Lightning strikes twice: Kentucky Country Day beats weather, Sacred Heart for state title

Kentucky Country Day was less than five minutes away from its second-straight girls lacrosse title before trouble streaked across the night sky.

With 4:52 left to play in the Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League championship Thursday night, the Bearcats held a two-goal lead over Sacred Heart. The matchup was already electrifying, but then multiple bolts of lightning split the night's sky and stopped the game.

KCD junior Sarah Beth Burns, alongside her teammates, huddled indoors while the two teams mulled over playing the rest of the game on a different date. It's not like it hadn't been done before. In 2019, Sacred Heart returned the day after a weather delay to score the game-winning goal over Eastern and win its fourth title in program history.

The Bearcats did not want to give the Valkyries that chance.

"When we went inside we just tried to hype each other up," Burns said. "We wanted to keep the momentum going instead of just sitting around doing nothing."

The Bearcats would not be denied and got to finish what they started an hour later. Behind a three-goal performance from the tournament MVP Burns, KCD beat the Valkyries 7-5 to win its second-straight KSLL title and ninth in program history.

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Many fans headed home after the weather flared up, but there were still enough to storm KCD's royal blue turf following the Bearcats' historic win. KCD coach Pat McAnulty was drenched in Gatorade while his players leaped in the air with hugs and chest bumps.

"These guys are amazing," McAnulty said. "The program and the culture we have, the way they really love each other and worked so hard ... we had an amazing year and all the credit goes into the kids. They really bought in."

Culture was a main reason why the Bearcats were able to replace 15 seniors from a team that went 25-0 the season before. Entering the year, the Bearcats had no idea if they could recapture the magic from the title team the year before.

KCD's confidence didn't grow much better after suffering a 9-5 loss to the Valkyries earlier in the season. Heading into Thursday's showdown, the Bearcats had to jump out fast.

Sarah Beth Burns did just that.

Using her speed and shiftiness, Burns shook off her defenders with ease, constantly keeping the Bearcats in scoring position. Sacred Heart defenders had trouble staying in front of her. Before the Valkyries knew it, Burns had scored twice for a 2-0 KCD lead.

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"She's one of the most talented players in the history of the state," McAnulty said. "I'm just glad she showed up in her biggest game ever."

Sacred Heart refused to go away in the first half. Goals from Elizabeth Mueller and Caitlyn Birk kept the Valkyries in the game. But Burns scored three goals by halftime and the took a comfortable 5-2 lead into the locker room.

"I think it was the most important thing to get off to a hot start against them," Burns said. "Last time we played them we had a lull in the beginning, so that was our main focus going into the game."

KCD's fast start would protect the Bearcats from a Sacred Heart surge in the second half.

On defense, Sacred Heart slowed down Burns and forced KCD to find other options.

On offense, powered by goals from Birk, Gracie Garner and Evelyn Wickson, the Valkyries tied up the game 5-5 with 8:48 remaining.

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"Sacred Heart's amazing," McAnulty said. "They're the best sports program in the state on the female side. They dominate almost every sport, and for our little school to be able to even compete with them ... they're super tough."

KCD weren't rattled. Less than two minutes later, sophomore Dylan Yonover put the Bearcats ahead again with a goal. Two minutes later, freshman Leighton Spears scored her second goal of the night to put the pressure on Sacred Heart before the lightning delay.

"We just all stuck together, and we knew going in that's how we'd win the game," Spears said. "Being together, staying together and keeping our composure."

The only thing keeping the Bearcats from their title at that point was the weather.

But good things come to those who wait. Once play resumed, the Bearcats ran the clock down before pandemonium broke lose.

Now the attention shifts to next season. Will the Bearcats be able to defend their title a third time? The climb to the mountain top starts in the offseason for KCD and McAnulty is already looking forward to it.

"I'm obsessed with the journey every year," McAnulty said. "I love it. I'll never quit. I'm probably going to die on this field."

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY 5 2 7

SACRED HEART 2 3 5

Records: Kentucky Country Day (24-3), Sacred Heart (19-6)

Follow Courier Journal reporter J.L. Kirven on Twitter @JL_Kirven for more updates on Louisville prep sports.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Country Day wins second straight girls lacrosse title