High School Lacrosse: Shawnee Passes another Test against Lancers Monday, May 7, 2007 By Clark Washington SJSports Special Correspondent High school students are always encouraged to learn as much as they can, work hard and do your best and you will exceed. Exams are also that measurement of what you have been taught and the results show how much you have learned. So far this season, the Renegades from Shawnee boys' lacrosse team have been passing all of their tests and it was time to give them another. Facing them this time at Holy Cross, the Lancers would provide Shawnee with a challenge that the Renegades needed all the help they could get. Trailing by a goal in the fourth quarter, Shawnee would take the lead on Kohl Meyer's goal and managed to hold off the Lancers late rally. The Renegades would celebrate their 7-6 victory in a game that had to be their toughest test of the year. Shawnee has established a reputation of being a very successful boys’ lacrosse team for several years now. Other teams use their success as a measurement to see how well they have progressed with their program. The Renegades are undefeated this year and have won twelve straight games. Holy Cross has been coming up with some impressive wins as they had only loss once in ten games. It would take awhile for the first goal of the game to be scored, but Mike Gersie would give Shawnee a 1-0 lead that didn’t last long. Tom Moran would tie the game and Sean Neary gave Holy Cross a 2-1 lead to start the second quarter. Back and forth these teams went but it would be the defense that highlighted the first half. With the game tied at 3-3 to start the second half, Holy Cross continued to apply constant pressure on defense allowing their offense to stay close. The Lancers would hold a one goal lead late in the fourth quarter, but that’s when a great individual performance by Neary tied this game at 6-6. Shawnee was not done as Meyer stepped up with another great play and his goal gave the Renegades the lead. Holy Cross would not give up as they positioned themselves to get two good looks at the net by that’s when goalie Roy Byrd came up big…twice. Both shots were rockets toward the net but just could not find its way past Byrd. Shawnee has demonstrated another way to win against a very much improved Lancers’ squad. Photos by Art Redd