By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High girls’ lacrosse team got back into the win column yesterday with a hard-fought, 14-12 victory over Stoneham at Landrigan Field.
The Warriors erased a two-goal deficit late in the third quarter and finished strong for the win, ending the game on a 5-1 run.
Wakefield was led by freshman Teaghan Johnson who erupted for 6 goals and 3 assists while also doing the heavy lifting on draw controls and defensive work in the midfield.
Sophomore Kiera O’Brien added 2 goals and 3 assists; senior Ayla Willis had 3 goals; junior Cara Carangelo had 2 goals and an assist; senior Leah Conners had a goal and an assist and junior Stella Carlino had 2 assists.
Wakefield struggled defensively in the first half without regular starter Emma Ickes among others but they finished strong, holding the Spartans to just one goal in the 4th as the visitors tried to spark a comeback.
Junior goalie Alla Othman (10 saves) was terrific in the second half and defensive players like senior captains Maddy Taylor and Shea Suntken stepped up to help seal the win.
The victory improved Wakefield’s record to 3-4. The Warriors were coming in off of three losses to Belmont (15-7), Melrose (18-9) and Beverly (13-10).
The close loss to the Panthers on the road would be difficult for Wakefield to shake just 24 hours later.
Although the Warriors were able to tie it at 8-8 going into halftime, their best lacrosse was still ahead of them.
“It was a nail-biter of a game,” said head coach Cara Luca. “We were coming off a loss against Beverly but the girls played amazing against them. I think it took us the whole game to adjust to Stoneham’s style of play.”
One of those adjustments was Stoneham’s defensive strategy to try and face guard Johnson. The freshman wasn’t deterred by this tactic as she did well to shake the shadow and find space by moving without the ball and dodging to set up her shots.
Johnson assisted on the first goal of the game scored by Conners before the freshman made it 2-0 on a quick dodge off a feed from Carlino.
Stoneham scored three unanswered to take the lead but Johnson later helped tie it with two more assists, first to O’Brien after dodging around the net and then to Willis who finished after Johnson controlled one of her many draws.
The Spartans went up 6-4 early in the 2nd as the Warriors continued to lose track of attackers in the zone but Johnson kept battling to keep them in it, going coast to coast after a draw control for her second goal.
Willis scored her second on a well-executed free position shot to cut the deficit to 7-6.
“She has improved since the beginning of the season and has increased her confidence driving to the net,” said Luca.
After a great save by Othman — one of four in the 2nd quarter — O’Brien took it the length of the field and finished to tie it up again.
Johnson later made it 8-8 at the end of the half on a free position goal.
Stoneham regained the momentum in the 3rd, going up 11-9 with six minutes to play.
The Warriors couldn’t find a goal in the next five minutes but Taylor and the defense held strong and Carangelo eventually broke through with an assist to Carlino with 1:25 to go.
Again, Wakefield tied it late on a goal by Conners who converted after a perfect, cross-field pass from O’Brien.
Wakefield’s defense made the big plays to start the 4th with Suntken defending a cutter well and Othman making two, point-blank stops to keep the game knotted at 11.
“Maddy and Shea took charge of the defense, making sure the girls were communicating with each other,” said Luca. “We also had to switch positions up as we had girls out sick and injured. Rory (McNeill) stepped up and played the backfield, she did a great job too.”
Willis dodged from up top and scored to make it 12-11 and after a Taylor ground ball and terrific clear from McNeill, Suntken dished to Johnson for a catch-and-shoot score, her 6th of the game.
Suntken again played great defense on an attempted pass to a cutter and Wakefield extended their lead to 14-11 when O’Brien hit Carangelo in front with 3:40 to go.
The Spartans got one more on the board but the defense held strong and the attack iced the game with possession.
It was a key win for the Warriors who improved to 3-2 in league play.
Wakefield will now get some time to recover and prepare for Georgetown (0-6) who visits Landrigan on Tuesday at 10 a.m.