To secure its 10th win in its regular season finale, the Georgetown Prep lacrosse team went back to basics.
Coach Scott Urick noticed his team in recent weeks was losing focus of the fundamentals — getting low on groundballs, scanning the field for open space and taking smart shots. They were an emphasis in practice and film study ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with visiting Bullis.
The Hoyas’ 13-11 win surely was closer to what he was looking for. The victory gave Georgetown Prep three straight wins, the Interstate Athletic Conference tournament’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
The uneven stretch Urick was concerned about included a loss to Landon, the top seed in the IAC. Georgetown Prep (10-4) could see the Bears again in the conference title game next week.
“It’s circled on our calendars for sure,” Hoyas midfielder Ciaran McCleary said. “But we need to take care of business before then to get there.”
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Georgetown Prep opened Tuesday’s game with four goals in each of the first two quarters. McCleary delivered his team’s final tally of the second, giving the Hoyas an 8-5 lead at halftime.
The senior also had his team’s first goal after intermission. With the shot clock running down, McCleary rifled a shot past the outstretched Bullis goaltender. His third goal put Georgetown Prep up by four; outside of two goals by Bullis (12-4) in the final seconds, that advantage never shrank.
“He’s one of the best high school midfielders I’ve seen, and I don’t say that lightly,” Urick said of McCleary. “He’s been playing at that level all season, and we need him to continue doing that. He’s a big part of what makes us click.”
Tuesday was a rematch of a 2023 IAC semifinal that Georgetown Prep won, 14-5. This one was closer. So, too, have been many games on the Hoyas’ schedule as the reigning IAC champs have struggled to replicate last season’s success.
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They dropped their toughest local tests: a 9-3 loss to Landon and a 10-9 overtime defeat to Gonzaga. Georgetown Prep otherwise breezed through its conference schedule.
Late in the season, the Hoyas have recalibrated in an attempt to rediscover what made them so successful last year. Going forward, they have experience against their two most probable postseason opponents.
The Hoyas know the challenge Landon presents. After Tuesday’s win, they feel ready.
“We know we have one, two at most games together as a group,” senior defender Ryan Welgos said. “We’re just trying to make the most of it.”
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