Boys Lacrosse Dominates Against El Modena in a Landslide Victory

Leon Tak, Staff Writer | 59 Views

Defender and sophomore Latih Abdelkarim sprints to gain control of the ball. A key component of the team’s victory was playing cohesively, according to sophomore Joseph Seo. “We performed as a team,” Seo said. “We didn’t individually play. We passed the ball around, and we were able to score.”

Boys lacrosse (4-0) won 15-3 in a home game against El Modena High on Feb. 19. The Bulldogs’ next game will be away on March 7 against Segerstrom High School.

The face-off began with the Bulldogs seizing control of the ball, forcing the Vanguards onto the defensive. The Bulldogs’ highly coordinated passes allowed the team to break through early, scoring two goals in the first five minutes of play. The quick surge not only energized the team but shifted the momentum in the Bulldogs’ favor, fueling their confidence and enabling them to build on their strong start, according to head coach Matthew Pantalon.

“I think once we found out what was working, especially in offense, we found some strategies that worked for us,” Pantalon said. “We stuck to what was going well there, and we kept exploiting those opportunities, making goals happen.”

The first quarter ended with a decisive 6-1 lead for the Bulldogs. By halftime, they extended their advantage to 10-2. While the Bulldogs displayed a relatively stress-free win, their performance was the result of intense practice sessions that focused on correcting the team’s weaknesses, according to midfielder and sophomore Joseph Seo.

“We practice our defensive and offensive plays a lot, so we were able to run that really smoothly during the game,” Seo said. “So practicing those plays really helped us play well.”

The Bulldogs kept putting offensive pressure on the Vanguards for the remainder of the game to prevent an upset. Their strong strategies and communication resulted in an 11-3 lead at the end of the third quarter, maintaining the strong momentum they had gained early on. While the win against El Modena was a strong demonstration of the team’s capabilities, the Bulldogs still aim to hone their skills moving forward, according to team captain and senior Dylan Le.

“The better teams we play, obviously, the better we’ll have to execute,” Le said. “Overall, the goal for the season is to hopefully make CIF for the first time. That would require us to beat Northwood and Woodbridge. We’ve [beat them] once before, but that’s our biggest challenge.”

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About the Contributor

Leon Tak, Staff Writer

Leon Tak is a staff writer for his first year on the Portola Pilot. You can catch him on campus half-awake, rushing to his next period. In his free time, you’ll find him listening to the latest R&B tunes, snacking on Lay’s Dill Pickle, and mastering his recipe for the perfect Kimchi Stew. He is very excited to start his first year and hopes to develop his skills in writing and journalism.