Lacrosse playoffs get started

By CT McDonald

Lacrosse playoffs kicked off this week, and some District Five varsity teams are already getting results in the postseason competition.

Dutch Fork’s varsity girls recorded only one region loss during the regular season and they started the playoffs Tuesday with a 16-6 win against Socastee to advance to Thursday’s second round. The Silver Foxes will be on the road to take on Wando with the winner of that round advancing to Monday’s semifinals against either Chapin or River Bluff.

Chapin’s varsity girls lost zero region games and started Tuesday with a 25-4 victory over Spring Valley to advance to today’s second round at home against River Bluff.

Wando lost no region games and River Bluff lost just two creating some tough competition among these four top-notch second-round teams with each one playing for a chance to advance to the semifinals and beyond.

The winners of the Dutch Fork/Wando game and the Chapin/River Bluff game will advance to the girls semifinals this Monday, April 25.

Chapin’s varsity boys, who were also undefeated in region play, were set to take on Blythewood in the first round Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the second round on Saturday. Dutch Fork’s varsity boys lost just two region games and they were to play Carolina Forest in Wednesday’s first round.

The winner of the Chapin/Blythewood game will have advanced to Saturday’s second round against the winner of the Lexington/St. James first round and the winner of the Dutch Fork/Carolina Forest first round would have advanced to Saturday to play the winner of Wednesday’s Wando/River Bluff game.

The possibility that Dutch Fork and Chapin will play each other in either the girls or boys 5A semifinals depends on the outcome of this week’s games. The 5A girls semifinal round is Monday and the 5A boys semifinal round is Tuesday.

The lacrosse state finals will take place at Irmo High School April 30.