If the Kettle Moraine boys lacrosse team is just now hitting its stride, the rest of state tournament field should be worried – more than usual, that is.
The Lasers entered their third-round playoff game versus Sauk Prairie undefeated in the state of Wisconsin. But Monday’s 18-6 victory could be considered the team’s most convincing win yet, which is saying something for a squad that’s now 12-0 against its in-state peers.
“This was the first game of the season that we saw them play the full 48 minutes, which was nice to see,” coach Michael Stefan said. “We started out fast, which we hadn’t been doing very much of at all this year, then we continued that throughout the whole game. Being able to play together collectively and selflessly was big for us.”
Sauk Prairie (12-6) managed to get on the scoreboard first when sophomore middie Riley Jelinek scored off a pass from senior attack Bryce Thistle with 9 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first quarter.
It would be the Eagles only lead of the game, however, as Kettle Moraine (14-7) took a 10-0 run into the 7:25 mark of the second quarter. Junior attack Jonny Licau scored six of his seven first-half goals during that run.
“We’ve got a few weapons, but he had a good matchup, so we kept exploiting it until they made a few adjustments,” Stefan said. “They gave him a few opportunities and a few looks, and because he is a great player, he was able to capitalize.”
Junior middie Caleb Hotchkiss scored two of his three goals in the opening minutes of the third quarter. When Sophomore Carson Winzer followed up with his third goal of the game with 9:25 left in the third, it gave Kettle Moraine a 12-goal lead and the winding clock for the remainder of the contest.
Even with the Lasers’ North American barnstorming tour this year, Licau said he and his teammates still have plenty to prove here in the Dairy State. This victory was a statement of things to come for Kettle Moraine.
“The difference tonight is we came in with intensity,” Licau said. “Tonight we really wanted to win and show Wisconsin what we have so we can come into the next game with ample power.”
Kettle Moraine advances to face Verona, who gave the Lasers their biggest in-state challenge on May 5 in a 12-8 contest that was tied entering the fourth quarter. Verona defeated Appleton United, 16-6, to move on to the semifinals.
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