Suffolk News-Herald

How can a 24-minute half take an hour to play? When the clock has to stop every few minutes after a goal is scored.

That’s the situation that the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy boys lacrosse team went through on Thursday afternoon, racking up 11 goals in the first half on their way to a 17-3 win over visiting Lafayette. Fortunately, the Saints kept scoring in the second half – and once a team gets up by 10, the clock keeps running, ending the game in reasonable time. Joe Vid-arte had five goals, Willis Taylor six assists and Bobby Flintoff four of each in the win.

NSA didn’t waste time getting ahead, as Taylor charged all the way down the left sideline and passed to Ryland Gwaltney, who hit a jumping Vidarte in the center for a goal 71 seconds in.

Flintoff sent an assist to Jett at the 8:13 mark, but the Rams cut the lead in half with 7:26 to go. Taylor fired assists to Vidarte and Jett, and Flintoff scored again to end the quarter up 5-2.

Taylor passed to Vidarte 82 seconds into the second half for another goal, and Buttery slipped through three defenders for his first score. Flintoff launched in an errant Vidarte shot at 8:07, upping the lead to five. The Rams slipped in a shot at the 7:16 mark, but Matt Holloman kept them out of the NSA net from then on.

Meanwhile, Jett gave Taylor an assist with 4:33 to go, and Taylor threw two assists in 11 seconds to end the half ahead 11-3. Jett started the second half with a behind-the-back shot, and Flintoff and Taylor combined on two more goals. Flintoff assisted on scores by Buttery and Griffin Powell in the fourth, and Gwaltney shot in his first goal.

The Lady Saints had just as much success in Virginia Beach, defeating the Shockettes 20-7. Courtney White had seven goals, Parris Grieder five and Ginny Stulb four.

NSA’s girls go to Cape Henry on March 29, while the boys visit Highland on April 1.