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Stepping Up: Monticello boys lacrosse gets key contributions in first-ever home region playoff win

Photo by Bart Isley

 

Monticello boys lacrosse was missing a couple of key players with injuries including the team’s assist-leader Hanley Hauser in the Region 4A quarterfinals Monday night.

 

Hauser’s brothers Cooper and Bailey made sure the Mustangs overcame his absence by taking on his role as feeder.

 

Longstick midfielder Cooper Hauser had three assists and Bailey Hauser dished out two of his own as the Mustangs cruised 11-2 past Powhatan in the program’s first home regional playoff game in its 21 years of existence.

 

“I just felt like I came alive when we needed it most and we played well as a team,” Bailey Hauser said. “A lot of these guys haven’t played together before (this year) so everyone was kind of building chemistry and it’s working well for us.”

 

The victory puts the Mustangs one win away from a state tournament berth as they face top-seeded Midlothian who beat Charlottesville 15-1 Monday in the region semifinals Thursday.

 

Bailey and Cooper each had a goal for the Mustangs as well.

 

Cooper, who often plays some offense as an LSM, played even more Monday night, expanding that element of his game while still managing to contribute on ground balls with a team-high eight pickups, a category where he has led the squad all season.

 

“Cooper is literally the total package, he’s got it in the classroom, he’s got it on the field,” said Monticello coach Tucker Tapscott. “He really loves playing with his brothers and tonight he played for one of his brothers. Those brothers have something special going on.”

 

Trevor Bratton finished off the bulk of the Hauser’s feeds with four goals on the night as the senior stepped up in what will likely be his final game on the Mustangs’ home turf. He did it pretty efficiently too, scoring four goals on seven shots. Warren Wilson and Mitchell Plantz each notched two goals as well while Ethan Young scored once, had a pair of assists and picked up five ground balls as part of the attack’s ride that regularly produced second chances for the Mustangs.

 

“We’ve been blessed this season but (with key injuries) we were really wondering who was going to step up,” Tapscott said. “Bailey stepped up and put the team on his back at times. (Assistant coach) Michael Darby also did an excellent job on the box tonight, we were really gelling and the substitution game really won it for us tonight.”

 

Aidan Byrnes gave the Mustangs a slight edge on the faceoff with a 7-5 advantage on the night and also picked up four ground balls.

 

“Aidan is a first-year faceoff guy and I give him all the credit in the world, he’s doing the best he can,” Bailey Hauser said.

 

Monticello keeper Nick Garrett finished with nine saves on the night.

 

Hayden Somerville and Jared Somerville scored one goal each for the Indians while keeper Conner Jeffs made nine saves on the night.

 

The Mustangs will face Midlothian Thursday at 5:30 p.m. on the road in the region semifinals.

 

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