The Varsity boys lacrosse team played an edge-of-your-seat thriller against the Out-of-Door Academy Thunder in a cross-town rivalry matchup on Monday night, eventually earning the 9-8 victory.

The Thunder put the first point on the scoreboard in the early minutes of the game, but the Falcons bounced back quickly. Sophomores Luc Goeders and Joey Mays each scored a goal before the end of the first quarter. However, with 1:11 left in the first, ODA put the ball in the net to tie up the score.

The Thunder scored again early in the second quarter, and the Falcons were able to answer with a goal by senior Charlie Boothby with just under three minutes left in the half. Then, ODA took a one-point lead with 30 seconds left in the half, giving the Falcons plenty to think about during their halftime break.

The second half was a battle all the way, riddled with constant back-and-forth action that kept the scoreboard neck and neck.

The Thunder opened the scoring in the third quarter once again, taking a 5-3 lead. Although they scored twice more in the quarter, a strong performance by the Falcons defense earned the Falcons three more goals by Mays and another by Goeders, tying the score up 7-7.

The Thunder took an 8-7 lead with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter. After several tense minutes, Boothby put it in the net for a Falcon goal, with just under two minutes remaining. Eighth-grader George Prince assisted Mays’ fifth goal of the game with 24 seconds left, putting the Falcons up 9-8 and securing the win for the Falcons.

Head Coach Scott Kallins said he and the other coaches were very proud of the team’s performance.

“[We were] thrilled with the outcome, and enjoyed the increased and improved play by the team as a whole,” he said.

Goalie Coach T. Crowley said he was impressed with the progress of the two goalies, freshman Trace Cook, a rookie who started his fifth game on Monday, and eighth-grader Matt Goeders.

“Both goalies are playing very well. They’ve still got a bit to learn, but that will come with experience. I think Trace really stepped it up in this game,” he said.

Freshman Ali Sammour said the team started playing progressively better throughout the game.

“We got off to a rough start, but by the fourth quarter we were playing very well,” he said.

The Falcons will face off against the Community School of Naples on Friday, March 15, at Palma Sola Park.