COPPELL, TX -- For the first time in program history, the Bishop Lynch women's lacrosse team won the TGHSLL Division III State Championship on Sunday by defeating John Paul II 12-11. Senior captain
Daryn Raleigh's goal with 10 seconds left in the championship game lifted the Friars to the state championship.
The "Mother's Day Miracle" kept everyone on the edge of their seat. With four ties and five lead changes throughout the entire game, it was one for the ages. John Paul II opened up the game fast, scoring the first three goals to quickly going up 3-0 over BL. After regrouping, the Friars inched their way back into the game and tied it up at 4-4 with two goals from Raleigh and scores from Quincy and
Corbin Salinas.
Corbin's second goal around halfway through the first half gave the Friars their first lead of the game 5-4. After that goal, BL never trailed for the rest of the contest.
The halftime score was in favor of the black and white to the tune of 8-7. Leading the way was Raleigh with four goals,
Quincy Salinas with two goals, and
Corbin Salinas with two goals. After the shaky start in the net,
Jana Ampil stepped up and saved a season-high 14 shots the rest of the way.
The second half started a complete 180 from the first half for BL as the Friars scored the first goal from the stick of #18, her fifth of the game. As the game went on, both defenses tightened up and there weren't many goals scored. With just 8:22 left, the Friars held onto a 10-8 lead.
Raleigh's sixth goal of the contest gave the Friars an 11-9 advantage with under 5:00 minutes to play. The Cardinals were running out of time to get back into the game so they started throwing everything they had at the Friars. This would lead JPII to score two goals in a row to tie the game up at 11-11 with under two minutes to go.
Head Coach
Liz Holmes called a timeout with 1:55 left to not only draw up the perfect play but to also reinforce the confidence she knew the team had to win the game:
"I think I said relax, calm your mind, and smile" said Holmes after the game, "We can do this, we have to take care of the ball and work for the last shot. Play clean, be confident, we can do this!"
After hearing the message, the team went out back onto the field and did it to perfection. Raleigh waited for the right opportunity and with 10 seconds left, put one past the keeper to give the Friars the 12-11 advantage and eventually the state championship.
Her late goal in the championship game wasn't the senior's only late goal of the weekend. In the semi-finals against Reagan High School out of San Antonio, Raleigh scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to win 13-12. She also tied a school record with the most goals in a single game by scoring nine in the semi-final win.
Due to their great performances over the weekend,
Daryn Raleigh and
Jana Ampil were named offensive and defensive MVPs.
This state championship marks the second for Bishop Lynch this season and it's 103 overall, with wrestling winning one earlier this year. No one could have written a better ending to the Bishop Lynch Athletics season.
Congratulations to the entire BL women's lacrosse program, student-athletes, coaches, families and fans on a fantastic 2022-23 season.
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