By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

Junior middie Cooper Pickell scored the go-ahead goal with 1:28 remaining in regulation to lead Foothill-Orange County a thrilling, 14-12 victory over Mira Costa in the CIF-Southern Section championship game Friday night at Valencia High School in Placentia.

Pickell, who finished with a co-game-high five points on four goals and one assist, scored 19 seconds after the Mustangs had rallied to tie the game. Junior attackman Cameron Cole added insurance in the waning moments to ensure the Knights (18-4) would win their fourth straight Southern Section title.

The Southern Section began playing a championship game in 2007, and Foothill-OC is the only program that has ever won it.

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“We just focus on the little things,” Foothill head coach Jon Fox said. “We work hard. The kids just love playing lacrosse, and if you hustle and work hard you set yourself up for good things to happen. It’s been a successful formula for us so far.”

Junior attackman Eric Adamson added four points on two goals and two assists, senior attackman Taylor DeBerry scored three goals and Cole finished with three points on a goal and two assists for the Knights. Junior middie Josh Peterman scored twice, sophomore middie Brad Pochesa had a goal and an assist and senior middie Dylan Primrose scored once to round out the offense.

In the cage, senior goalie Nathan Kleponis saved 13 shots.

“I’m just so proud of them,” Fox said. “They worked so hard, they never gave up and they always believed they were going to get it done.”

In defeat, senior attackman Mitchell Hymowitz and sophomore attackman Dakota Randall each finished with five points on three goals and two assists, and senior attackman Spencer Young and junior middie Tom Farrell both added three points on two goals and one assist for Mira Costa, which finished the season 17-4.

The Mustangs, who were making their first appearance in the Southern Section championship game, had their six-game winning streak snapped.

Foothill led 5-3 at the end of the first quarter, 8-5 at halftime and 10-9 at the end of the third quarter.

DeBerry scored four minutes into the fourth quarter to give the Knights an 11-9 lead, but Mira Costa would not go down without a fight. The Mustangs twice came back to draw level in the fourth, first when Young and Nick de la Espriella scored back-to-back goals with 6:28 and 3:57 remaining to make it, 11-11.

Peterman put Foothill back up, 12-11, with 2:23 to play, but Farrell answered once again to tie the game, 12-12, with 1:47 remaining.

However, it took just 19 seconds for Pickell to scored his game-high fourth goal to give Foothill the lead once again, and this time the Knights didn’t lose it.

“They capitalized on mistakes,” Mira Costa head coach Dave Vinci said. “It’s as simple as that. We made a couple mistakes late to give them extra possessions, and they capitalized.”