Zebras fall to Miners but gain experience in first lacrosse game in school history

The Lincoln High lacrosse team was supposed to play its first game of the season on Friday against Roseville High but the game was postponed, due to expected poor weather. Mother Nature attempted to quash the Fighting Zebras once again on Monday night as there were two 30-minute delays due to lightning. Despite the delays, the Zebras were finally able to play as they faced Nevada Union High in a 18-3 losing effort. "Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong but I've called it poetic multiple times and that's what it is," Zebras coach Kyle Morris said. "It's indicative in this game, it didn't come out how we wanted it to, but there wasn't a single kid who hung his head or said that it was too much for them. Everyone continued to step up and get the job done and that's what we've done to build this program." Lacrosse features four 12-minute quarters and has 10 players on the field at one time: three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper. In boys' lacrosse, body checking is allowed, which can result in some physical moments on the field, some of which were seen in Monday's game. The Zebras struggled early in the game and turned it over multiple times in the first half. The Nevada Union Miners were up 5-0 at the end of the first quarter and 10-0 at the end of the first half. While the Zebras struggled early, they began to get shots on goal in the third quarter and senior Sean Cotten scored the first goal in school history at the quarter's 10:52 mark. Cotten also played football for the Zebras back in the fall. "I faked left and went right and it was just so open that I felt I had to shoot it," Cotten said. "Coach always tells us if our hands are free to shoot the ball. Their goalie is really good and is second in the state. It's a very different experience than football, a totally different game. I can't wait to learn more about it and I had a lot of fun out here." The goalkeeper Cotten is mentioning is senior Caleb Prewitt, who came into the game with 30 saves on 39 shots and is committed to Washington State University. Cotten's goal provided a spark and the Zebras scored two more goals in the quarter, both from junior Beck Van Stralen, including one behind the back score. "We just kept going and kept our heads up," Morris said. "You can never really replicate a game in a practice situation. They saw the mistakes they were making and didn't beat themselves up about it. In the game, the incremental improvements were great to see." The Miners were led by Grady Grandfield and Tucker Wood, who both scored four goals while Ethan Holmes and Lucca Reischman scored three goals apiece. Zebras' senior goalkeeper Rex Watts totaled five saves in the contest. Lincoln High will be back at home on Wednesday when they face Christian Brothers High, after press time, and will face West Park High at home on March 22.