sports
Chasing A Goal By Jeff Seidel
Courtesy of Morgan State Uiniversity
Baltimore public schools and Morgan State have a rich history of lacrosse, but the game all but dried up in the city several decades ago. Programs like Blax Lax, celebrating its tenth anniversary, are bringing the game back to Baltimore and beginning to bear fruit.
Banner year: Two years after this photo was taken (in 1973), Morgan State's varsity lacrosse team knocked off undefeated Washington & Lee, the highest ranked team in the country.
Kier Johnson and Lafonte Livingston couldn’t get the ball. That happens at times in a la crosse game, but the two Northwestern High players found that problem in a different way—their own teammates wouldn’t pass it to them. Johnson and Livingston weren’t exactly shocked when this happened in the opening minutes of a summer league game a few years ago. After all, here they were, two guys from Baltimore City on a team with play ers from nearby counties, including private
schools with solid lacrosse programs. Frus trated with the situation, they ran over to Northwestern coach Lloyd Carter, watching on the sideline, and asked his advice. Carter gave them a blunt answer: “Go get the ball yourselves.” And so they did. Moments later, Livingston slid over into an open space when a teammate got double-teamed and the player had no choice but to pass him the ball. Making the catch, Livingston raced straight to the
goal and scored. Around the same time, John son finally got the ball in his stick, fighting off a teammate for a loose ground ball near midfield and starting another play that led to another scoring chance. Those plays pushed Johnson and Livingston into the team’s of fensive flow. When the game ended, the team mates complimented both players, and while they accepted the kind words, being frozen out remains a fresh memory. “They were say ing ‘good game, good game.’” Johnson says. Urbanite #95 may 2012 41