Wahconah Claims First Western Mass Crown
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The gymnasium wall at the new Wahconah is getting a new occupant.
“The girls were like, ‘We want to get up on the banner in the school,’ and I was like, ‘Let’s go out and take care of business,’ “ girls lacrosse coach Kathy Budaj said.
Her team did just that.
Anna Doyle scored with 3 minutes, 23 seconds on the clock, and Phalyn Renderer denied South Hadley in the final seconds to secure a 13-12 win in the Championship Game of the Western Massachusetts Class C Tournament on Tuesday night at Springfield Central.
Brooke Harrington scored five goals, and Renderer made 13 saves as Wahconah (13-7) won its sixth straight game and its first regional title in girls lacrosse.
“It feels great,” Renderer said. “We’ve all worked so hard this year. It’s been amazing. It’s been a long journey. It’s my first time and these girls’ first time winning – Western Mass Finals and everything.
“It’s amazing. I love these girls so much. This is so unreal to me.”
After taking an 11-10 decision from the Tigers in the team’s second regular season meeting 10 days earlier, Wahconah went blow-for-blow with South Hadley all night in Round 3 between the Valley League rivals.
Wahconah took the biggest lead of the night, 6-3, late in the second quarter when Harrington scored with an assist from Doyle (four goals, two assists).
But the Tigers answered with eight seconds left in the first half to make it a two-goal margin.
South Hadley then got a goal in the first minute of the second half, and it stayed a one-goal game the rest of the way.
The teams tied seven times in the second half, but the Tigers led just once, when Ava Asselin scored on a free position midway through the third quarter to give South Hadley a 9-8 advantage.
After the teams combined for 12 goals in that third quarter, the pace slowed considerably over the last 12 minutes.
Wahconah’s Danielle Hagmaier (two goals, one assist) scored 30 seconds into the fourth quarter to give her team a 12-11 lead.
But South Hadley answered less than two minutes later to tie it.
Wahconah got the ball with about five minutes left in regulation and patiently worked the ball around the offensive zone until Doyle took a pass from Mia Thomas (one goal, one assist) in the center of the defense and was fouled.
On the ensuing free position from the 11-meter line, Doyle took five stops toward the goal and fired a shot into the net to give Wahconah the lead for good.
“Not really,” Doyle said when asked whether she had a particular spot in mind for the shot. “Honestly, my nerves kind of just took over, and I just went for it and hoped for the best.”
South Hadley won the ensuing draw but ended up committing a turnover in the offensive zone with 2 minutes, 30 seconds on the clock.
Wahconah was able to advance the ball, but the Tigers forced a turnover with 35 seconds left, giving them one last chance.
With seven seconds on the clock, Wahconah was whistled for a foul, setting the stage for a last ditch effort, which Renderer was able to deny, touching off the celebration.
“I think I go blank, kind of,” Renderer said when asked what was going through her mind in that final sequence. “Just kind of: I hope we get this, because we work so hard for this. We’ve all wanted this so bad. I want it for all of them. I want it for myself.
“It’s amazing.”