Miller’s winner keeps the Raiders perfect

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

On the way to a perfect 10-0 record, the Atlee boys lacrosse team has certainly faced its fair share of worthy challengers that have threatened to put a one at the end of their record.

Against the St. Christopher’s Saints on April 24, they may have faced their toughest test yet, battling with the feisty VISAA team that refused to go down quietly and nearly came away with the upset on Atlee’s home turf.

After the Saints tied the game up with three minutes left in regulation to send it to overtime at 10-10, the heroics of team captain Kevin Miller proved the difference, with the senior scoring his third goal of the night on a rifling shot from long range to end a nail-biting finish that had nearly every fan up on their feet for the entirety of the overtime period.

“It was nice to be pushed like that,” Atlee head coach Fielding Crawford said. “You see what you’re really made of when you get in those kinds of games.”

Miller, a Christopher Newport commit and two-time captain for the Raiders, was involved in nine of the team’s 11 goals during the game, displaying everything from high-speed shooting on the move to patient playmaking while the offense developed.

“A lot of our offense is run through our attackers, but especially through Kevin handling the ball,” Crawford said. “He is so selfdriven, and I think the guys really respond to that.”

The Raiders jumped out to a comfortable lead to start the game, opening the matchup on a 4-0 run in the first quarter and holding the Saints scoreless for the entirety of those 12 minutes. In the second quarter, the Saints began to find their groove offensively, settling down and getting production from guys like Manoli Loupassi and Miles Harvey to make it a 4-3 game late in the half.

The Raiders responded well to the pushback with goals from Miller and junior James Taylor, who both scored their second goals of the half to bring the lead to 6-3 with 90 seconds remaining, though the Saints scored one more late to cut the lead down to two entering the second half.

While the Saints grew comfortable in their offensive possessions, Crawford was pleased with the confidence his guys on defense had while the offense consistently added goals to maintain the lead.

“We’re confident in how we can score in a number of different ways whether it be in unsettled, chaotic situations or even running settled offense,” he said.

In the third quarter, the Saints brought the deficit down to one goal on three separate occasions, but like in the first half, the Raiders continued to respond thanks to goals from captain Garrett Bralley and sophomore Ryan Miller to make it a 9-7 game heading into the fourth quarter.

With 8:28 left in the game, the Raiders got some more goal-scoring relief on a big finish from senior Tommy Lask to make it 10-7, but two goals from the Saints once again made it just a one-goal advantage with six minutes left to play.

Despite holding on for the next three minutes and getting some big saves out of goalie Eric Allen, St. Christopher’s relentless attack finally paid off with a game-tying goal from Braxton Bourne with three minutes remaining. With every individual play put under the microscope of the energetic fans, a game-saving stop from Allen and a quality look from Taylor ended an exciting fourth quarter and forced additional minutes to determine a winner.

The Raiders had the first chance to win thanks to a faceoff win from senior captain Connor Bade, but Kevin Miller’s shot was saved and allowed the Saints a chance to call timeout and draw up a play. That play never saw its completion though, and a turnover gave the Raiders possession and ended with Miller driving home the winning goal as his teammates stormed the field to celebrate.

It was a riveting finish to keep Atlee’s perfect season on track, but Crawford says the team was right back to work on the practice field the very next day at Chickahominy Middle School. Not content with where they’re at, the Atlee coach applauded the energy level and competitiveness the team showed at practice. To him, it still looked like a team that had something to prove regardless of what the record shows.

“The real work happens right here on this practice field, and this is where all the dirty work and hard work takes place, and I think they have that mentality too, so the amount they are pushing themselves in practice and the competition level that they bring every day is as good as it gets,” Crawford said.

The Raiders can continue their winning ways when they travel to Hanover for a road test against the Hawks on Friday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m.