It has been another stellar season for the storied Arrowhead Red girls lacrosse program, who was a favorite to win the Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation state title for a sixth consecutive time and 10th time in 12 years.
However, the youthful Franklin squad had no intention of making it easy for the Warhawks Tuesday night.
Yes, No. 1 Arrowhead Red has advanced to the state title game Friday night against University School of Milwaukee at Schneider Stadium at Carroll University. However, it took withstanding a furious comeback attempt by the fourth-seeded Sabers in the second half of the Warhawks’ 11-8 victory at Taraska Stadium.
“I knew Franklin would be coming ready to play us as they’ve been on the rise as the season has gone on,” Arrowhead Red coach Tom Truttschel said. “But I think that’s a good thing. If you go into the state championship with a kind of walkover-type of attitude, maybe you’re not as prepared. From that standpoint, I like a challenging game so we’re prepared for whoever we play.”
Arrowhead Red and Franklin traded goals early in the first half before the Warhawks’ defense made their stand. The result was a five-goal run that put Arrowhead Red (15-3) up 6-2 with 4 minutes, 46 seconds left in the half.
When Arrowhead Red sophomore middie Abbie Wiese scored her second goal of the game with 13:21 left to play, it gave the Warhawks an 11-4 lead, their biggest of the game.
Franklin (11-5) wasn’t giving up that easily, however. The Sabers started winning more draws and, combined with some unforced turnovers by Arrowhead Red, put together a four-goal run of their own to get within three goals. When Franklin junior attack Jillian Krueger scored her third goal of the game with 49 seconds left to play, though, it was the last gasp for the Sabers.
“Franklin did bring a fight, but we did, too,” said Jacklyn Batley, senior middie who led Arrowhead Red with three goals. “I just think we had more energy and really wanted it.”
As good as the Warhawks have been in 2019 — they won the Classic 8 – Black Conference for the 12th time in 13 years and went undefeated in Wisconsin — they did have their share of challenging games. But having to withstand a late comeback attempt like this en route to the state championship final game can only toughen up and already battle-tested squad.
“Franklin is a great team, so playing teams like them is what’s going to make us so much better,” Arrowhead Red senior defender Emma Hofman said.
The Sabers have plenty of silver linings to take from the scare they put into the Warhawks. For one, Franklin is only losing one player to graduation this year. Coach Julianna Shearer also is excited about the eighth-grade talent pool joining the freshman class at Franklin for the 2020 campaign.
“We’re only losing one girl, so I think our run is just starting,” Schearer said. “Today wasn’t the outcome that we wanted, but I think it’s going to give us good momentum and a good push for next year.”
