By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 5/4/16
Lauren Tybor said she’s just starting to fully realize her Bartram Trail girls’ lacrosse team unseated 10-time defending champion Vero Beach as Florida state champions on Saturday.
“It’s just starting to actually hit me,” said the senior captain. “As time goes on I still can’t believe we did it. It’s unreal the way it feels; just to have that accomplishment for the team and see all our hard work pay off like that.”
The Bears (19-6) defeated the Fighting Indians, 8-7, on a goal by Alexis Marcionette (four goals) with 7 seconds left in the first overtime period at Jupiter High.
Bartram Trail won its final nine games after starting 10-6. One of those losses was a 13-9 defeat to Vero Beach on March 22, but Tybor said the Bears began to gain great confidence.
“When we played them the first time this season we gained confidence that we could play with them,” she said. “As the season went on we found our strengths and weaknesses and we knew what we needed to improve on in order to beat that caliber of team and we went into the state championships with the confidence we could win.”
In Saturday’s win, Bartram Trail led much of the way and when Marcionette scored her third at 7:08 to make it 7-5 it looked like the Bears were in control. But the Indians rebounded and with 4:59 to go Maddie Ellis made it 7-6 and then Sydney Bracken tied it with 1:53 left.
But the Bears did not fold.
“For all of us, mentally it was now or never,” said Tybor, who had 2 goals, 9 GB, 5 DC, 3 CT and an interception in the title game. “Especially for the seniors. We had to push through all of that and be ready mentally. We had to play our best defense and get the ball back and make the most of our offensive possessions.”
That they did. Late in overtime the Bears had the ball and isolated Marcionette, who worked for an open shot to win it.
“As we got possession that last time, coach (Meghan Jackowiak) called a play that Lexi and I have been running this year. We set up a simple switch and we go or look for a dumpoff. Lexie took it and went to her strength.”
How did Tybor react to the game-winner?
“I was just so overwhelmed sitting there thinking, ‘We won a state championship!'” she said. “It was so overwhelming – I would say it was the most amazing experience of my life. That moment was amazing.”
For Tybor, who will play at Division II Florida Tech and study Mechanical Engineering, the championship was the perfect end to her high school career. She said her team jelled into a complete team.
“We’re with each other almost every day of the week except Sundays,” said Tybor. “Everyone is like a sister and we all care about each other. We all have each other’s backs; there are no cliques.
“Everyone is playing lacrosse because they love the sport and they love the people that play the sport. That sense of unity made it very fun.”