Twin Cities Lacrosse Association (TCLA) performed well against league-leading Graham-Kapowsin but ultimately fell short in a 19-10 defeat at home at Olympic Academy in Chehalis on Saturday.
The team —in its second season and made up of third and fourth graders — is the first-ever youth lacrosse program in Lewis County. TCLA competes in the South Sound Youth Lacrosse League and finished 6-3 overall last season after advancing to the league playoffs.
Now, despite Saturday’s loss, the team is still in prime position for a high seed in the playoffs, TCLA co-founder Brad Coulter said.
Undefeated Graham-Kapowsin has been crushing opponents all season, outscoring teams 21-7 along the way. Coulter said it was an encouraging performance for TCLA to keep the Eagles below their scoring average while punching in three more goals than the Eagles’ defense normally allows.
“The boys could realistically see (Graham-Kapowsin) again in the playoffs,” Coulter said. “GK has been around for years, whereas our boys are in their second year. It was a physical game and our boys responded well.”
Coulter also gave a shout out to TCLA head coach Matt Elsner, who has put in a ton of volunteer time and has helped the team’s rapid rise in becoming a formidable program.
“He is responsible for running the whole team, in terms of positions and who plays when and where,” Coulter said.
Twin Cities is now 5-2 in league, with wins over Peninsula, Vashon Island, Gig Harbor, North Kitsap and Olympia. Its two losses are to University Place and now Graham Kapowsin.
Twin Cities finishes out the regular season on the road, first at Sumner on May 7, followed by a match in Tacoma on May 14. If the team wins out, they will earn either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the playoffs.
“The team has a legitimate shot to go far in the playoffs this year,” Coulter said.
