Oak Hall Girls Lacrosse Dominates Rival on Senior Night

Oak Hall girls lacrosse made a statement against 1A-District 4 rival Gainesville High on Thursday. The Eagles routed the Hurricanes 19-0 to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.

Oak Hall has turned its season around after a sluggish 3-5 start and now sit at 7-5 overall and 3-0 in the district. The Eagles have found their rhythm by outscoring opponents 70-11 in the last four contests with postseason play on the horizon.

“The team’s really come together, everybody really has a passion for this sport and we’re so bonded,” Oak Hall senior Elseya Wellehan said. “The coaching staff has brought so much energy into this team; they’ve really put their all into it and it’s really made us special.”

The easy win followed Senior Night festivities, which featured four Oak Hall seniors, including Wellehan, who had a hat trick in her last regular-season home game.

This night was extra special for her after tearing her ACL last year, which shortened her junior campaign. Finishing her senior season on such a strong note meant everything to her.

“It was awesome, it was great,” Wellehan said. “I’ve been working really hard … getting to score three times was a big deal for me.”

Wellehan wasn’t the only one who impressed offensively. Colbie Johnson and Isla Montes also recorded hat tricks.

From the start, Oak Hall controlled the pace and physicality of the game. The Eagles jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after the first quarter and never let up. Oak Hall was in the attack zone for the majority of the game, finishing with 37 shots on goal.

“The whole team was juiced,” Oak Hall coach Georgiano El Semarani said. “They wanted to come out here, get the dub and bring the energy.”

On the rare occasions the Eagles were in the defensive zone, they capitalized on turnovers, allowing Gainesville (2-10, 1-3) only eight shots the entire game.

The Eagles will now await their next opponent. Oak Hall will likely receive a first-round bye in the district tournament. Despite playing their best ball of the season, the Eagles understand that come postseason time, there is little margin for error and they are approaching each game like it’s their last.

“At the end of the day, it’s do or die,” El Semarani said. “We want to come out here in each game and make it a dog fight and out-grit the other squads.”

Category: Gainesville High School, High School Sports, Oak Hall High School