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Mission Blue Finishes 4-1 At Pacific Lacrosse Festival

Jun. 25, 2016

Rancho Bernardo, CA - Mission Blue finished 4-1 in the High School Open Division at Pacific Lacrosse Festival and tied for second in their pool. There was no cross-over after pool play scheduled so the full round robin play was it.  Mission LAX wrapped up with two straight wins during second day play with a one goal loss their only loss on Friday. Blue, made up of players going into their junior and senior year at the three local public high schools in Santa Barbara, outscored opponents 48-25 in the two day event. A 6-5 loss to Fire Lacrosse of Santa Monica was the only blemish amidst a 2-1 first day and a 2-0 second day. Mission Blue became stronger every game at the Festival. It was the opposite of their Battle of LA performance from two weeks ago. In that one Blue went 2-1 the first day but then faded and was 0-2 the second day. 

Mission Orange continued to get full field experience in officiated settings. Orange is made up of players going into 7th - 10th grade with a good three-quarters of the team only three months into their lacrosse careers. They faced teams made up mostly of sophomores, juniors and seniors who have been playing for far more than three months. Mission Orange will continue to develop and work hard while looking forward to the day they're all still together and playing teams their own age and experience level.

"It's really nice the way Blue performed considering most of them are only a year or two into lacrosse," commented Mission Director Paul Ramsey after the tournament, "and playing teams of players with far more experience."

"Orange spirits might be down right now but their character is strong stuff," added Ramsey.  "That group will have their day."

The public schools in Santa Barbara are two years into offering varsity lacrosse. The private boarding schools in Santa Barbara annd Ventura counties have had it for decades but none of those players are on Mission teams this summer. For Mission to field two teams might be a feat unto itself but the program also aims at improving lacrosse players in the summer and fall to increase the level of play at all Santa Barbara area schools, junior high school and high schools in the spring. 

Up next for both Mission teams is the SB LAX Camp July 11th - 14th and the Santa Barbara Summer Sizzle July 16th & 17th.