For boys’ lacrosse players, Palo Alto High School is not just any opponent. The rivalry between the two schools has intensified in recent years, as a result of close games, heated clashes between players, and high-stakes league play.
Their matchup on Tuesday, April 22 was one of the most important in recent memory, with both teams fighting for second place in the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Bay Division and a Central Coast Section (CCS) playoff berth. Earlier in the season, Palo Alto scraped by with a 7-5 win, and for the Panthers, the memory of that loss made this game all the more important.
“[The rivalry] adds a lot of fire to it,” junior midfielder Jack Clarke said. “We really hate these guys, so everyone’s putting their all into it.”
Unlike their first matchup, the second played out exactly how the Panthers would’ve hoped. The game stayed close throughout regulation time, heading into overtime tied at 6-6 after a late goal from sophomore midfielder Jason Jajeh.
The score remained deadlocked through the first overtime, forcing the game into a second period. With 3 minutes and 39 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, senior midfielder Anders Gauthier broke the tie, securing a crucial win for the Panthers and potentially a playoff spot.
“Second half, the team really came around me and we just felt the crowd, we felt the team, we felt the coaches,” Gauthier said. “I really knew that right now, it was time to play my hardest, so I’m thankful I was able to get that goal.”
With tensions running high, boys’ lacrosse coaches kept their team calm and organized in the late stages of the game.
“[We told the team] to be calm, cool, and collected,” assistant coach Luis Amya-Franco said. “On top of that, we already had some stuff in mind that we wanted to run, especially in overtime. We weren’t expecting to go into double [overtime], we came prepared, we stuck to our plan, and we made it happen.”
With a 9-3 record (5-2 in league), the Panthers are in a strong position to make CCS playoffs. To secure their spot, they will need to win the majority of their final three league games and maintain a strong goal differential.
“That was the game that we had circled throughout the year; we knew we had to win that game to go through, and with that now, every game is a must-win,” Gauthier said. “We really, truly have to lock in for the rest of the season, and playoffs are in reach right now.”
