Three-peat: Fairmont Senior wins third straight state title

May 22—ELKINS — When handing out the state championship hardware, WVSLA president Jim Hill said awarding the trophy to Fairmont Senior's girls lacrosse team was becoming a "recurring event."

After three straight state championships, all won in decisive fashion, it's hard to argue Hill's point.

Playing at Davis & Elkins College, the Fairmont Senior Polar Bears bested the Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers 17-4 in the WVSLA Girls State Championship game Saturday. Chloe Travelstead was named the game's MVP, scoring four goals in the win.

"They came out with a lot of heart today," Fairmont Senior head coach Jon Cain said. "We knew it was going to be a battle, Buckhannon's a tough team, a physical team, and we knew it was going to be a physical game. We told our girls you're going to have to weather the storm, just keep playing, and I think things will come our way if we work hard."

In addition to Travelstead's four goals, Aubrey Harrison finished with six, Bella Bock and Morgan Rogers each had three, and Madison Jones had one.

The Polar Bears got on the board first Saturday, as Aubrey Harrison cashed in on a penalty shot just over a minute into play.

Bella Bock scored from the right wing two minutes later to put Fairmont Senior ahead 2-0 — but to start the game, the Polar Bears' offense didn't seem to be clicking as seamlessly as it had shown it can throughout the year.

Fairmont Senior was dominating possession by aggressively pursuing ground balls, but a couple bobbled passes and miscommunications served as speed bumps early — as big of bumps as you can have, that is, while still growing your lead.

It was a pair of set pieces the Polar Bears ran with cutters receiving passes from the X that seemed to shake the dust off of Fairmont Senior and let them throw their scoring into high gear.

Morgan Rogers first fed a curling Aubrey Harrison for her second goal to make it 3-0, and then Morgan Rogers scored from point-blank range herself off a pass from Madison Jones.

"For some reason all year long we've been antsy in tough games, and we start out a little shaky," Cain said. "And I tell them 'settle down, and we'll be fine.'

"And once we start running those set pieces — we've got girls that can catch and throw in small spaces, and once they make that cut, if that pass is there it's open season. And it's tough for the goalies, that goalie only sees that ball for a split second and doesn't know where it's at until the last minute, it's tough to make a save on a ball like that."

Buckhannon's Reese Hutson got the Bucs on the board with a goal in between the two Fairmont plays, but that would be the lone BU score of the first half.

Fairmont Senior led 9-1 at halftime, winning face-offs, walling up on defense, and playing with poise that got them high-percentage shots.

"I think we meshed really well today," Rogers said. "We've had good games, we've had bad games, but I think it finally came together today and we did everything we could've done."

Polar Bear goalkeeper Sidney Apanowicz also racked up six saves in the first half, ending the game with eight.

"Sid played lights out," Cain said. "We ask a lot out of Sid. Sometimes we put some younger defenders in front of her to try and get them some time, and we can see a little bit of a let-off when that happens, and there's pressure on Sid then, she sees the ball more."

Scores from Travelstead and Harrison got the Polar Bears a 10-point margin and triggered a running clock. From there, Fairmont Senior grew their lead to 13 goals, up 14-1, but Buckhannon-Upshur's Miranda Greene rattled off three goals within four minutes of play late in the second half. The points kept coming for the Polar Bears however, and even Greene's whirlwind hat-trick didn't do much to dent the lead.

After the clock showed zero's, the celebration was on for Fairmont Senior, as they send off their senior class with a bang. The crop of fourth-year players — including Chloe Travelstead, Morgan Rogers, Sidney Apanowicz, Madison Jones, Rebecca Cox, Joshlynn Boone, Bella Bock, Jahni Johnson and Tabitha Buttafuoco — built a powerhouse of a program during their careers as Polar Bears, winning three straight state titles for their school.

"It's been amazing," Travelstead said. "The whole team has supported each other. It's just amazing to watch these people grow as I've played with them throughout the year, and these past four years."

The day was a little extra special for Travelstead, who leaves for college with a state championship MVP in-hand.

"It feels amazing," she said. "I've worked really hard for this and I can't imagine a better way to end my four years."

The Polar Bears still have plenty of talent on the shelf, with Aubrey Harrison wrapping up her junior year ranked sixth in the nation in total points scored. Cain and his staff are hopeful they've got the ingredients to sustain the success that has brought them nine total state titles so far.

"One of our coaches, Jerry Gardner, likes to say 'We don't rebuild, we reload,'" Cain said. "We tell these younger girls, keep working hard because your turn's coming. When they're ready we move them right into position and they take over where the older girls leave open spots. We try our best to get as many of these girls on the field during the season so they can get some game time under their belt so they're ready to step in."

And as for the current departing class, some of them will stay together awhile longer. Madison Jones, Chloe Travelstead and Morgan Rogers are all set to continue playing lacrosse for Davis & Elkins College, poetically the place they played their final high school game for Fairmont Senior.

"It's like I'm ending something and beginning something else at the same time," Travelstead said.

Reach Nick Henthorn at 304-367-2548, on Twitter @nfhenthorn_135 or by email at nhenthorn@timeswv.com.