Lakewood boys lacrosse continues to devour opponents

LAKEWOOD — The record-breaking season for Lakewood’s boys lacrosse team continued Friday night.

The Tigers took a 14-2 victory over Poudre School District at Trailblazer Stadium to tie the most wins in a single-season. Lakewood’s 2018 squad had 11 victories. 

“It’s pretty crazy. It is really surreal and hasn’t sunk in,” Lakewood senior captain Murphy Shanley said of the historic season so far. “We have been just trucking along toward that league title and the playoffs. We weren’t really looking at setting this record, but it is amazing to set the school record.”

This year’s Tigers (11-1 record, 5-0 in 5A League #2) still has three regular-season games remaining, not to mention the postseason. Lakewood was No. 6 in the CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index before the Tigers sixth straight victory.

“It feels awesome,” Lakewood junior Jaxson Fontenot said about the record-tying victory. “We’ve known we have a special group here since the start of the season. We knew we were going to do special things this year.”

Lakewood dominated the Stars (7-7, 3-4) from Fort Collins from the start. Fontenot had a hat-trick in both the first and second quarters, scoring six goals by halftime. The Tigers held a comfortable 11-1 lead at the break. 

“Just like in the RV game the boys were finding me,” said Fontenot, who had four goals in the Tigers’ tight 5-4 win over Ralston Valley to begin league play April 8. “It wasn’t just my effort. It was everyone as a collective group. We are a solid offensive unit. Every team we play should be scared.”

Shanley and junior Lukas Gonzales each had three goals apiece for Lakewood. The Tigers have scored double-digits goals in nine games so far this season.

“Once that first goal goes in for (Fontenot) the flood gates open,” Shanley said of the junior attacker. “He nets a lot of them and also draws a lot of attention. That opens up everything else for the whole team.”

Defensively, Lakewood has been stellar not allowing double-digit goals in any match this season. The Tigers are giving up an average of just over four goals per game. Sophomore goalie Landon Wilson has been solid in net taking over the full-time duties in goal.

“Landon has been playing really, really well,” Lakewood coach Darin Denton said of the stingy defense. “We cleaned up our clear game a lot over the past couple of years. We would give up two or three goals a game just on busted clears. That has helped us.”

With a big lead and running-clock, Denton put backup goalie Wade Pugh in next for the fourth quarter.

“It all starts with our boy in cage, Ocho (Wilson),” Fontenot said of the Tigers’ defense. “He has been standing on his head every game. I truly believe we have the best goalie in the state. The kid is a stud and only a sophomore. He is unreal.”

Lakewood’s lone loss was in overtime against Rock Canyon on April 2 in a non-league game.

“We are super proud of staying focused,” Shanley said of the current 6-game winning streak. “We are working toward the goal and not letting anything get between us as a team.”

Lakewood finishes out the regular next week with conference games against Fairview (April 27), Chatfield (April 29) and Monarch (May 1). 

More than likely the match-up in Boulder on Monday will decide the league champion. Fairview (9-1, 5-0) and Lakewood are currently tied atop of the league standings with a 2-game lead over the rest of the field.

“That one is for league for sure,” Fontenot said of the showdown with Fairview. “That one has been marked on the calendar since the start of the season. We have to go to Boulder and play a game, come out with the energy like we did today.”

Lakewood will have practice Saturday before heading up to Fairview High School for perhaps the biggest regular-season game in the program’s history.

“I’ll talk to them tomorrow about what this game means to this program,” Shanley said. “Hopefully bring home this league title. It’s going to be a dogfight on Monday. Fairview a good team.”