Tahoma stepped up on the last day of the season to give its long-time head coach Vern Smith, who is retiring at the end of the season, his final career win with a 6 – 3 boys high school lacrosse defeat of Lakeside, Saturday at Tahoma High School.
Smith, 62, a Washington state hall of fame coach and former collegiate stand-out, spent the past 14 seasons of his 22 years on the prep sidelines at the helm of the Tahoma program after launching it as a Maple Valley club in 1999. He previously helped start the Bellevue High School and later Vashon lacrosse programs. At Vashon he won the 1997 Division II state championship and later back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000 at Maple Valley, the predecessor of Tahoma.
“The thing I’m most proud of besides all of the students that I’ve introduced to lacrosse over the years is the 11 players that I’ve coached that have chosen coaching as a profession,” said Smith, a 2008 Washington Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee who played collegiately at the U.S. Military Academy and later Johns Hopkins University before coming to the State of Washington.
One of those players that has gone on to coaching success is Tahoma offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. Johnson, who will step in to lead the Tahoma program next season, starred for Smith as a freshman in Maple Valley’s 1999 state championship run and it was his overtime goal that gave the squad its repeat state title in 2000.
Smith acknowledged that high school lacrosse in Washington state is going in the right direction and that its success is largely a result of the talent and passion of today’s younger generation of coaches in the state. “It’s our coaches like Ian O’Hearn at Mercer Island who are willing to give their time to help new coaches and programs grow and improve. They’ve significant elevated the quality of coaching in Washington state and the product on the field,” said Smith.
On Saturday, Smith’s Tahoma squad held Lakeside scoreless in the first while putting up three goals of their own. In the second, Tahoma allowed just one Lakeside goal to take a 3 – 1 lead into the half. After emerging from the break the defensive battle continued with Tahoma again holding the Lions scoreless while putting up two goals to extend their lead to 5 – 1. In the fourth, the Lions managed two goals, but never were able to mount a serious challenge to Tahoma.
Tahoma’s Desmond Decker had three goals and Brody Sullivan led the defense with five ground balls.
Lakeside had goals from Adam Harrell, Jack Powell and Houston Warren. Peter Scott had 10 saves in the Lions’ net.
Tahoma completes its season with an 8-10-0 record. Lakeside completes its season with a 3-11-0 record.
Scoring
Tahoma 3 0 2 1 — 6
Lakeside 0 1 0 2 — 3
Tahoma 6, Lakeside 3 (Desmond Decker, T, 3 goals; Brody Sullivan, T, 5 ground balls; Adam Harrell, L, 1 goal, 1 ground ball; Jack Powell, L, 1 goal, 1 ground ball; Houston Warren, L, 1 goal, 2 ground balls; Connor Haney, L, 1 assist, 2 ground balls; Jack Ephron, L, 5 ground balls; Peter Scott, L, 10 saves)
