Learning a lesson, Webb LAX in control at FHS
Having been the unwilling recipient of a one-sided setback already this season, Webb School of Knoxville’s lacrosse team apparently learned from its hard knocks — turning the tables at Farragut in a rivalry face off against the Admirals Thursday evening, March 11.
While having “a lot of injuries,” Ravenwood “spanked us pretty good,” Spartans head coach Rico Silvera said about a loss earlier in the season that “set a standard” for his team.
“We’re not about going (undefeated), we’re about getting better every week,” he added about playing tough teams.
Led by senior attacker Sam Beall’s five goals, while also dishing out three assists and scooping 12 ground balls, the Spartans jumped ahead early against FHS and won easily, 13-1.
“We awarded game balls on our attack side because we felt like we controlled the ball,” Silvera said about Beall, senior Gray Davis (three goals) and sophomore Ned Delozier (one goal and three ground balls).
Specifically, “Ground balls tonight were really critical, they’re like rebounds in basketball,” the Webb coach said, adding Beall’s 12 were three times “what a good night would be — four.”
However, “The difference in the game tonight was our ability to do what’s called ride. In other words, it’s a full-court press when they get the ball to keep them from transitioning,” Silvera said. “We were able to keep them from transitioning 14 out of 17 times.”
While Webb improved its record to 2-2, the Admirals fell to 1-3.
Garrett Carnathan added two goals and five ground balls for the winners.
Other Spartans goals came from Liam Devlin and Tate Yatkowski.
About the Admirals, “I want to compliment Farragut. I think they’re well coached. I know they don’t have a lot of seniors,” Silvera said about his FHS counterpart Matthew Bergman, head coach, and his staff.
“It’s a great rivalry,” the Webb coach added. “I’ve been coaching here for 18 years, and this is only one of three teams we’ve played every year.”
The Admirals’ lone goal came in the second quarter from junior midfielder Layton Morgan, assisted by junior Sam Lefler, face-off specialist.
Lefler “dominated; he probably won 70 percent or so of his faceoffs,” Bergman said. “And our goalie, (junior) Nick Anningson, he played pretty well with all the shots he faced.”
Overall, “We had a lot of players graduate (Class of 2020), so we’re a really young team,” Bergman said.
“We had one senior, Grant King, and he broke his hand in the first game,” the FHS coach added about one of three team captains. “ ... He’s a big impact on our sideline.”
