---

STATESMEN SCOREBOARD    SENIOR NIGHT, THU 4/27 MARSHALL 12   MADISON 10      JV, THU 4/27 MADISON 20   MARSHALL  2

Marshall High School, 4/27/06 --
MARSHALL BEATS MADISON - SWEET!

Marshall 12 - Madison 10

NOTHING COULD BE SWEETER than a win over Madison ... on Senior Night ... in the season finale* ... after the Warhawks ran up the score against our JV. CONGRATULATIONS STATESMEN! THANK YOU SENIORS!

[* OK, it wasn't the regular season finale - we're scheduled now to play a makeup game on Friday, May 5 ... vs Lee, at Lee.]

The weather was absolutely gorgeous. A perfect night for the Fastest Sport On Two Feet, and as it turned out a perfect night for bringing Small School Big Heart to the 2006 Liberty District lacrosse season. Not too shabby for building on the long-standing Marshall-Madison tradition as well. LAXPower said we were supposed to lose this game by 4. But as we all know, Small School Big Heart doesn't take much truck with "supposed to."

The game was amazing. Madison started fast and broke out to an early 6-2 lead. Things were looking bleak, but I've been talking about it all season - there's no quit in this team, we adjust, we get down to business, and the sense of determination out there is unmistakeable. The Statesmen started the comeback, and you could see it in their eyes. You could also see it on the faces of the Warhawks - they could tell these Statesmen were coming back.

Back and forth this game went. FAST, HARD HITTING, NO QUARTER. I don't know how many times the actual lead changed hands, but the momentum must have switched back and forth a zillion times. At halftime, the coaching staff laid out just what we needed to do. And the Seniors clearly committed to do it.

Was it the plan? Or the execution? Or just believing in themselves? Whatever it was, our Statesmen gutted it out in the fourth quarter, grabbed the momentum, pulled even, and then took an 11-10 lead on a blast from the top! With time running out, the Warhawks brought everything they had, but Small School Big Heart was calm, and determined. ANOTHER score! And then the defense ran out the clock! WOW! Final score, Marshall 12 - Madison 10.

The crowd went wild! The players went wild! And an entire year of Marshall Pride and unrelenting determination came flooding onto the LAX pitch.

Thrill of Victory. Agony of Defeat. Small School Big heart ... I so can't wait 'til next year. :-) Marshall Pride!

---

VARSITY GAME: MARSHALL 12 - MADISON 10
These are pictures from the Varsity game. Pictures from the JV game are on the JV Pix page!  

It was Senior Night! Click on the image for a REALLY big photo!

Eliot Gehley may be a Freshman, but he knows all about the Madison game. Pride and determination - written all over his face.

The Warhawks break out to an early lead, but you know what? Our Statesmen offense is getting good chances and taking quality shots. No reason to panic ... just keep working hard! Co-Captain Pat Findaro #19 takes a leaping shot!

Everyone contributes. It's Senior Night, but it's also Every Statesman Gives It Up Night. #17 is Freshman Sam Newland

Senior midfielder Pat Findaro works the ball around the horn.

The Warhawks offense racked up 6 early goals, but now everyone has to turn up the defense.

Slowly but surely, the defense takes control - anchored by steady play in the net from #6 Junior Kevin Hia

With the defense playing well, suddenly the offense gets on track too! Pat Findaro makes a lightning-quick cut to get open!

HE SHOOT HE SCORES! Co-Captain Jake Oster sparks the comeback with a shot that handcuffs the Warhawks goalie!

Pat Findaro again - this time curling over the top to set up another good scoring chance.

Sweet! Jake Oster and Fr. Kevin Smith come back to the huddle after a goal.

Soph. middie Ryan Jarriel brings the ball up the sideline.

Senior Co-Captain Aria Kavyani clears the ball clean!

At the half, our Statesmen have a lot of work ahead of them. The coaches lay out the plan, and call for everyone to bring their best!

Ouch! Casey Williams takes it on the chops as the game gets physical. Life in the face-off circle is all about toughness.

Small School Big Heart! These guys are big ... but we've been playing the bigs all season long!

Senior Casey Williams calls out the play as momentum swings our way!

ANOTHER sweet goal! Hard work and patience turns quality scoring chances into points on the board

If you think for a minute we can let up on defense, you don't understand LAX :-) We're playing strong on offense, but we're playing HUGE on defense! I can't see who's mixing it up out front, but #12 is Senior Vince Reese.

BOOM! (Did someone say it was getting physical out here?) Aria Kavyani separates the ball from the Warhawk with a monster check!

Meanwhile, Casey Williams picks up the pace on offense!

Aria is EVERYWHERE! That's him behind #21 Chris Guerin putting another Warhawk on the ground - Wow!

Here Casey and Aria team up to snag the loose ball. These Seniors will NOT BE DENIED!

Casey again, calling out the plays. Senior leadership was critical tonight!

... and you've got to pick up every loose ball! No hesitation allowed :-)

No hesistation and no quarter. The Statesmen pack a wallop and the Warhawk takes a tumble!

Chris Guerin works the ball around the corner on offense ...

... and Casey Williams sets up out front! Patient. Determined. Marshall Pride in uniform!

AND THE STATESMEN TIE IT UP AT 10 ALL! Jake Oster works the offense to perfection.

With a tie score, we STILL have to play huge on defense - we get the ball back, clear perfectly, then set up the offense!

SCORE! MARSHALL GOES AHEAD! Statesmen 11 - Madison 10! Click on the photo to get a wallpaper-sized version of this goal!

Did somebody say "physical"? With the game on the line, after such a huge comeback, in the last game of the year, at home, on Senior Night, against Madison ... No Statesman is gonna get out-hustled at this point. That's Aria on the left and #26 Senior middie Brendan Petak about to grab the pickup.

With the game on the line, it's all about ball control ...

That's Chris Guerin giving it up in the center of the scrum ... and the hustle pays off for everyone!

We grab a two goal lead with the clock almost done ... Senior David Warren gathers in a loose ball and runs out the clock while the Warhawks give chase ... and chase and chase :-)

CELEBRATION! Team game ... team spirit ... and emotions spill out for a HUGE team win!

---

Your 2006 moment of Statesmen Zen revisits the sweetest scoreboard we saw all year. Click on the photo to get a wallpaper-sized version of the Marshall-Madison scoreboard.