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After a quiet spring break, the Canby Cougar lacrosse team returned to action this past week, picking up wins over both Aloha-Southridge and Westview.
Canby started off their week with practices before finishing with two late-week games on Thursday and Friday. For Thursday, the Cougs (3-1) traveled to Beaverton to take on the Aloha-Southridge Warrior Hawks (2-2).
The Warrior Hawks, a combination of both Aloha High and Southridge high school players and coaching staffs, play at both high schools and are composed of coaches from both schools due to a smaller roster than usual.
Canby jumped out to an early lead against the Warrior Hawks, leading 7-2 at the half. Canby head coach Trey Bellmore credited Aiden Pedro’s excellent defense with helping fuel the Cougar advantage.
“The defense really leaned on his experience to secure the win,” Bellmore told the Current after the game.
Even with Pedro’s defense, as well as a dominant face-off performance from Landon Sprague, the mash-up Aloha-Southridge team would not go down easy. The Warrior Hawks slowly chipped away at Canby’s lead, getting as close as one goal as time wound down.
Thankfully, Canby senior Cam Lee, who had stepped up throughout the game, led the Cougar O to hold off their charging opponents. Canby escaped from Southridge High School with a narrow 9-8 victory.
Just one day later, the Cougars were off to Portland to face the Westview Wildcats (1-3) to wrap up their week. In a game that was a polar opposite affair compared to their game the previous day, Canby came out of the gates slow, struggling to find points in the first half.
“We were a little sluggish and slow to start this game after Thursday’s win,” Bellmore said. “Logan Corley played exceptional in goal making numerous saves.”
Corley highlighted a defensive back that held the Wildcats to just four goals in the game. When the Cougars struggled in the first half, the defense stepped up to ensure Westview did not pull away.
After the halftime break, Canby came out of the gates energized and ready to go. Sprague and Sylas Wood led a revitalized offense that quickly pulled away to an 11-4 win over the Wildcats.
Following a two-game week, the Cougars host the Bend-Caldera Lava Bears. The Bears have rampaged through their Oregon opponents, outscoring Clackamas, Lincoln, and Sheldon over their last three games. The Cougars and Bears are scheduled to face off next Friday at 7:30 p.m.
