Oasis girls lacrosse players Alanna Muir and Meeka Erwin watch as the ball flies through the air during their game against the Reno Wildfires on Saturday. Oasis won its first-ever girls game.
The Oasis Academy Bighorns kicked off the 2015 lacrosse season at the High Sierra Lacrosse League Jamboree at North Valleys Regional Park in Reno on Saturday.
This year the Bighorns added Fallon’s first girls lacrosse team, which debuted with 23 players and kicked off with a victory.
Fallon’s team, the biggest in the league with 23 young women, have spent the last six weeks learning the skills and rules it takes to play lacrosse.
The girls split their two games against the Reno Wild Fires — winning 3-2 and falling 5-4. Goalie Audrey Rasmussen blocked shots all day, while multiple team players scored goals throughout the games.
In the morning action, the Bighorns under-15 boys team ran the table, going 3-0 for the day. They started against the North Reno Outlaws and controlled the game for a 3-1 win.
Brendan Leary shut the door in goal, while midfielders Josh Carter, Donovan Fermaint and attackman Trey Rooks provided the offense.
In the second game, the Bighorns took on the defending champion Mount Rose Rattlers. After taking a 2-1 lead, the Rattlers tied the game after a controversial failure to advance call turned the ball over late in the game.
With the score tied at 2, the Rattlers took a slashing penalty and the Bighorns extra-man offense went to work. Several quick passes resulted in a goal by midfielder Tristan Rodarte. Goaltender Kaden Stone sealed the win with two key saves down the stretch and defenders David Springfield, Fearghus Keitz, and Mason Lofthouse managed to keep the Rattlers from any quality scoring chances.
In the third game, the Bighorns faced the Truckee Tribe and came away with a 6-0 win. Leary got the shutout and attackman Nick Delgado added two goals. The Bighorns only lost one faceoff all day coming on a procedure foul in the first game. The dominance in faceoffs led to the Bighorns controlling play for the vast majority of the day.
Later in the day, the Bighorns U13 boys took to the field and opened with a shutout over Spanish Springs, 3-0. In the second game, the Bighorns fell to the defending champion Truckee Tribe, 6-4. Oasis then lost to North Tahoe, 5-3.
Midfielder Matthew Catlin tallied a hat trick against North Tahoe, defenseman Zane Davis made things difficult for opponents all day and attackman Nico Hoffheins provided numerous scoring opportunities for the Bighorns.
This week the U13 boys hit the road on Thursday against the Mount Rose Rattlers at Lenz Elementary School in Reno. The game starts at 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Bighorns U13 boys are back in action in their home opener against the North Tahoe Lakers at 10 a.m.
The U15 Bighorns follow with a noon start time against the Lakers.
The Bighorns girls are on the road Saturday, playing at 11:15 a.m. at Billinghurst Middle School.