Dakota Ridge to face Air Academy in 4A boys lacrosse title game

DENVER — Appropriately, Dakota Ridge senior goalie Zach Hearn made one more final save in net before firing the ball into the air at the end of the Class 4A boys lacrosse semifinal game Saturday at Peter Barton Stadium on the University of Denver campus.

Hearn had a dozen saves in net as the Eagles advanced to their first boys lacrosse title game with a hard-fought 13-9 victory over Jeffco rival Evergreen.

“He (Hearn) has been seeing the ball better than he has ever been seeing it,” Dakota Ridge coach Dak Riecke said. “He goes out with some of our former players who are playing in college on the weekends so he can see heat, different shots and releases. The young man is doing everything he needs to do to put us in the position to win a state title.”

No. 2-seeded Dakota Ridge (16-2 record) will square off against No. 4 Air Academy (16-1) in the 4A title game back at DU at 5 p.m. Monday, May 19. The Kadets dominated previously undefeated and No. 1 seed Aspen 10-3 in the second semifinal game Saturday at Peter Barton Stadium.

“It feels great to have the opportunity,” Riecke said. “All we want right now is the opportunity because if we get the opportunity we are ready to show the state what Dakota can do.”

Dakota Ridge and Air Academy have not faced each other this season. The Eagles did win their last meeting a year ago in a tight 11-10 victory for Dakota Ridge.

Getting to the title game looked it might be a breeze early on for Dakota Ridge. The Eagles jumped out to a commanding 8-1 lead over Evergreen (15-3) after the first quarter. Dakota Ridge closed the quarter with three goals in the final 36 seconds. Senior Tyler Read scored with 36 and 22 seconds remaining in the quarter when the Eagles were on a power-play.

Junior Landon Kalsbeck capped off the quarter with a shot rifled into the back of the net with 2 seconds remaining to give the Eagles a 8-1 lead.

“We did it as a team. That is all you can wish for,” Dakota Ridge junior Brody Spallone said of the hot start. “We came out here and executed. This is what we have worked for all season.”

Spallone and Read both finished with four goals each, but Evergreen slowed the game down after the first quarter and actually held Dakota Ridge scoreless in the second quarter.

“We are a fast-paced team and they are a slow-paced team. That is where they got us for a while,” Riecke said of Evergreen actually outscoring the Eagles through the final three quarters. “Kudos to them for having a good game plan.”

Evergreen junior Jack Alby scored the lone goal in the second quarter to make it an 8-2 Eagles’ lead at halftime. Both teams scored four goals each in the fourth quarter to make it a 12-6 game going to the fourth quarter. 

The Cougars kept it interesting putting in the first two goals of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 12-8.

“Teams have to go through adversity,” Riecke said. “You have to play the best to claim the state title. I was very happy to have Evergreen on our side (of the bracket). They are a great team. They are a physical team that plays into our style.”

It did get chippy late with a handful of big hits on both sides. In the final minutes both coaches requested stick checks, which ended up with stick violations by both teams.

“I love those games,” Spallone said of the physical nature that took over at times. “I think it is good for your mentality and I think it will get us ready for the next game.”