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If there was any doubt about what high school lacrosse means in Wilmington, Tuesday evening erased it.
Under the blazing sun at Scott Braswell Stadium, Wilmington rivals Hoggard and Laney traded punches for four quarters in a playoff game that rarely slowed down and never truly felt decided until the final seconds.
Every ground ball drew a roar. Every faceoff felt critical. Every goal seemed to swing momentum the other direction.
And when the chaos finally settled Tuesday, May 19, it was Hoggard still standing.
The No. 2-seeded Vikings survived a frantic third-round NCHSAA 8A boys playoff battle against No. 6 Laney, pulling away late for a 14-12 win that felt equal parts exhausting and exhilarating.
MICHAEL JORDAN HEARTWARMER Michael Jordan surprises longtime Laney High School teacher in hospice care
“The love we have for each other to pull through at the end there, it was unbelievable,” said Jackson Burgee, who scored three goals.
For long stretches, the game looked like it could belong to either side. Laney matched Hoggard’s speed and physicality, answering scoring runs with timely goals while repeatedly forcing the Vikings out of rhythm.
But every time the game threatened to tilt away from Hoggard, Logan Petty seemed to pull it back.
The Vikings' faceoff specialist controlled possession in the game’s biggest moments, winning draws and quickly turning them into transition opportunities.
“Speed kills,” Petty said. “If you're fast with the ball and can get it out quick, that kills.”
Those extra possessions found their way to Noah Hansen, the area’s leading scorer (77) and the centerpiece of one of Hoggard’s best seasons in recent memory.
The senior scored four goals Tuesday, including a twisting, midair finish that sent the Hoggard sideline erupting. Another came as the final buzzer sounded.
“I’m just so grateful,” Hansen said. “All we could do was score, and that’s all we thought about.”
The comeback itself was nothing new for Hoggard. Despite beating Laney three times this season, the Vikings have repeatedly found themselves needing to respond under pressure, including trailing at halftime in the teams’ first meeting earlier this year.
That resilience has become part of the team’s identity.
“People have doubted us, and people have projected us to lose in pretty much every conference game,” Petty said.
Now, the Vikings are one win away from a state title appearance. Hoggard will face the winner of Athens Drive and Millbrook on Friday, May 22.
And after surviving another emotional rivalry battle, the Vikings sound far from satisfied.
“We’re here for states,” Burgee said. “Keep counting us out, please. We’re not going anywhere.”
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Hoggard lacrosse holds of rival Laney, punches semifinal ticket
Continue reading...
Under the blazing sun at Scott Braswell Stadium, Wilmington rivals Hoggard and Laney traded punches for four quarters in a playoff game that rarely slowed down and never truly felt decided until the final seconds.
Every ground ball drew a roar. Every faceoff felt critical. Every goal seemed to swing momentum the other direction.
And when the chaos finally settled Tuesday, May 19, it was Hoggard still standing.
The No. 2-seeded Vikings survived a frantic third-round NCHSAA 8A boys playoff battle against No. 6 Laney, pulling away late for a 14-12 win that felt equal parts exhausting and exhilarating.
MICHAEL JORDAN HEARTWARMER Michael Jordan surprises longtime Laney High School teacher in hospice care
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“The love we have for each other to pull through at the end there, it was unbelievable,” said Jackson Burgee, who scored three goals.
For long stretches, the game looked like it could belong to either side. Laney matched Hoggard’s speed and physicality, answering scoring runs with timely goals while repeatedly forcing the Vikings out of rhythm.
But every time the game threatened to tilt away from Hoggard, Logan Petty seemed to pull it back.
The Vikings' faceoff specialist controlled possession in the game’s biggest moments, winning draws and quickly turning them into transition opportunities.
“Speed kills,” Petty said. “If you're fast with the ball and can get it out quick, that kills.”
Those extra possessions found their way to Noah Hansen, the area’s leading scorer (77) and the centerpiece of one of Hoggard’s best seasons in recent memory.
The senior scored four goals Tuesday, including a twisting, midair finish that sent the Hoggard sideline erupting. Another came as the final buzzer sounded.
“I’m just so grateful,” Hansen said. “All we could do was score, and that’s all we thought about.”
The comeback itself was nothing new for Hoggard. Despite beating Laney three times this season, the Vikings have repeatedly found themselves needing to respond under pressure, including trailing at halftime in the teams’ first meeting earlier this year.
That resilience has become part of the team’s identity.
“People have doubted us, and people have projected us to lose in pretty much every conference game,” Petty said.
Now, the Vikings are one win away from a state title appearance. Hoggard will face the winner of Athens Drive and Millbrook on Friday, May 22.
And after surviving another emotional rivalry battle, the Vikings sound far from satisfied.
“We’re here for states,” Burgee said. “Keep counting us out, please. We’re not going anywhere.”
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Hoggard lacrosse holds of rival Laney, punches semifinal ticket
Continue reading...
