![Phoenix gets in position to initiate the beginning of an intense game. “It's coming to the end of the season here, so [our goal] is to just focus on working harder,” senior lineman Ryan Abbondanza said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_0042-1200x800.jpg)
It was a challenging night on the field for the Phoenix boys lacrosse team on Friday, May 15. The Phoenix lost 14-5 against the Dominion Titans. However, the team’s growing chemistry and resilience kept the energy high throughout the game until the final whistle.
The game started as a tight, defensive battle. The first quarter ended with the Phoenix down 3-1. Regardless, Rock Ridge kept on the offensive, attempting to keep the game within reach.
Junior Kapil Balamurugan, a left-wing defensive player, found that communication was key to earning points. “During this game, the defense players really started communicating more,” Balamurugan said. “We weren’t prepared for the fastbreaks to come down from the 50-yard line, but after the first quarter, we were able to get a few good plays and stop their offense.”
By the second quarter, utility player senior Nathan Martinez scored a goal, cutting the lead to 5-2. For Martinez, who impacts the game across the entire field at midfield, face-offs, attack, and defense, the joy of this sport comes from collective effort. “After being a part of wrestling for so long, I wanted to play with a team,” Martinez said. “Team chemistry is high, we work well together and enjoy playing with each other.”
At the 2:30 mark of the third quarter, tension peaked as there was almost a failure left uncalled for. Rock Ridge weathered the storm, but the opposing offense proved too potent to hold down. Other notable plays were made by freshman Cole Furtek, who scored with an assist from junior Cameron Nguyen in the third quarter, and two goals from senior Jackson Miller in the fourth.
Long-stick midfielder junior Joseph Shoge also found that the team’s unity has drastically improved from the beginning of the season. “The team chemistry is the strongest it’s ever been because we have now all gotten to know each other better across time,” Shoge said.
That familiarity translates into high motivation for all team members, even if the scoreboard doesn’t always reflect it. With connection driving growth, the Phoenix are prepared to turn the corner for their next lacrosse season.
