BEAR RIVER HIGH - By Tate Atkin and Cari Doutre, May 1, 2023
An impressive 9-game winning streak is keeping the Bear River High girls' lacrosse team's momentum going strong as they continue to dominate in region and non-region play.
Hosting the Brighton High Bengals on April 26, a close 9-8 overtime win against the 5A powerhouse school from Salt Lake City added another win to the Bears overall record of 10-1 so far this season.
Taking Region 11 by storm yet again, the Bears are currently undefeated but what's even more impressive is the total domination they leave both on the field and on the scoreboard. In the six region games Bear River's played so far this season, they have scored a total of 120 goals and have given up just nine.
Bear River opened region play on the road with a matchup against Logan High on March 27. With senior Hazlee Reeder at goalie and seniors Jenna LaCroix and Bentley Lorimer leading the charge defensively, the Bears shut down the Grizzlies' offense holding them to just one goal. Offensively, Bear River shared the scoring, with seven players scoring two or more goals, and six of them scoring three goals each. Dominating both sides, Bear River cruised to the 20-1 win.
LaCroix was all over the place as she scooped up 15 ground balls while scoring 3 goals and assisting on 5 more. Lorimer recovered 10 ground balls and also scored three goals and added two assists. Reeder played 40 minutes in the net, only allowing one goal while saving 3 more in the win.
Bear River then hosted their first region home game as they welcomed in Ridgeline High to Bear Field on March 29. The Bears continued their offensive outburst and defensive domination. The Riverhawks were never in the game as the Bears overwhelmed them with a final score of 23-1.
Story continues below...
Three Lady Bears took a turn at goal for the Bears with sophomore Saydee Pebley getting the bulk of the minutes and the win. Junior Makenzie Mickelsen was a force on the draws as she controlled 18 of the 24 draws she attempted. Again, LaCroix and Lorimer led the team defensively as LaCroix grabbed 12 ground balls and Lorimer led the team with 14. Sophomore sensation Shelby Wilkinson also added five goals and senior Shaylee Mckee added four more.
The Bear's scoring was led by senior standout Marley Kierstead who scored six goals. Kierstead, who has signed with Southern Wesleyan University (Central, South Carolina) to play lacrosse at the collegiate level, has been a dominating force on the lacrosse field since her freshman year. But her success wasn't something that happened overnight.
"I was cut from a sport my freshman year so being thrown into lacrosse was definitely a hurdle that I had to overcome and then wanting to be able to play and make an impact for my team was something that wasn't going to happen overnight. I'm constantly putting in blood, sweat and tears and it has been difficult," Kierstead said.
Story continues below...
The Bears then traveled to Cache Valley for a game against Green Canyon High on April 12. Although the Bears 20 goals scored per game streak came to an end, Bear River once again put-up impressive numbers offensively while stifling their opponent on the defensive side. They jumped out to a 15-1 lead by halftime and finished the game with a 19-2 victory.
Mountain Crest High was up next for the Bears' path of destruction on the lacrosse field on April 14, destroying the Mustangs, 22-3. Kierstead led the team in goals with seven while Lorimer and LaCroix brought in 12 and 10 ground balls, respectively.
Then it came time for Sky View High to face off against Bear River on April 19. The Bears served a devastating blow to the Bobcats shutting them down, 17-0.
Story continues below...
Back again with the Riverhawks from Ridgeline on April 21, Bear River continued their domination with a 19-2 win.
The Bears are set to host Logan High on Wednesday, May 3. They will then host Green Canyon High on Friday, May 5. Both games are slated to start at 5:30 p.m.
Here's a quick recap of the Bears' pre-season action:
After an undefeated 2022 season, Bear River tasted their first defeat in over a year when they lost a tough fought battle against Corner Canyon High, 7-5, on March 17. The Bears didn't let that loss affect them and focused on the next game and starting a new win streak.
Bear River traveled to West Jordan High on March 21, to face the Jaguars. It was another tight fought battle with the Bears holding on to a 7-6 lead at halftime. In the second half, Bear River was able to pull away from West Jordan and capture the victory, 15-11.
Six players contributed to the scoring total with at least one goal, four of them scored multiple goals. Wilkinson led the scoring for the Bears, with five goals to go along with her two assists and five ground balls. Lorimer and LaCroix led the team with nine ground balls each.
On April 10, Bear River visited Bonneville High for a game against the Lakers. The Bear's defense held the Lakers in check, only allowing two goals. For the third straight game, Bear River scored 20 or more points. The Bears returned home with a 20-2 win.
Kierstead scored six goals for the second straight game while also accounting for eight ground balls. LaCroix led the Bears in ground balls with 14. Mickelsen controlled 17 of 19 draws.
Catch up on Bear River Live's coverage of the Bear River High girls' lacrosse team's season on the link below.
Bear River vs. Sky View - April 19, 2023
Photos by John Fronk
Bear River vs. Ridgeline - March 29, 2023
Photos by John Fronk
