Highlanders make final
Peyton Watson scored 10 goals and added an assist to help lead Piedmont High School’s girls lacrosse team to a 16-8 win over host Bishop O’Dowd on May 13 to qualify for the North Coast Section Division 2 championship game.
The sixth-seeded Highlanders traveled to Pleasant Hill to face No. 4 College Park in the championship game on May 15.
Piedmont had lost at Bishop O’Dowd during the regular season, 16-15 back on April 4. This time, the Highlanders defense was too much for the Dragons.
“We didn’t have two defenders (in the first matchup),” Piedmont coach Carlton Chan said, noting that Jordan Kim and Reni Suhr missed the game. “Now we had Jordan and Reni back. That’s a huge difference. We figured we were close in that game, now we have our full contingent of defenders. They actually far exceeded my expectations.”
It didn’t look that way early on. Bishop O’Dowd took a 4-1 lead in the first seven minutes. All-everything Lucy Yu had three goals and an assist and also was dominating the draw against Friedie Schickedanz.
However, Schickedanz adjusted on the draw and more importantly, got to the X position behind the Dragons net and began distributing the ball. Her pass that set up Chloe Graham with three minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter got things started. Two more goals by Watson by the end of the quarter tied the score.
Piedmont ended up with six consecutive goals and eight of nine by the end of the half when the Highlanders took a 9-5 lead.
Piedmont’s Friedie Schickedanz keeps her eye on the ball during the Highlanders 16-8 win at Bishop O’Dowd on May 13 in the NCS Division 2 semifinals. 
Piedmont’s Olive Litwin (13) attacks while Bishop O’Dowd’s Ellie Ryan (15) reacts. The Highlanders advanced to the NCS Division 2 championship game with an 18-8 win. 
Piedmont’s Chloe Graham (purple) and Bishop O’Dowd’s Lucy Vu battle for control of the ball. The Highlanders avenged a regular season loss with an 18-6 win in an NCS playoff game. 
Piedmont’s Luisa Cole breaks away from Bishop O’Dowd’s Chiara Zunino (20) and Genet Dutto (24). Piedmont will face College Park in the NCS Division 2 championship game on May 15. 
L-R) Bishop O’Dowd’s Becca Steinbauer, Piedmont’s Chloe Graham and Friedie Schickedanz, and Bishop O’Dowd’s Lucy Vu and Val Pouzo fight for the ball.
“Getting draws and settling in on offense and waiting for the open shot,” Watson said when asked what turned things around. “Our offense did a good job of moving fast and looking for the open girl.”
Schickedanz said she was mixing things up against Yu on the draw.
“On the draw, reacting to what she’s giving us and adjusting,” she said. “Trying a different thing the first couple of times until something sticks. It’s less brute strength than recognizing what she’s giving you and how I can respond. Like letting her push it more to me, understanding where my players are going to go.”
Yu finished with seven goals and an assist. She was, as always, fantastic, despite needing the trainers to work on a charlie horse on the field between the third and fourth quarters. Taking the ball behind the net, splitting defenders, spinning left and right. As they say, her moves have moves. She is the daughter of former Piedmont boys lacrosse coach Alex Yu and is headed to Cornell to play in the fall.
The Highlander players were suitably impressed.
“She’s so good,” Watson said. “She’s probably one of the best players I’ve seen ever.
“It makes you appreciate how good you can get in lacrosse. Seeing a perfect lacrosse player. Watching her and learning some things from her. I still remember from my freshman year, she did this crease roll around and did a twizzler into the goal. I was like, ‘I’m going to do that one day. I’m going to learn that.’”
Said Schickedanz, “Watching her play is a master class.” She then told a story of how Yu had just run through all the Piedmont players to score in a previous game and Olive Litwin turned to Schickedanz and said, “Sometimes you just have to say ‘Wow’ watching her play.”
Schickedanz finished with five assists. Graham had three goals, Litwin had two and Luisa Cole had a goal and an assist. Goalkeeper Sophie Santander had eight saves.
Dragons coach Brian Cushing said a couple of injuries played into the game. Frances Mulligan scored a goal early but had to come out with a foot injury. Her replacement, Audrey Canet, appeared to suffer a concussion and left the game as well.
“Piedmont did an excellent job,” Cushing said. “They prepared for our defense, their feeds were spectacular, they didn’t miss any of their feeds. If they went in, they caught them. Their goalie had a great game.
“Lucy gave everything she had. … Lacrosse is a team sport. One player can’t win a game. One player has a hard time doing it herself.”