Photo By Michael Alexander

ROSWELL—With joint state semifinal victories on May 15 over a common opponent, Kell High School of Marietta, the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams at Blessed Trinity High School advanced to the May 19 state championship games.

The boys defeated Kell 10-9 on their home field before a sizable crowd of supporters. The first half of the match was very close with more than three ties and lead changes.

In an unsuccessful scoring attempt during the second half of the state semifinals, Blessed Trinity High School attacker Ethan Holthaus (#6) takes on three Kell High School players. However, with 2:27 remaining in the fourth period, Holthaus would score the winning goal, as Blessed Trinity held on to defeat Kell 10-9 and advance to the state championship. Photo By Michael Alexander

After a halftime score of 6-6, three different Blessed Trinity players, Mason Glavine, Thomas Higgins and Bennett Oess, each scored a goal in a span of five minutes to take a 9-6 lead. They held the three-point advantage going into the fourth and final period.

With 3:11 remaining in the match, Kell’s Matthew Mitchell tied up the score once again. It remained that way until Blessed Trinity attacker, Ethan Holthaus, scored at the 2:27 mark. Blessed Trinity’s defense held off a late charge by Kell to ensure the victory. Head Coach Bobby Parker leads the boys’ team.

The girls, on the other hand, traveled to Marietta, where they defeated Kell 10-6. In fact, this year’s semifinal game was a rematch of the 2017 state championship game, which was an 11-9 win for Blessed Trinity. They also defeated Kell, 16-2, during the regular season on March 15.

Senior Elise Hammelrath and sophomore Kelly Scott, both midfielders, scored four goals each, while junior Kaley Attaway and senior Brittney Villhauer, also midfielders, had one goal apiece. Attaway, Hammelrath, Scott and Villhauer will also be in the starting lineup, at their respective positions, for the final game of the season.

“The entire game was pretty much back and forth until the middle of the second half, when we primarily controlled the draws and scoring,” said Elizabeth McFarland, the girls’ lacrosse head coach. “Our defense played extremely well, and our goalie saved quite a few shots. ”

The Blessed Trinity girls (19-2) will defend their title in the first championship game at noon against Fayetteville’s Starr’s Mill (18-2).

In the final game of the day, the Blessed Trinity boys (18-3) will take on Greater Atlanta Christian School (18-3). Blessed Trinity seeks to avenge an April 20 loss (11-5) to the Norcross school.