Vista lacrosse beats Valor for state crown

have something going pretty well here at Mountain Vista.”

BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In recent years and matchups, the Mountain Vista boys lacrosse team has been at its best when the moment has been bigger, the stakes higher and the odds unfavorable.

On May 22, on the state’s biggest stage — at a packed Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium at the University of Denver, the site of the Class 5A state championship game — Vista reached into its bag one last time for 2023 and pulled out yet another gem.

Despite being kicked into a three-goal hole in the early moments of the second quarter, Mountain Vista’s Golden Eagles rallied behind masterful goalie play and a collective grit to beat Valor Christian 10-8 in what was an all-Highlands Ranch title bout.

Never mind that Vista was the 5-seed in the tournament and going up against Colorado’s top-ranked squad and the second-best team in America.

Never mind that Vista lost 10-4 to the Valor Eagles less than two months ago in the regular season.

Never mind that the Golden Eagles nished in fourth place out of nine teams in 5A League #3.

Do mind that Vista paid no attention to all the pregame stats and storylines and delivered a big performance in the biggest of moments.

“Two (state championships) in three years. Not too bad,” Vista coach Matthew Plitnick said of his Golden Eagles, who as a 4-seed upset No. 2 Valor in an overtime thriller for the 2021 state title as well. “I think we

When asked if the win means a little more since it came at the expense of Valor, which is located less than three miles up the road from Vista, Plitnick said: “(Beating a school) that has a bunch of kids in district who went there as opposed to here?

Yeah, we’re the kings of Highlands Ranch.”

After a state tournament that spanned 12 days and began with 24 teams, the Golden Eagles are now the kings of Colorado, too.

But securing the scepter and sash didn’t come easy — Vista had to get past fourth-seeded Legend (6-5 Golden Eagles win) and No. 1 seed and seven-time state champion Cherry Creek (1211 Vista win) to reach the title game. rough it all, the Golden Eagles found a way to win — and keep winning.

“We put in so much work since the fall,” senior goalie Brant Ward said. “We knew we were the best team in the

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