Wheat Ridge senior Tyler Knott, left, congratulates sophomore Dan O’Connor after a Wheat Ridge goal in the first quarter Friday at Pennington Field. Knott led the Farmers with three goal in the 11-0 victory against Air Academy. (Dennis Pleuss
WHEAT RIDGE — Even a shorthanded Wheat Ridge boys’ lacrosse team is pretty darn good.
The defending Class 4A state champion Farmers played without leading goal scorers junior Dima Makarov and senior John Roach late Friday afternoon against Air Academy. Wheat Ridge’s starting goalie Jensen Makarov also missed the game because he was in California looking at colleges.
Wheat Ridge senior Max Marcum (3) fires a shot past Air Academy senior Spencer Dodder during the first quarter Friday at Pennington Field in Wheat Ridge. The Farmers won the Class 4A championship rematch from last year with a dominating 11-0 victory. (Dennis Pleuss
The absence of key players didn’t show on the scoreboard as 4A’s top-ranked Farmers blanked the No. 6-ranked Kadets 11-0.
“I’m really pleased with the way it went down,” Wheat Ridge coach Chris Knott said. “We had a bunch of young guys step up and fill those shoes. That is all we could really ask for. Our back-up goalie went in and pitched a shutout. What more can you ask?”
A few nagging injuries caused Knott to sit a few players. Knott said he should have everyone back when Wheat Ridge begins its three-game stretch of games during its spring break trip to California next week.
Seven different Farmers found the back of the net against Air Academy. Senior Tyler Knott, son of Wheat Ridge’s head coach, led the way with three goals. The senior captain’s first goal came on the Farmers’ first offensive possession.
“Right off the bat it was definitely good,” Tyler Knott said of the Farmers taking command early. “We got a good lead. It got our team pumped and set the mood for the rest of the game.”
Wheat Ridge scored on its first three offensive possessions. Junior Regan Devine scored on an assist from sophomore Dan O’Connor for the Farmers’ second goal. Junior Bennie Pachello gave the Farmers a 3-0 lead after winning a faceoff and racing down the field before putting a hard shot past Air Academy senior goalie Mikey Smith.
“I think it’s a really good thing,” said Tyler Knott of getting some experience for its younger players. “It lets us expand our team and expands our depth. It gives the younger kids a chance to step up and see what they are made of.”
Devine and freshman Zach Hall each finished with a pair of goals in the bounce-back victory for Wheat Ridge. Class 5A powerhouse Cherry Creek, No. 3 in this week’s CHSAANow.com poll, defeated the Farmers 11-4 earlier in the week.
“We really practiced hard for this week coming in,” Wheat Ridge senior defender Caleb Cerf said. “We brought it out hard and did well.”
Led by Cerf, the Farmers’ defense was able to shut down Air Academy’s leading goal scoring tandem of senior Mitchell Miller (19 goals) and sophomore Jake Thornally (12 goals). Senior Chris Tuuk picked up the victory in goal for the Farmers.
Friday was a rematch of last year’s 4A state championship game. Wheat Ridge won its first lacrosse state title, along with the first boys or girls lacrosse championship for Jeffco, with a dominating 14-2 win against Air Academy.
Air Academy sophomore Jake Thornally, right, and Wheat Ridge senior Cody Bartusiak battle for a loose ball Friday afternoon. (Dennis Pleuss
The Farmers cruised through the 4A tournament last season outscoring their four opponents 61-10.
Wheat Ridge will head to California for during next week’s spring break. The Farmers play a trio of California teams before kicking off its 4A Foothills League play April 2 against rival Evergreen.
“It’s the best thing for us, to go out and challenge our team,” coach Knott said of facing out-of-state teams and playing top 5A programs in Colorado. “The worse thing that can happen is they get better. When you player higher competition it’s going to make your guys play better. That is what has happened for us in the past and that is what we are going to count on going to California and everything else.”
Air Academy will also head to California for spring break next week. The Kadets will play Cathedral Catholic and Carlsbad.
Wheat Ridge senior Rocco Conca gains control of the ball during the first half Friday during the Farmers’ 11-0 victory against Air Academy at Pennington Field in Wheat Ridge. (Dennis Pleuss
