The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Luke Walton tallies six goals in win
By Than Acuff
The Crested Butte Titans had another tough showdown with the Telluride Miners, one of the top programs in the state, falling 18-5, but rebounded on Tuesday, April 2 to hand the Montrose Red Hawks an 11-6 loss.
The Titans suffered a similar fate to Telluride earlier this season, but coach Carter Brock saw much improvement in his team since the first showdown.
“We played our best lacrosse of the season, which is mandatory against a team like Telluride,” says Brock. “They move the ball fast and shoot accurately which led to a large, quick lead. However, we rallied to outscore them 3-1 in the fourth quarter.”
Crested Butte returned home to host Montrose on Tuesday, April 2, and rolled to the win paced by six goals from Luke Walton and a stout defensive effort by Ty Pulliam and Trey and Jack Smolen.
“Luke found open space and picked their defense apart,” says Brock.
The Titans opened the scoring early as Walton beat his man up top to fire a shot for a 1-0 lead. Walton struck again later in the first quarter and Riley Davis tacked on another goal off a shot from out front for a 3-0 Titans’ lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Red Hawks responded on a man-up situation to open the second quarter, but Crested Butte came right back and fired off three more goals.
Jack Pierson drove to the net to draw a defender and then fed Walton for his third goal of the game. Dawson Eastep did the same thing to set up Walton’s fourth goal and then Eastep beat his man one-on-one to score later in the quarter for a 6-1 lead at halftime with Fraser Birnie winning all but one faceoff the entire half.
“We were patient and waited for the right opportunities to capitalize on, which gave us a big lead early,” says Brock.
Montrose opened the third quarter in another man-up situation, but the Titans came right back to score three more goals. Crested Butte’s ride forced a turnover by the Red Hawks and Pierson set up Walton for his fifth goal of the game. Pierson then took it to net himself beating his defender to score and then fired from up top to score once again for a 9-2 lead.
Montrose closed the third quarter and opened the fourth quarter with goals during two more man-up situations, but Davis fed Walton for his sixth goal of the game and then a couple minutes later, passed the ball to the wing to Rowan Dishmon for Dishmon to score for an 11-4 lead.
As the fourth quarter wore on the game turned a little sloppy allowing Montrose to score two more goals, but the Titans finished the Red Hawks off 11-6 in the end.
“We started to lose our patience in the fourth quarter leading to a couple sneaky Montrose goals, but we held our own and finished with the win,” says Brock.
Crested Butte hits the road to face Durango on Saturday, April 6, and then hosts Grand Junction on Thursday, April 11.
