Wildcats suffer growing pains in 15-3 lacrosse defeat
Jacob Hornbeak advances the ball as teammate Brady Nelson (12) looks on. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group) By Paige Mendez, Corresponde...
By Paige Mendez, Correspondent
The Paloma Valley boys lacrosse team lost to the Corona Panthers 15-3 Wednesday night at home.
After Corona put in the first goal of the game, Paloma’s Anthony Taliercio put an answering shot in the back of the net to tie it up. However, that would be the last goal for the Wildcats in the first half, while the Panthers went on a 12-0 run until halftime, to put them up 13-1.
Paloma head coach Jeffrey Young said the first half’s outcome was from a lack of focus on the fundamentals, but, seeing as his team is mostly comprised of athletes who are new to the sport, he is familiar with the lesson he needed to point out.
“The momentum can come and go so quickly, so I just told them to focus on the basics,” Young said. “I reminded them they know how to play this sport, so they just need to go and do it.”
In the second half, Corona scored in the first three minutes, but Paloma got back in their groove and had an answering goal just one minute later from Taliercio again.
Taliercio said his goal as a leader on the team is to show his teammates how to persevere.
“I just want to show them to keep their heads up,” he said. “Of course we wanted a win tonight but we come to play every time.”
The Panthers had just one more goal in the game, just eight seconds into the fourth quarter. Paloma’s Noah Lavine had an answer for that, too, just after the seven-minute mark. With Corona’s deep cushion already set up, though, they had a win secured and took the 15-3 victory.
Young acknowledged that, with a young program comes a lot of learning, but he noted that he has three influential leaders who he hopes will help him build the program.
“Brady Nelson and Jacob Hornbeak have really stepped up for me as far as my midfielders go,” he said. “And Brandon Morris is helping all the new guys on the defensive side and talking them up during practice.”
Along with a team that’s learning lacrosse, Young said he think the sport is new for the area, as well, and encouraged the community to come see for themselves what it’s like.
“As people get here and watch a game they get to see that ‘Holy cow, this is an interesting sport!’” he said. “It’s growing here and we’ve got to continue to build on it. Last year we only had 11 players and this year we have 23, so that’s good for the sport.”
The Wildcats’ next matchup will be Friday on the road at Segerstrom at 5 p.m., when will look to get their first victory of the season.
Players battle for possession of the ball in the middle of the field. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)
Collin Galazzo looks for a teammate to pass to in Wednesday's game. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)
