Having recently cleared a space for its first boys lacrosse banner — for winning the Pikes Peak League — as of late Saturday afternoon, Ponderosa had to make room for another. The Class 4A state championship piece needs a spot too.
Never trailing, playing stellar defense and prominently occupying the middle like the cream between two Oreo cookies, the Mustangs took apart the defending champion Wheat Ridge Farmers 13-11 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
“It’s great, our first one,” said Mustangs junior Jack Griffin, who scored three key goals in the third quarter and added a large assist on his team’s only score over the final 12 minutes.
PHOTOS: Ponderosa defeats Wheat Ridge in high school boy’s lacrosse
WATCH: Ponderosa Mustangs celebrated the 4A championship after beating Wheat Ridge
Ponderosa (16-2), which lost its regular-season finale to Colorado Academy before running the postseason table, needed just about all of it as the Mustangs led Wheat Ridge 13-7 with less than six minutes to play. But the Farmers (15-5) made the Mustangs sweat before their defense proved that it had just enough left.
All told, Ponderosa was able to keep Wheat Ridge playing catchup, took advantage of mistakes and came up with most of the loose balls, notably early in building a lead.
Mustangs coach Patrick Tierney said Griffin “is quite a player,” and he wasn’t alone. Blake Bruner led the Mustangs with four goals. Derik Mango added three goals. And goalie Jacob Ochs was big when needed.
John Roach led the Farmers with three goals and three assists, but the Mustangs had success defending him and only Tyler Knott was able to find the back of the net for Wheat Ridge more than once.
MVP
Ponderosa junior Jack Griffin scored three goals in a five-minute span of the third quarter and set up his team’s lone goal in the fourth to push the Mustangs to their first boys lacrosse crown.
