TEX BOYS: DII Semifinals: Stony Point Edges Central Catholic

Sophomore middie Brad Johnson scored three goals and added an assist to lead Central District champion Stony Point to a 9-8 victory over San Antonio District champion Central Catholic in a Texas High School Lacrosse League Division II semifinal Friday night in Austin.

Junior attackman Bit Rambush added a pair of goals, as the Tigers (13-4) won their 11^th straight and advanced to the Division II state-title game for the first time in school history. Stony Point will face the winner of Saturday’s Memorial-Coppell semifinal on Sunday to decide the Division II state champion.

Stony Point will be a decided underdog in the state-title game.

“I just think the pressure’s off us,” Stony Point head coach Jamie Booth said. “We get to go in, play our game, and hopefully shock whoever we’re playing. We want to show that the Central District deserves to be there. Ultimately, we’re hoping to win the whole thing.”

On Friday, freshman attackman Conor Schindel, senior middie Matt Moreno, junior middie Bud Pelkey and sophomore attackman Austin Fox all had a goal to round out the offense for Stony Point.

Defensively, junior goalie Matt Peterson saved 12 shots, including one in the final minute to preserve the victory.

Central Catholic finished the season 14-8.

Stony Point took a 9-7 lead when Fox scored with 5:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. Central Catholic pulled within a goal with 1:55 to play, and after losing the ensuing face-off, the Buttons got possession back in the final minute.

But Peterson stood tall in the cage, and Central Catholic could not get the equalizer.

“It was a huge victory,” Booth said. “This is what we started the season off preparing for. We’re anxious to see who we face. We’re going to go out there, compete and have some fun.”