Cardinal Mooney boys lacrosse has chance to travel redemption road

The Cardinal Mooney boys lacrosse team is right where it wants to be as the sport's playoffs rise in intensity: 

The team has the chance to right two regular-season mistakes. 

The Cougars (12-6) have reached the Florida High School Athletic Association regional semifinals in Class 1A. It has been another strong year for Mooney under Head Coach Derek Wagner, as it usually is, despite playing one of the hardest schedules in the state, as the Cougars usually do. It's why going purely by wins and losses is a poor way to judge the team's performance, even though the club has a winning record. 

The Cougars feel like they are a team to be feared, especially if they play their best. It's why the games where they did not play their best — and paid the price for it — stick in the team's teeth like movie theater popcorn. 

One such game was a March 21 contest against the Community School of Naples (15-3). The Cougars felt like they were the better team, but they didn't play like it, and let the Seahawks steal a 10-6 win at Mooney's home field. On April 26, the Cougars will get a shot at revenge, as they'll travel to CSN for the right to advance to the regional finals. 

But that's not where revenge road comes to an end. Should Mooney get past CSN, they'll likely play No. 1 seed Tampa Jesuit (15-3) on April 29 for a spot in the state final four. Jesuit also beat the Cougars on Mooney's home field this season, 15-13. 

"This is the way we set it up," Wagner said. "Now we have the potential to beat both of those teams at their place after they did it to us. Hopefully we can return the favor." 

The Cougars are confident it can be done — but there's an emphasis on "can." Mooney will have to go out and show how much it has improved thanks to its tough schedule. With CSN in particular, there's much Wagner knows it can improve from the first go-round. 

"Nothing went right," Wagner said. "Offensively, defensively. There were a lot of unforced errors. We just couldn't execute, couldn't move the ball. It was just a general off day, and the guys know that." 

Players had various ideas on what they wanted to emphasize in the rematch. Junior Carter Westendorf said the team has to be more aggressive in transition. Junior defenseman RJ Salser said he and his defensemen teammates can play the Seahawks' attackers tighter and force more mistakes. Sophomore midfielder Logan Alexander said the team has to hold its focus for the entire game. 

"Honestly, I think we're the better team," Alexander said. "We just have to play for four quarters."

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They may be right. Not only do the Cougars have talent throughout its starting lineup, plus top-end scorers like senior Sean Laureano, who signed with Rollins College April 19, but Mooney will return a key defensive piece in sophomore Jason Morales, who missed the last three weeks with an injury. 

As tempting as it is, it's important for the Cougars to not look ahead too much. Tampa Jesuit is a perennial state title contender and reached the final four a season ago. Getting another shot at the Tigers, after playing them so close in the regular season, is the stuff of dreams. But Wagner said part of his job this time of year is to limit those thoughts as much as he can. The most important game is the one next on the schedule, after all. Wagner said he does like that that the two potential rematches are so close together, as it makes carrying over the fire from one game to the next easier. 

On April 25, the team was loose at practice. During stretches, the players joked around and made fun of each other for various things, as teammates often do. If I hadn't known different, I would have thought it was the beginning of the season. Even though the playoffs are about to reach maximum intensity, the Cougars were acting like it was just another day. That's a positive sign in terms of the team's mindset. Salser said the team plays best when it is loose, and likes to have some fun during games as well as practice. That was something showcased in the team's 19-6 regional quarterfinal win over Saint Stephen's Episcopal, when junior goaltender Jacob Brown raced down the field and scored a goal after bugging Wagner about getting the chance to net one all season. 

The Cougars won't chance who they are now. Wagner won't change his message to his team, either. He reminds the players of what happens if they happen to lose a game, any game, from here on out: They'll stand on the sideline in tears. Just one team in each class gets to avoid that feeling. 

Mooney wants it to be the Cougars, and it all begins with CSN. 

"This is what we play for," Wagner said. "This is what we practice for. I have full confidence in everything we have put in place, as well as the way these kids execute. If we play our game, I have no doubt we'll be able to take care of business."