly Wise. “So, to do it again, it’s like déjà vu. It’s great.”

Between the final 19 seconds of the third quarter and the entire fourth on Tuesday night at Schuylerville High School, Saratoga Springs scored a quartet of unanswered goals, to beat Colonie, 11-10 and retake the sectional title.

A game prior, in the Class A semifinals versus Shenendehowa, Saratoga Springs netted five of the final six goals, including the game-winner with 20 seconds remaining, to win 12-11 and advance.

The comeback versus Colonie came down to the final ticks as well, with junior goalie Jenna Amodio saving a free-position shot with just 0.7 seconds to play.

“It’s an incredible feeling. I’m really proud of not just myself, but my teammates,” Amodio said, postgame. “We’ve come really far this season and I think we’ve been able to stick it out and get this win. This was a great team win and the feeling of just running and hugging my teammates is indescribable.”

After a back-and-forth start, the Blue Streaks held a 7-5 lead in the second quarter, before the Wolfpack scored three in less than three minutes at the end of the first half, to go up 8-7.

Two more goals from Colonie in the third quarter put Saratoga Springs behind 10-7 – coincidentally the same deficit faced in last week’s semifinal win.

“I always knew this was not going to be an easy game. I knew it was gonna be very close and I got in my head a little bit, but it’s a situation that I’ve been in before,” Amodio said. “So, I kind of used that momentum and energy from getting down on myself and just rose up and was able to make some good saves at the end.”

A goal from Janie Baringer in the waning seconds of the third quarter cut the deficit to 10-8 before the fourth and just 21 seconds into the final frame, Wise scored again to make it 10-9.

“We knew we had the skill to do it. It’s more our energy. So, in every single timeout, huddle, that we had, we knew we had to emphasize energy,” Wise said. “So, if there was a goal, everyone was celebrating, everyone was getting excited and it just skyrocketed from there. Once something happened, that energy just boosted and we ran with it.”

Faith Britton, 41 seconds later, scored off an assist from Sarah Berls, to get the game back to even.

“Everyone had to be a part of this offense and we were so hyped on the bus coming into it,” Wise said, “I knew that everyone was all into it and wanted it really bad.”

With just under nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter Tuesday, Saratoga Springs’ senior Parker Laurin narrowly missed a chance in the open field to regain the lead, however, the ball caromed off the stick of Colonie goalie Emma Taylor, only to be scooped up by Wise and fired into the net for the 11-10 edge.

“Once that happened, we knew we had to drown that clock and save this. We couldn’t force anything, we couldn’t have any turnovers; we just had to keep our composure run with it, and get the clock down,” said Wise.

From there, Amodio, who let up four free-position goals to that point, stopped three more in net, including the final chance from Colonie at the buzzer.

“Typically, she just needs that taste of that first goal, that first taste of confidence, and then she takes off and she didn’t get that until later on in the game,” said Furze of her goalie, “but once she did, I knew she was locked in at that moment and so I knew she was gonna bring it home for us.”

“Free positions are hard. They have good players taking good shots, so I’m not going to hold that against them, so you just have to lock it in,” added Amodio. “It’s kind of a guessing game for a goalie. You just, kind of, guess where it goes and you just have to be ready for it. You always have to be prepared for the unexpected stuff.”

Wise led the team on offense with six goals, matching her mark from a game ago.

“Nothing new for Carly,” Furze said proudly.

Furze also noted, postgame, the senior attack, committed to play at NCAA Divison-I’s Clemson University next Spring, is only three goals away from No.300 for her career.

“That was one of our, ‘whys.’ We all identified, coming into this game, our ‘whys’ – why we wanted this so badly – and for me, my ‘why’ was I wanted this kid to reach her 300th goal because she has earned it Yeah. She has earned that experience.”

Although, the career benchmark won’t be the only thing Wise and the back-to-back Sectional Champion Blue Streaks are chasing as the season continues into the NYSPHSAA Regional Finals.

While winning the Section 2 Class A title in 2023, Saratoga Springs later lost in the Sub-Regional final versus Section I’s Suffern, also at Schuylerville High School. Suffern, which plays Thursday in this year’s State Sub-Regional, versus Section IX’s Pinebush, could be back opposite Saratoga Springs come Saturday, at 3 p.m., this time at Queensbury High School.

Now that defending the mantle is done, a potential revenge tour is up next.

“I want it this year and I think we, as a team, want it. I think last year we were kind of a little tired towards the end of the season and it put us at a downfall, but I can feel it; we’re conditioned, we’re prepared, we’re mentally locked in for what’s about to happen next,” Amodio said. “So, I’m really excited.”

—

Saratoga Springs 11, Colonie 10

COL;3;5;2;0;—;10

TOGA;3;4;1;3;—;11

Wolfpack- J. Bancheri 0-1, N. Boardman 4-0, K. Boardman 1-2, Connolly 1-0, Lemenise 2-1, McFeeley 2-0.

Blue Streaks- Wise 6-0, Baringer 2-1, Laurin 0-3, Judge 1-0, Berls 1-1, Britton 1-0.

Shots- TOGA, 24-19.

Saves- Taylor, COL, 10. Amodio, TOGA, 8.

Ground balls- TOGA, 23-10.

Draw controls- TOGA, 17-3.