Two teams had accounted for the past six Orange County boys lacrosse championships before the 2013 season.
Foothill had won five consecutive titles under the guidance of Jon Fox and Corona del Mar broke through under GW Mix in 2012 to claim the championship.
The Sea Kings and Knights entered this year’s U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division championships as the top two seeds.
While many were anticipating a meeting between the past two champions in the final, another county team burst onto the scene and crashed the party.
Third-seeded St. Margaret’s finished the regular season with a 14-game winning streak and entered the playoffs with a full head of steam.
After posting two dominating playoff victories, the Tartans met up with the Knights in the semifinals.
GAME INFO:
Saturday, May 11
1 p.m.
St. Margaret’s vs. Harvard Westlake, at West Torrance High
It was built up to be a thriller, but St. Margaret’s jumped out to a 3-0 lead and went on to dominate Foothill, 19-6.
“The most exciting thing was to put Foothill into a running clock,” sophomore Ryan Harnisch said.
That set up a clash with Corona del Mar in the South final. The Tartans took the lead for good by scoring four goals in a 69-second span in the second quarter on the way to a 12-7 victory.
The impressive playoff run has landed the Tartans in the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section Championship game against Harvard Westlake of North Hollywood today at 1 p.m. at West Torrance High.
It didn’t appear St. Margaret’s would be in this position after a 2-4 start. But a trip to San Francisco turned the momentum.
“We had a great road trip,” St. Margaret’s coach Glen Miles said. “The team came together up there.
“We played three Northern California teams, won those games and got tighter as a group because of that.”
Harnisch said he realized on the trip this season could be special.
The Tartans might be reminiscing about their trip to San Francisco, but they realize there’s still a task at hand.
“We expect a good game,” Harnisch said about today’s matchup. “We have to respect them and treat it like any other game.”
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
