By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor
Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area
**All highlights and photos posted above video to the left.**
Watching the Chargers in third quarter, it appeared as though they were coming off a 10-minute halftime, not one that lasted 22 hours.
Chantilly junior Kevin Egan scored less than two minutes into the continuation of the Virginia state lacrosse semifinal, which began on Wednesday night at Westfield.
Charger sophomore Devon Westerman found the back of the Ram cage again three minutes later.
That was all the breathing room needed for the defending state champions, as Chantilly finished off Robinson, 8-5, in the culmination of Wednesday’s rained-out semifinal at Fairfax on Thursday.
“On offense, we knew if we just chilled out and played LAX, we’d be good. And we did it,” said Egan, who scored the first of his two goals at the 10:50 mark in the second quarter on Wednesday.
“If we play our best, we’re tough to beat.”
Added senior defender Max Jeffrey: “The biggest message [last night] was not to lose mental focus. I thought we came out strong in the first half, but we knew it wasn’t finished.
“We wanted to raise the bar even higher than the start.”
Jeffrey, senior defender Steve Gombos and senior goalkeeper Derek Kegerreis anchored a solid defensive effort that held Robinson to two goals, which included a score in the waning seconds of the third quarter, in Thursday’s second half.
In the final four minutes of regulation, Jeffrey blocked back-to-back shots by Ram attackman Thurmond Shaw with his body.
Minutes prior, Gombos had a pivotal stick check to dispossess Robinson middie Dan McNulty, who is headed to Jacksonville University, and on a later possession picked up a goal-saving ground ball in front of a vacant Chantilly cage after possession was lost behind the X.
In goal, Kegerreis had 10 saves, matching Ram junior goalkeeper Kennand Kevan for the game-high.
“I thought we played our best lacrosse this season — in quite some time, if not the season — last night,” said Chantilly coach Kevin Broderick, whose team beat Robinson, 6-5, in the regular season. “Our captains, when we left Chantilly in the rain last night, said, ‘Bring your A-game, guys.’
“The first time we played them, Stevie put us on his back and carried us and same thing tonight. He’s out there doing the best he can… He did a nice job matching up with McNulty, a guy I feel is one of the best offensive players in the Northern Region.”
Added Jeffrey: “When it comes down to this, every little thing matters.”
With its victory, Chantilly advances to face Northern Region champion Langley in the AA/AAA State championship game at Westfield on Sunday at 8 p.m.
The Chargers lost to the Saxons, 6-4, in the regional semifinals on May 18.
Though the returning state champion, Chantilly graduated 16 seniors from last year’s undefeated team. Among starters, it returned only Kegerreis and three defensemen: Jeffery, Gombos and Taylor Meason.
Still, to cement their legacy, this fresh cast of Chargers felt it was state final run or bust in 2009.
“We’ve got 13 seniors and a bunch of guys that played last year,” Broderick said. “They think, in order to get the right respect, you have to go back to the championship game this season.”
Added Egan: “It’s good to prove that we had a great senior class last year, but we can reload and just come back and do the same thing.”
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
*CLICK HERE for coverage of the Langley-Broad Run semifinal
Chantilly (16-2) 3 2 2 1 — 8
Robinson (12-7) 2 1 1 1 — 5
Goals:
CH – Kevin Egan (2), Joe Marson (2), Robbie Bowers, Brendan Waters, Devon Westerman.
RB – Alex Barber (2), Chase Walton (2), Thurmond Shaw.
Assists:
CH – Robbie Bowers (2), Jared Golden.
RB – Dan McNulty (2), Jake Martens, Thurmond Shaw.
Saves:
CH – Derek Kegerreis – 10.
RB – Kennand Kevan – 10.
Goals (Time Left in Quarter) — Score
1st Quarter
CH – Joe Marson (10:04) — 1-0
RB – Chase Walton (3:56) — 1-1
CH – Brendan Waters (1:56) — 2-1
RB – Alex Barber (:39.3) — 2-2
CH – Robbie Bowers (:12.1) — 3-2
2nd Quarter
CH – Kevin Egan (10:50) — 4-2
RB – Alex Barber (10:08) — 4-3
CH – Mike Turpyn (:41.9) — 5-3
*Game stopped at 8:06 p.m., officially postponed at 9:07 p.m.
3rd Quarter
CH – Kevin Egan (10:10) — 6-3
CH – Devon Westerman (7:00) — 7-3
RB – Thurmond Shaw (:25.6) — 7-4
4th Quarter
RB – Chase Walton (6:28) — 7-5
CH – Joe Marson (1:09) — 8-5
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