For the second year in a row, Bishop Watterson and Mariemont met in the OHSAA Division II boys lacrosse state semifinal in a showdown between perennial powerhouses.
Once again, Watterson came out on top, defeating Mariemont 12-5 inside Centerville’s Alumni Stadium on June 2. The Eagles soar back to Historic Crew Stadium, where they’ll defend their title on Saturday, June 6.
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Though these teams had met before this season, a 10-4 Eagles victory on April 11, Watterson head coach Chris Sauter said that earlier win didn’t offer much comfort as the game got underway.
“They know how to hurt us when we make a mistake,” Sauter said. “We expected a 15-rounder.”
From the early moments it seemed the Eagles and Warriors were headed toward a drawn-out heavyweight match. The opening stalemate held until nearly the end of the first quarter as each team’s defense held firm. Finally, Mariemont’s Ethan Hern broke the ice with a long-range shot, kicking off a flurry of goals. Watterson turned in a pair of goals from senior Ryan Grimm and sophomore Dash Hoy, but the Warriors’ Vince Fiorina struck in the closing seconds to even the score.
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The back-and-forth battle continued in the second, with Ben McClorey of Mariemont trading goals with Watterson’s Drew Dunlap. It seemed the teams might go into the break notched at three all, but Grimm was able to pick off an uncharacteristic Will Haugh pass for an easy Eagles goal. Still, a trip to the state finals was very much up in the air.
Watterson junior midfielder and USA Lacrosse All-American Joe Hayes said he felt his team came out a bit slow in the first half.
“In the first half the boys were playing a little scared, the moment was getting to us a bit,” Hayes said.
Even in a battle of heavyweights, sometimes one good round is all it takes to end the fight. Watterson came out swinging hard after halftime with Dash Hoy wasting no time on a goal that took just 33 seconds. In a portent so conspicuous it couldn’t be fiction, a buzzard chose that moment to swoop over the Mariemont sideline as if sensing fresh carrion.
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The Eagles, following up on the avian omen, went for the kill. They dominated face-offs to control the ball nearly the entire quarter, pouring in five more goals to blow the game wide open. After being tied at three apiece, Watterson led 10-3 entering the final period.
“We started to loosen up, have fun, and play Watterson lacrosse,” Hayes said, “and that’s how we were able to run away with in the second half.”
With a pair of goals exchanged in the closing act, Watterson’s victory was secured. Mariemont’s season comes to a close in the regional semifinals for the second year in a row, but the Warriors overcame adversity to make it this far.
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After longtime head coach Steve Peterson had to step away midseason due to health concerns, his son, Reed, stepped up to lead the Warriors. Through a season of ups and downs, he credited his senior class with maintaining level heads.
“It’s been the best you could ever ask for, seeing my seniors taking extra leadership,” Peterson said. “They’ve been exceptional. The boys really came together and did it all.”
Mariemont secured its eighth trip to the state tournament in the last nine seasons thanks to the efforts of that senior class. The Warriors are graduating nine seniors: Jack Simpson, Vince Fiorina, Parker Goellner, Cooper Matarese, Ethan Goellner, Will Haugh, J.P. Bortz, Tyler Graham and Lincoln Griesmer.
Watterson’s head coach Chris Sauter, who was recently named the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association coach of the year, said the immediate emotion after the match was relief.
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“You get to this point of the season and you want to take advantage of every opportunity. It’s stressful, but we know how blessed we are,” Sauter said.
The Watterson Eagles will now turn their attention to a state title showdown with Rocky River on June 6. Sauter knows it’ll be a tough fight in Historic Crew Stadium.
“That’s a professional team. We’re gonna need everything we’ve got and then some to win that game.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bishop Watterson defeats Mariemont in OHSAA lacrosse semifinals
