Trending

Advertisement

Prep Boys Lacrosse: Landolt’s late goal sends Titans to Open Division title game

Share

The Coronado High boys lacrosse program has been a thorn in the side of Poway for years, including last season’s late goal to eliminate them from the playoffs in stunning fashion.

The Titans returned the favor Wednesday night.

Cole Landolt scooped up a loose ball and fired to the back of the net with five seconds left, lifting second-seeded Poway to a thrilling 9-8 victory over the sixth-seeded Islanders in a San Diego Section Open Division semifinal game.

Landolt’s improbable score sent the home crowd into a frenzy and the Titans to their first Open Division championship game.

Nick Beeson had attempted to drive toward the Coronado net and the ball was knocked away. Landolt somehow emerged from the chaos with the ball and ripped a shot past the Coronado keeper for the game winner.

“I just saw the ball on the ground and I was thinking I have to put it in the net,” Landolt said. “When I saw the ball it just felt like it was my life right there and I had to pick it up and score.”

The ensuing draw ran out the clock and the Poway players rushed the field in celebration. Nobody was more ramped up than Titans’ fourth-year coach Zack Burke, who raced across the field like a linebacker to greet the fans in the stands.

“I am an emotional guy,” Burke said. “I believe in this whole thing. I believe in the system and what we have here. I believe in the fans and I appreciate them. I just wanted them to know that.”

The Titans will play No. 8 Torrey Pines (defeated Cathedral Catholic 9-8 in the other semifinal) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Granite Hills for the Open Division championship. The Falcons beat the Titans 9-5 on May 5 in their only meeting this season.

It is the first time Poway will play for a first section title since 2011, when they lost to Torrey Pines 10-7 in the Division I final. Poway has just one section championship in boys lacrosse (2002).

“This is a big opportunity for us,” Landolt said. “This is a young team and this is great, but we want to get the win. I think we can pull it off. We lost to Coronado earlier this year and won and we lost to (Torrey Pines) earlier this season so I think we can pull it off again.”

Poway took a 3-2 lead on Landolt’s goal with 2:09 left in the first quarter and did not trail the rest of the way. The Titans led by as many has three goals before Coronado rallied to tie the game at 8-8 with 2:01 left. It felt like the Islanders might spoil the Poway party once again.

“That crossed my mind a little bit,” Landolt said. “But I was not about to let that happen again. We knew we needed to just come out and get a goal and that is what we did.”

The Titans controlled the ball for the final minute. Landolt fired a shot with 47 seconds left and the score tied at 8-8, but it went wide. Poway maintained possession though and it set the stage for the exciting finish.

Poway goalkeeper Kellen Cutting had a tremendous game, making 11 saves.

“Last year he was playing goalie in the eighth-grade championship game and he was goalie of the year,” Burke said. “He is so great ... we had to give him the opportunity.”

Jake Fiske and Nick Beeson each scored twice for the Titans.

Advertisement