Summit lacrosse batters Eagle Valley, 8-3, with postseason on the line

This one was Summit from the first faceoff.

On a chilly Tuesday afternoon — you knew this warm spring was too good to last, right? — the Summit High boys lacrosse team hosted a struggling Eagle Valley squad for the second meeting of the season between two classic rivals. The Devils stole one from the Tigers on March 21, an 11-10 heartbreaker for the season opener, but have since fallen far from grace with a 4-5 overall record and 2-4 Western league record leading into the April 25 rematch.

After a slow-but-steady scoring barrage, Summit effectively shut down a fast-moving Eagle Valley defense for the win, 8-3, and a 1-1 season split. The Tigers are now 7-5 overall and 4-3 in the 4A Western league heading into the home stretch, which is packed with must-win games: Vail Mountain School in Vail today (April 27), Glenwood Springs in Glenwood on May 2 and struggling Battle Mountain (3-4 league) at home for Senior Night on May 4.

The Eagle Valley rematch was a tale of two teams heading in opposite directions. While the Devils started hot and are now on a three-game losing slide, Summit rebounded after a miserable 1-3 start, including that Eagle Valley opener, and is 6-3 this April thanks to wins against league-leading Aspen and second-place Steamboat Springs. The Tigers 6-5 victory over the Sailors was the team’s first in years — at least since the current crop of Summit seniors have been suiting up — and helped kick-start a fantastic April.

Everything the boys learned this month was on display against Eagle Valley: tight passing, quick-break attacks, stonewall defensive play, confident movement at midfield — you name it, the Tigers did it. Summit starting attackers Vale Hildebrand and Braden Cross led the charge in Devils territory, while defenders Max Pinto and Dylan Lane held strong on defense in front of wunderkind goalie Sawyer March.

And to think: Each one of those guys (minus March) will be back for at least one more season next spring. This team is on the rise.

Now, let’s talk postseason. A playoff run seemed laughable back in March, but with wins against Western league leaders Aspen and Steamboat, Summit now has a very slim chance of making the cut based on the latest 4A RPI standings (aka the formula used to determine playoff teams). If Summit can notch a 3-0 record in the final stretch — that means wins against two heated rivals, not to mention RPI No. 6 Vail Mountain School — the boys will likely stay right where they are: on the cusp at No. 12 in RPI standings. And guess what? The top 16 teams in 4A get a playoff bid.

Here’s to a finish for the ages, boys.