Face-off
Local lacrosse club kicks off season
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PABLO — Despite not scooping up a win against Hellgate High Thursday, 10Sticks Lacrosse Club has plenty to be proud of after the Flathead Reservation athletes held their own against the top team in Montana.
“At the end, I think we surprised Hellgate,” 10Sticks assistant coach Alex Alviar said. “We've been their biggest challenge so far (this season).”
In the first quarter, Hellgate held 10Sticks scoreless and chalked up three goals, adding another three in the second frame. The home team managed two goals in the second quarter before finding a burst of energy and scoring four in both remaining quarters, while holding the visiting Knights to six points in the third and five in the fourth frame. While the scoreboard read 17-8 in Hellgate's favor at the end, it was certainly no defeat for 10Sticks.
“I was actually really impressed with how well the (10Sticks) guys did against the No. 1 team in the state,” Alviar said. “They're excited … It was a confidence-builder.”
For 10Sticks, Dan LaFranier led scoring with six goals from his seven shots. He also had the most ground balls with 12, followed by Al Plant with 11. Plant scored on one of three attempts, and Zach Schmidt went one-for-one, adding two ground balls and an assist. Beau Mills had another seven ground balls and one assist.
Dozens of enthusiastic fans came to cheer on the young athletes, who hail from communities around the Reservation. The crowd boosted 10Sticks' confidence, and Alviar noted he's especially grateful to the fans and the Veteran Warrior Society for their support.
Fans can look forward to more home games on Thursday, April 19, when 10Sticks hosts Big Sky, and Friday, April 20, when Whitefish comes to town. Face-off is at 5 p.m. both days at the field behind Salish Kootenai College in Pablo.
