Local laxers dot all-league squad
Petersen, Morrow lead postseason picks
Chris Dillmann | Daily file photo
Class 4A Western Slope Lacrosse Awards
First team
Jayme Belyea, Battle Mountain
Tom Boyne, Battle Mountain
Chris Cappel, Battle Mountain
Ryan Cole. Vail Mountain
Joe Hall, Eagle Valley
Henry Hancock, Vail Mountain
Tucker Morrow, Battle Mountain
Philip Petersen, Eagle Valley
Conner Underwood, Battle Mountain
Second Team
Freddy Alto, Eagle Valley
Bergen Blomquist, Eagle Valley
Shane Cole, Vail Mountain
Becker Dienst, Vail Mountain
Matt Gay, Vail Mountain
Baker Gentry, Battle Mountain
Mason Jurcak, Eagle Valley
John Verratti, Vail Mountain
Nick Walter, Battle Mountain
OK, so how does this work?
Traditionally, you start three attackers in lacrosse. Going over the all-league team, Battle Mountain’s Tucker Morrow (41 goals, 12 assists) and Eagle Valley’s Philip Petersen (54-20) obviously start. But what about the third spot?
Vail Mountain has Becker Dienst with 28 and 17 as a sophomore. How about the Devils’ Bergen Blomquist (23-16) or the Huskies’ Jayme Belyea (21-22). Do you move Blomquist back to his traditional midfielder spot? That works, but what about Dienst and Belyea for one spot?
The local squads also have three goalies — Conner Underwood, Mason Jurcak and Matt Gay — on the all-league squad. That’s another mathematical issue.
Mort Mulliken | Special to the Daily
It’s a good problem to have and a statement of the level of lacrosse in Eagle County.
Battle Mountain and Eagle Valley both made the playoffs this spring. The Huskies rallied from 4-7 to continue their run of postseason appearances, dating back to 2013, in tact, while the Devils made it for only the second time in school history (2013).
And their path seemed to cross in 2019. Eagle Valley served notice that it would be a playoff team by beating Battle Mountain, 12-11, in March. The Huskies kicked their playoff drive into gear by returning the favor, 11-8, in April.
Meanwhile, it was a rough year for Vail Mountain School with a 4-11 record. However, four of the five Gore Rangers’ all-league selections are underclassmen.
