Chargers claim first district crown
By Dave Buschenfeldt
It is not often that a coach will call a timeout with less than a minute to play and his team leading by three goals, but that is exactly what Chantilly coach Kevin Broderick did with 43 seconds remaining in Friday's Concorde District boys lacrosse final. Oakton had scored three straight goals in the fourth quarter to pull within 9-6, and Broderick wanted his players to realize they had a comfortable lead that would stand up if they simply knew their assignments.Broderick's pep talk worked, and though the Cougars scored once more, Chantilly held on for a 9-7 victory to claim the first Concorde District championship in team history.
"It hasn't sunk in yet," Broderick said after the game. "I'm just happy for the guys. It was something they really wanted and they worked hard for it. It's nice to see."
With 16 seniors on the roster, Chantilly has stressed teamwork and camaraderie above all else this season, and Friday night was no different. Five players scored goals for the Chargers, with senior Kevin O'Neill leading the way with four.
"We just did it as a team all season," O'Neill said. "It's been our focus all year to go one game at a time and it's gotten us this far. We're going to step up our game for regionals and keep going."
Broderick has had little trouble getting his team focused for games this year, and he is certain it will be no different as the postseason progresses.
"You don't have to work too hard with these guys about motivating them," he said. "They come and they know exactly what they have to do."
Chantilly began its quest toward a Northern Region title with an 18-5 win over Washington-Lee Tuesday in the first round of the region tournament. The Chargers will face either Woodson or South County Thursday in the region quarterfinals.
In the Concorde District girls final, Chantilly suffered its first loss of the season to Robinson, 14-13, on a last-second goal. The Chargers trailed for most of the game, but rallied to tie the score late in the second half.
"They played their hearts out," Chantilly coach Michele Gates said. "It was an excellent game. You've just got to give it to Robinson. Robinson is an excellent competitor. This game is always neck-and-neck. Robinson got this one."
Chantilly took its first step toward a possible rematch with the Rams in the Northern Region final with a 20-5 win over Washington-Lee in Tuesday's regional first round. The Chargers will face either Stone Bridge or Lake Braddock Thursday in the region quarterfinals.