The undefeated Salem High boys’ lacrosse team clinched a spot in the state championship tournament by running roughshod over two south Roanoke County opponents. The Spartans beat Hidden Valley, 22-2, and Cave Spring, 20-4, in region quarterfinal and semifi- nal games at Salem’s Spartan Field.
Next up for the Spartans will be the Region D championship game, back at Spartan field this Friday. It will be at 7 pm against either second seeded E.C. Glass or third seeded Jefferson Forest, who were set to play in the other semi- final after press deadlines. The Spartans had little trouble reach- ing the finals. Last Friday they jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead over Hidden Valley and had the ball on their offen- sive end for most of the game.
Dakotah Hawkins led Salem with five goals and two assists. Parker Dallas had four goals, Wade Marble had three, Andrew Crumpacker had two goals and four assists, Tucker Preas had two and two and Kaiden Garst had three dimes to go with one goal. Also scoring one goal each were Ronnie Frith, Jackson Wininger, Oliver Farber, Brayden Hall and Ty Hicklin as coach George Revercomb substituted freely.
Cave Spring beat Rockbridge in another quarterfinal and earned the right to come to Salem Monday. Again, Salem scored early and often to turn the game into a rout before the halftime buzzer. Garst and Hawkins had four goals each against the Knights while Holden Custer and Jackson Jones had three each, and Custer also had three assists. Dallas and Preas had two goals each and other scores were by Crumpacker and Wininger. Richard Hof was called on to make four saves.
Now 16-0, the Spartans won’t be taking anything for granted Friday in the Region D championship game at Spartan Field. “We’re focused on Friday and winning a district championship, and then we’ll shift our focus to states,” said Revercomb.
