Girls lacrosse: Team effort lifts John Jay to victory over rival Somers

Clockwise from top left, Jojo Degl controls off the draw for John Jay. Micayla DeVeau fires a shot for a goal. Amelia Inglis winds up for a shot and a goal in win over Somers. Molly Gallagher makes a save. Jim MacLean Photos

By JIM MACLEAN

John Jay senior Jojo Degl has been a part of some pretty exciting lacrosse games against Somers. Two quality programs often competing in tense games with playoff hopes on the line.

That was the scenario as John Jay hosted Somers on Tuesday, for a night game, and the Wolves and Tuskers delivered another intense game with big plays all around.

Jojo Degl certainly did her part as the All-American scored a hat trick to lead the Wolves with three goals, but she also knows this was a team effort that made the difference as seven different players scored for the Wolves as John Jay pulled away for a convincing 10-6 victory.

“Definitely a rivalry game, we all have a fire lit up for this one, they always show up and give us their best, a good challenge and a good win for us,” Degl said of the win over Somers. “Everyone fought so hard for this as a team. From Molly in the goal, the defense, all the way up to the offense, we worked together and came out with the win and I’m so proud of this team.”

John Jay coach Jessica McDonough agreed, it was a complete effort all around the field for the Wolves. And it wasn’t just the seniors as the younger Wolves are getting involved on offense making it more difficult for opponents to stop them.

“Somers always brings their best and makes us bring our best; a fun, competitive game,” said McDonough. “It was a whole team win, the offense really stepped up and put the ball away, the defense played as a unit, in between the 30s everyone was hustling. We were really happy with the whole effort across the field. A great team win, everybody was involved and it was great to see the teamwork.”

In the first quarter it was the senior captains leading the way as Jojo Degl and Jordan Kauftheil each scored a goal to give the Wolves a 2-1 lead. Finja Degl then scored to make it 3-1, but the Tuskers kept fighting back and closed out the quarter with a goal to make it 3-2.

The Tuskers carried the momentum into the second quarter and tried to put the pressure on hoping to score the equalizer, but Molly Gallagher made a big save in goal for John Jay.

The Wolves then struck in transition down the other end of the field as Amelia Inglis scored to make it 4-2. A minute later, Jojo Degl scored her second goal to make it 5-2 at the half.

Jordan Kauftheil scored her second goal of the game to start the second half as the Wolves built a 6-2 lead, but Somers would not go away without a fight and the Tuskers answered to make it 6-3.

Micayla DeVeau then scored for John Jay to make it 7-3, and the Tuskers answered again with a goal to cut the lead down to 7-4.

The Wolves came out strong to start the fourth period and put to rest any thoughts of a Somers comeback as Jojo Degl scored her third goal of the game at 11:25 to make it 8-4.

John Jay then came up with a clutch goal as the shot clock was running out down to two seconds when Dillon Hall scored off an assist from Coco Inglis to make it 9-4. Coco Inglis then scored the final goal of the game for John Jay as the Wolves closed out the 10-6 victory with seven different goal scorers.

With the victory, John Jay improved to 4-3 overall on the season. 

The Wolves also suffered a tough 9-8 loss in Denver against the Colorado Academy coached by former John Jay star Casey Bocklet.

John Jay will face another tough rivalry game against Horace Greeley on Saturday, April 26, as the Wolves host the Quakers for Jay Fest.