Lady Wolves made Clarkston history by making their first appearance in the MHSAA Regional Finals last Saturday.
The girls lacrosse varsity team matched wits with Hartland and lost, 13-11.
For the Lady Wolves it was a comeback to be proud of after losing to Hartland in March, 20-6.
“I am so proud of our girls,” said Stephanie Dellinger, head coach. “From getting beat so badly by this team at the beginning of the year to alsom beating this team. We were right ther with them the whole game. They played awesome – every single one of them.”
The Eagles opened the game with two goals but the teamwork of senior Stephanie Dellinger and junior Lauren Sharkey put Hartland behind. Sharkey put three points on the scoreboard and Dellinger scored one.
Both teams ended the first half tied and Hartland opened the second half with a 5-1 run. The Lady Wolves responded by getting tougher and gained on Hartland’s lead.
“Kylie Cohu, our goalie, was absolutely phenomenal,” said coach. “She was the difference. Defense held them to 13.”
Sharkey and Dellinger both scored four goals a piece and senior Danielle Dunn added three.
The girls defeated Grand Blanc in the regional semifinals on May 31, 19-3.
Sharkey opened the game against the Lady Bobcats with the first goal, 26 seconds into the first half.
Grand Blanc responded with making three goals to take the lead. Both teams battled as the Lady Wolves tried to get back into the lead.
With five minutes left in the first half, Dellinger won draw possession and ran the ball down the field. She shot past the goalie to bring Clarkston into the lead, 8-7. Two more goals from freshman Mary Schlaff and Dunn put the girls 10-8 before they went into halftime.
“We started a little slow,” said Dellinger but once we got moving we really started playing the way we play. Once we figured which side of the goalie to shoot we started making our shots.”
Grand Blanc opened the second half with a goal only to have the Lady Wolves respond with three of their own. They kept up the momentum and ended the game with two goals in the last minute, putting the score 19-13.
“We still had to stick to what we do,” coach said about the last two goals. “We are not one to stall. We do have to run the clock but we have a few girls that know if they can go to goal – go. They make the shot regardless.”
“The second half our goalie stepped up, too,” she added. “We really stuck to our game plan.
Sharkey and Dellinger led the team with six goals a piece. Dunn had three goals. Anna Gray scored two goals and Brittney Jaynes and Schlaff scored one each.
The team loses ten seniors – Dellinger, Dunn, Gray, Abbey Hall, Whitney Kelley, Gianna Locricchio, Madeline Lussenhop, Rachel Manssur, Paige Miller, and Ashley Piper. The team also said goodbye to their coach, who will move to Alabama.
“It’s sad,” Dellinger admitted. “I am just so happy for them that we ended on such a great note. I have been coaching a lot of these girls since we moved here five years ago. Some of them since fifth grade, some since middle school and I followed them right up. I will miss you. They are a great group of girls. I am hard and intense. They know it is all about lacrosse when I am that way.”
The team ended the season with a 8-5 overall record.