Day 9 - Won 6-5 Vs Corning

Bison Brawl Champions 2015 - English Knights Lacrosse

The final is a bit of a blur, when I walked into the stadium we noticed the goalie from Corning was very good and had been named to the All-Star team. Corning had beaten Webster Thomas the previous day by one goal.

I think the team noticed I was emotional although I tried to hide it and they made their pre game and halftime shouts "ET2"!

We started well with 2 quick goals from Daspin and TJ Burgess, then it's was soon 2-1, Ben Page "the poster boy of Knights Lacrosse" then scored to get my hopes up for a blow out, it wasn't to be as Corning fought back from some nervous play by us, I asked them to take a breath at half

time and myself and Coach Guy assured the team that they would win if we played our usual game.

Will Cornwell scored on a man up and then a Matt Smith shot to made it 5-4, but Corning replied soon after, we called a time out. The defence won back the ball again and again and I asked them to get the offence another possession.

We got the ball to the offence and initiated with Pom Pom,he got the ball through X to Ben Page-Laycock who found Will on the crease he shot...........the ball ricocheted the off the post and into the goal!!!! I think Corning knew that was it as the clock was counting down. Our thought process was different, we knew we had to carry on and myself and Zac kept pushing. 

I think I blacked out at some point and I heard the ref counting down from 10 seconds. I heard the lads had piled onto Jack Burke who was in goal, I didn't see it as I was on one knee in tears of joy and reflection, two years of hard work with this team and 10 years of work planning and working with past teams had paid off. They ran in and group hugged me shouting ET2 it was a timeless moment, I can't say he wasn't on my mind as he had been all day and knew he'd be smiling down. It was an accumulation of things, this bunch had been one of the best teams I have ever coached and certainly the best Knights team ever, along the way they had played amazing Lacrosse and beaten some great teams. We had made friends, impressed people on and off the field and put the program on the map. 

I was proud of them all and they had made this a great experience for me and Zac. I'd like to think that the lads did it for the past players and parents (as well as themselves) that had walked the same road and slept in the same dorms!

The parents I know will be proud and I hope the players careers doesnt end here these boys can go to the next level, they have learnt how to win, I hope the life experience will last forever, I know the bonds will. The lads deserve a lot of credit for their commitment and behaviour- everyone in English Lacrosse should be proud of them - the first English team to win any American Tournament.

Once a Knight, Always a Knight!

Thanks to everyone that has ever supported the program from UKLacrosse and Graph tex to all the parents, we have built this together!

There was still more to come...................

Goals: 

Dan Aspin 

TJ Burgess

Ben Page-Laycock

Matt Smith

Will Cornwell 2

Assists:

Dan Aspin

Oli Loveland

All Stars