By Duncan Nixon
The Fluco boys lacrosse team played well enough during the regular season to host a first-round playoff game, while the Fluco boys soccer team opened postseason play with a comeback win over Brookville.
Fluco boys lacrosse hangs in for three quarters, falls 12-7
For boys’ lacrosse, the opponent on May 27 was the Goochland County Bulldogs. The teams played twice during the regular season and split those contests, so a highly competitive game was expected.
The Bulldogs scored the first two goals of the game. With 4:25 remaining in the quarter, Fluco senior Solomon Eckert executed a wraparound shot that scored and cut the lead in half. As time was running down in the quarter, the Bulldogs scored a third goal. The Flucos promptly responded, as goalie Colton Ball made a long and accurate breakout pass, and Eckert scored again with a minute left in the quarter.
The second quarter started with Fluco senior Maddox Beaulieu scoring on a hard shot to tie the score at 3-3. The teams traded goals, and with 2:38 remaining, it was 5-5. Fluco goals were scored by Jack Jeffries and Braddock McCauley. In the last three minutes, Goochland scored twice to take a 7-5 lead at the half.
Midway through the third quarter, the Bulldogs scored to go up by three. The Flucos bounced back with two quick goals, and the Bulldogs led by only one after three quarters. The Flucos demonstrated great resilience for three quarters, preventing the Bulldogs from breaking the game open. Unfortunately, the Flucos ran out of steam.
In a three-minute period in the middle of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs fired in three goals to put the game away. They added one more fourth-quarter goal with two minutes remaining for a final score of 12-7.
After a slow start over the years, Fluco boys lacrosse is now competitive, as evidenced by this playoff appearance. Their season is now over.
Fluco boys soccer tops Yellow Jackets 5-3
In boys soccer, the Brookville Yellow Jackets traveled from Lynchburg to take on the Fluvanna boys soccer team in the first round of the playoffs. It was a long ride home for the Yellow Jackets.
Fluco sophomore Zack Snoddy ruled the pitch, scoring four goals in a 5-3 Fluco win.
Brookville started the scoring after only eight minutes with a little chip shot over the goalie from in close after a corner kick. The Flucos immediately forced a corner kick but did not generate a scoring opportunity. Shortly thereafter, the Flucos tied the score as junior Gavin Underwood fired in a goal from the edge of the penalty box.
The Yellow Jackets then jumped to a 3-1 lead with goals at 13:58 and 10:55 remaining in the half. The Flucos fought back. Snoddy scored his first goal with 8:30 left in the half. The goal came after a long run down the right side on an assist from senior Cayden Lucas.
With 4:30 left in the half, the Yellow Jackets were called for a foul in the penalty area and the Flucos were awarded a penalty kick. The penalty kick was stopped by the Brookville goalie, but shortly thereafter, Snoddy scored again on a tough-angle shot from the right side to tie the score.
Early in the second half, the Flucos dominated play. A hard Fluco shot hit the crossbar and bounced back, and another hard shot by the Flucos was just high. With 13:55 remaining, Snoddy fired from out front, and his left-footed shot landed just inside the post to put the Flucos ahead 4-3.
As time was running down, Snoddy added an insurance goal to make the final 5-3. The Fluco defense shut down the Yellow Jackets in the second half.
Outstanding Fluco senior defender Brady Crisp was everywhere. He is tall, fast, and talented. He is excellent at winning battles for headers and controls his headers very well. He is also a deft passer on short and long passes. Coach Chris Holman describes him as “our rock.”
Senior goalie Brennan Chiovaro also contributed a strong effort in the second half, turning away several hard shots by the Yellow Jackets.
The Fluco win sent them to Western Albemarle on May 29. The Warriors were highly ranked but couldn’t penetrate the Fluco defense. The score at the end of play was 0-0. A shootout followed, and the Flucos prevailed 6-5. They continued in the playoffs on June 2 at East Rockingham.
