MORGANTOWN – Last season, the Morgantown High School boys lacrosse team saw its campaign come to a heartbreaking end with a sudden-death defeat to University in the semifinals of the 2024 WVSLA state playoffs.
On Tuesday evening, the Mohigans found themselves in familiar territory in the state semifinals, this time battling with Fairmont Senior, and leaving no doubt in a decisive 19-7 victory over the Polar Bears on Pony Lewis Field.
Morgantown advances to Saturday’s state championship to face the winner of George Washington and Linsly. That matchup is set for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
MHS was led by junior Luke Quigley, who scored eight goals in the contest. Fellow junior Cooper Cox and senior Aydan Shepard each added a hat trick of three goals to Quigley’s offensive effort.
“I’m proud of the effort tonight,” MHS head coach Jeremy Bennett said. “I think we did everything we discussed in preparation for this game. Composure and effort have never been an issue with this team, and they will play hard no matter what. Sometimes we can get a little caught up in the moment and have to reel ourselves back in, but it’s not the worst problem to have.”
Quigley got to work early, scoring the opening goal of the game two minutes in as he plucked a loose ball out of the air and fired it into the net.
Fairmont Senior responded with a goal less than a minute later, but Quigley netted two more goals to put MHS ahead again. Cox and Shepard added their first goals before the end of the quarter to see the Mohigans lead at 5-1.
The Polar Bears opened the second with a score to cut the lead to three, but MHS responded positively behind goals from Quigley, Cox, and Shepard to close the first half. The Mohigans entered the locker room leading 8-2, riding a wave of momentum.
“We moved the ball well tonight,” Quigley said. “I thought we played well as a team and supported one another well. Our movement off the ball allowed us to find some easy goals in front of the net. It feels good to be able to move on.”
The third quarter began with the first four goals being traded as Fairmont Senior again started with a score.
However, the Mohigans found another gear and doubled their eight goals from the first half to 16 by the end of the third, including three more by Quigley.
Three more goals in the fourth decided the contest as MHS punched its ticket to the state championship game.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Bennett said. “I think we’ve done everything we’ve needed to deserve this with our efforts and how everyone has bought in as a team. It’s exciting, and we are focused on the task at hand.”
