If there is one team that has been a thorn in the side of the Eastlake High School boys lacrosse team, it has been the Granite Hills Eagles.
The Titans have come up empty in nine matchups against the Eagles since the 2005 season, twice losing by scores of 7-5 and once by 9-8 — and otherwise generally by blowout.
Granite Hills annually rates as one of the top teams in the Grossmont Conference as well as a measuring stick within the San Diego Section.
Last Friday’s high profile non-league encounter between the teams was filled with its expected share of drama — and a rare Titan 7-5 win.
The win was the 91st for EHS head coach Nestor Rosas and has to rank among the most satisfying during his seven-year reign as head coach and 10 years with the Titan program.
“Our defense played amazing, our offense is starting to gel as we find out where players are fitting in best,” Rosas said.
The game, as were many of those in the past between the two rivals, was close at the half. While finishing in the second half has always been a problem against Granite Hills, it wasn’t this time as the hosts snapped a 4-4 tie in the fourth quarter with three unanswered goals to seal the win.
“We have shown that we can score many different ways now,” said Rosas, whose team improved to 3-2 on the season, all in non-league play.
Heavyweight match-up
Eastlake struck first with Jordan Vicente slicing through the defense for an easy finish and a 1-0 Titan lead at the end of the first quarter. Michaelangelo Aguirre scored a minute into the second quarter on a feed from Christian Haffner.
The Eagles (2-2) scored their first goal of the night on a man-up play and went into halftime tied 2-2.
Eastlake regained the momentum when Vicente scored off the face-off to start the second half and Haffner added another on a deflected pass on a fast break three minutes later.
The Eagles scored two goals to end the third quarter to level the teams on the scoreboard once again.
Vicente scored at the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarrter with a laser shot off the hip of the Granite Hills goalkeeper. Aguirre scored the Titans’ last two goals on the doorstep with feeds from Chase Morris dodging topside and then again from Vicente playing down at attack.
The Eagles rounded out scoring with a minute-and-a-half left.
Rosas noted his team played without one of its defensive stalwarts, Ronnie Sallee, who was on a recruiting trip to Oregon.
“Christian Pitpit, filling in for Ronnie Sallee, played an outstanding game, with close ‘D,’” the EHS coach said. “He kept his man locked up all night and made a key ground ball scoop and running clear through the Granite Hills defenders when the game was still close in the third quarter. Other D-poles played their usual rock solid game — Santiago Andujo and Angelo Abante.
“Goalie Nate McPeak (13 saves) stood big and tall, stopping several close-in shots throughout the game.”
Vicente and Andujo led Titan defenders with seven ground balls while Haffner had six.
Vicente paces Eastlake in offense with 13 goals and 19 points, followed by Aguirre with seven goals and 10 points, Morris with six goals and eight points and Andrew Gisler with five goals and six points.
What’s next
Eastlake has 12 games left on its regular season schedule, needing nine wins to hand Rosas career win No. 100.
The Titans enter a run of four games against non-league opponents — Serra, Wheat Ridge (Colo.), St. Augustine and Patrick Henry— before entering Mesa League play April 15 at Bonita Vista.
The Titans engaged Serra on Wednesday and will host Wheat Ridge in a marquee match-up Friday, March 27, at 7 p.m.
Games against St. Augustine and Patrick Henry follow April 7 and 13, both at home with identical 7 p.m. starts.
Eastlake will then close regular season play with eight consecutive Mesa League games.
Boys Lacrosse Scoreboard
March 19
Mar Vista 10, Foothills Christian 0
March 20
Eastlake 7, Granite Hills 5
Hilltop 16, Santana 4
Fallbrook 11, Olympian 5
El Camino 20, Southwest 1
Monte Vista 9, Montgomery 8 (OT)
March 21
Mt. Carmel 16, Bonita Vista 5
March 23
Bonita Vista 8, Mar Vista 1
March 24
Mt. Carmel 22, Hilltop 1
Point Loma 13, Olympian 6
Del Lago 2, Southwest 2 (tie)
March 25
Preuss UCSD 15, Mar Vista 4
Serra 6, Eastlake 4
Ponderosa 21, Olympian 7
San Diego 7, Chula Vista 2
Montgomery 13, Foothills Christian 3
March 26
Montgomery 13, Army-Navy Academy 8
