By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

When the Chaparral girls lacrosse team steamrolled Horizon by 13 goals on Feb. 25, head coach Jessica Livingston was blown away by how well her team played.

Three months later, the Firebirds showed their coach once again just how good they are.

Freshman attack Scarlett Sulliman and junior middie Makenna Pohle each registered a co-game-high eight points to lead No. 11 Chaparral to a 21-4 victory over Horizon in the Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association Division I state championship game Friday night in Scottsdale.

The 17-goal margin of victory ranks as one of the most lopsided in the history of state-title games in the West. But it’s almost not that much of a surprise for a team that has dominated its competition en route to a perfect 18-0 finish.

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“I just don’t want to let this team disperse,” Livingston said. “I want to hold onto them forever.”

Chaparral, which won its first state championship since 2005, took on all comers and won this year. In March, the Firebirds beat Germantown Academy (Pa.), a landmark win for an Arizona program over an East Coast team. Ten days later, the Firebirds downed No. 19 Bainbridge Island, showing they belong among the top programs in the West.

Chaparral’s offense scored in double-figures in all 18 games, and the Firebirds scored 15 goals or more 17 times. Livingston stopped short of calling this the greatest team in the 11-year history of Arizona girls lacrosse. But it’s pretty hard to argue against it.

“I definitely would like to say this is the best team, by far, that I have ever coached,” Livingston said. “Our senior leadership and our captains are what have made us so strong. They really set the standard.”

On Friday, Sulliman scored five goals and dished three assists, and Pohle finished with three goals and five assists. Senior middie Laura Eckhardt scored five goals, George Washington-bound senior middie Madison Pohle had four goals and one assist and junior attack Alex Sarussi recorded two goals and one assist.

Freshman attack Kate Pederson had a goal and an assist, and senior defender Catherine Daem scored once to round out the offense.

Defensively, senior goalie Chriselle Asuma-Irion saved six shots.

In defeat, senior attack Emily Potter, junior attack Maddie Chapman and junior middie Madison Kinzley all had a goal and an assist, and junior attack Lily Baxter scored once for Horizon, which finished the season 11-7 after losing to Chaparral for the third time.

“We came out flat,” Horizon head coach Stefani Laub said. “In the second half, we really gave it 100 percent. Chaparral just beat us in the midfield and played a great game.”

Chaparral could not be stopped from the opening whistle. The Firebirds rolled to a 14-2 halftime lead and then continued to pour in goals during the final 25 minutes.

“It was just a culmination of everyone bringing their ‘A’ game and being on fire, and it all came out on the field tonight,” Livingston said. “We prepared ourselves both mentally and physically for this game. I have seniors who have been on this team for four years who have been dying to bring home a state championship trophy.

“And they were finally able to do it.”