FAIRMONT — While both have a date with Morgantown — and perhaps destiny — Fairmont Senior’s girls’ and boys’ lacrosse teams have different motivating factors heading into today’s WVSLA state title games.
For the Polar Bear girls, it’s an opportunity to repeat history and capture a second straight title. They beat University last year, 12-10, in West Virginia’s first championship game.
For the boys, it’s a chance make a right after everything turned wrong in their last meeting with the Mohigans.
The girls open play at 1 p.m. at East-West Stadium; the boys will follow at 3:30 p.m.
While the boys’ journey has been one of determination, the girls have dominated from the start.
“We knew the team had a really good chance to be where we’re at," Fairmont Senior coach Jon Cain said.
He, though, never imagined in his wildest dreams what they’d would do along the way.
Fairmont Senior isn’t just 15-0. The team is arguably one of the most dominant Polar Bear squads, of any sport, in recent memory.
The numbers certainly don’t lie:
• They lead the state with 288 goals, just over 18 per game, and have more than doubled Morgantown’s season total.
• They have the state’s second- and third-leading scorers in seniors Morgan Cain (92 goals, 17 assists) and Hannah Nagowski (42 G, 39 A). Nagowski also tops the WVLSA in assists by a huge margin; Cain is second.
• They have firepower to spare. Krissy Bodnovich has 45 goals in 14 games. Georgette Ball leads all state defensemen with 23 goals, and Tessa Gardner and Lauren Sansalone have chipped in 12 and 11 scores, respectively.
In all, 21 Polar Bears have found the net this season.
“I don’t think they even realize what they’re doing,” Cain said.
Cain knew he had a special team in late April after a 17-4 victory over Morgantown, now 10-6 on the season. The Polar Bears were coming off a 13-day layoff and instead of looking flat — or perhaps worse, taking a rare loss — they looked as if they never left the field.
“Really, I didn’t know what to expect,” he said of the game. “It really surprised me there was no rust. When it came to passing and catching, they hadn’t missed a beat. Everything fell into place.”
While the players are enjoying the ride — Cain said this week’s practices have been full of fun and laughs, not the pressure of polishing off a perfect season — the team’s focus has never waned.
“I thought that the girls might be a little nervous, but they haven’t been,” he said. “They’re hungry; they want to play.”
Fairmont Senior’s boys’ team comes into today’s game at 11-3, while Morgantown is 13-2.
The last meeting with the Mohigans was a turning point. The Polar Bears led 7-2 after a period but then the bottom fell out in an 18-11 loss.
After the defeat, first-year coach Jarrott Brogdon made some adjustments, including shuffling around defenders. The results have been plain to see as Johnny Leon, Drew Cameon, Dillion Leeson, Beau Robinson and Caleb Lough, among others, lead a defensive unit that has allowed a state-low 66 goals.
“It was a rude awakening, but it allowed us to fix a few things,” Brogdon said. “It helped us.”
Offensively, the Polar Bears have six 20-goal scorers in David Bonazza (33), Travis DeVault (23), Nate Freeland (22), Brad Cox (21), Louie Romano (21) and Brian Bacza (21). Jordan Ross is right behind with 16.
Goalie Tyler Ross has 135 saves in 13 starts.
“He’s the best in the state,” Brogdon said of Tyler Ross.
Are the Polar Bears, boys and girls, the state’s best? We’ll know soon enough.
E-mail Nick Cammuso at ncammuso@timeswv.com.
Sports Central
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PHOTO BY TAMMY SHRIVER
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