AZ GIRLS: Pinnacle Girls Win First State Championship

By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

Senior middie Amy Lindsey scored a game-high four goals to lead No. 24 Pinnacle to a 14-8 victory over Chaparral in the Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association Division I state championship game Friday night.

Senior attack Katie Stemm added a co-game-high four points on two goals and two assists, junior middie Lauren Littleton had four points on a goal and three assists and junior attack Emily Neumann scored three goals to help the Pioneers (13-1) win their first state title in school history.

“For the program, it’s terrific,” Pinnacle head coach Scott Stemm said. “Our girls played so hard. We’ve got a great group and great supporters, and they were all here tonight.”

Senior attack Emily Webby added three points on two goals and one assist, junior middie Jenn McDonald finished with two points on a goal and an assist and sophomore middie Brittany Peccia scored once, as Pinnacle raced to a seven-goal halftime lead.

Defensively, senior goalie Liz Ritter saved 10 shots.

In a losing effort, Chloe Dake scored a team-high three goals, and Madison Pohle added a pair for Chaparral (12-2), whose only two losses this season both came against Pinnacle.

Pinnacle, which lost in overtime in last year’s state-title game, left no doubt from the early going. The Pioneers raced to a 9-2 halftime lead to take control.

“We talked to the girls about finishing,” Scott Stemm said. “Last year, we came up a goal short, and we weren’t going to let that happen this year. We jumped on them quick, and we never let up.”

The Firebirds appeared like they might make a game of it early in the second half. Chaparral scored two goals in the opening four minutes to close within 9-4.

But Pinnacle never let its lead get trimmed any further than five goals. By the time Webby scored her second of the game with 4:45 to play in regulation, the Pioneers led by eight at 14-6 and had erased any doubt who the new champion would be.

“I’m so proud of the girls,” Scott Stemm added. “I can’t express in words what it means. This year, we set our sights on this championship.

“And the girls came through.”