Every time the Gonzaga Eagles trailed in Monday’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference boys’ lacrosse championship game, their coach repeated the same message.
“It’s your time,” Jeff King told each of his seniors during every huddle. “And they knew what that meant.”
He repeated himself again at halftime as the Eagles trailed rival St. John’s, winner of the past two WCAC titles, by one. This time, he added a calming reminder to take in the environment at Georgetown University, its bleachers packed with fans who had come to see the action.
The brief talk spurred a quick second-half outburst that pushed Gonzaga to an 11-10 win and its first Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title in five years.
St. John’s mounted a late comeback in the fourth quarter, and the game ended with the Cadets firing an off-target shot as the final horn blared. Gonzaga players spilled from the sideline, converging at midfield.
Advertisement
Their next stop was the bleachers, where players joined students and parents alike in a booming roar. Then they returned to the turf to receive their trophy and pose for photos.
“All the emotion hit,” Gonzaga senior James Gardiner said. “Fever dream to be honest.”
The Eagles’ dominant third quarter, preceded by a first half that featured nine lead changes, was sparked by a variety of contributors. Johnny Gardiner tallied his third goal of the game three minutes after the break. Four players added goals to send Gonzaga (15-6) into the final quarter up three.
St. John’s threatened from there. The Cadets (12-5) scored three times over the final 12 minutes and had an opportunity to send the championship game to overtime in the final seconds. The final miss, wide left, handed Gonzaga its first WCAC title since 2019.
Advertisement
Eagles seniors Cody Hobson, Freddy Fowler and Charlie McNamara each added two scores. St. John’s senior John Draley scored four times, and junior Anthony Mancinelli added a hat trick.
“It’s the best feeling ever,” said junior goalie Kevin Kane, who anchored a defense that held St. John’s to just four second-half goals. “We’ve been working since September, early mornings just grinding for this moment. When it finally hit, it’s just the best feeling I could ever experience.”
Monday was an opportunity for St. John’s to win its third straight conference title, a feat that had not been seen in the league since Gonzaga won seven in a row in the 2010s. The Cadets entered the title game as winners of 11 straight. They went unbeaten in conference play during the regular season, including a seven-goal win over the Eagles just 10 days ago.
“You learn from the losses,” James Gardiner said. “And that makes the wins feel even better.”
The Eagles also lost to St. John’s in the 2022 final. Gonzaga’s seniors remembered that defeat vividly.
“It’s a killer when you put your whole heart into it and come up short,” Kane said. “We didn’t want that feeling again.”
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZMCxu9GtqmhqYGeBcHyUaGhsZ5eku7utxppkpZmTp7y0v8RmrpyZk2LBqsDLnmY%3D