IHA wins big on Autism Awareness Day by Sean Farrell of The Record
WASHINGTON TWP. – Diana Devita put it best on a meaningful afternoon at Immaculate Heart.
“It’s more than just lacrosse for today,” the senior midfielder said.
The game was important for the Blue Eagles, but the cause was even more significant.
Saturday was the fifth annual Autism Awareness Day at Immaculate Heart. Shirts featuring a puzzle-piece logo were worn on each sideline. Brightly colored balloons welcomed visitors to the stands.
From the opening whistle, the Blue Eagles channeled that energy on the field.
They earned a 16-6 victory over Montville, and scored nine in a row at one point in the first half.
Devita recorded a game-high five goals and seven other players scored for the Blue Eagles (3-4) in the team’s best offensive game to date this season.
“I feel like every year for me, there’s more excitement for this game because there’s so many more people watching,” Devita said. “It gets your adrenaline going. If anything, I’m less nervous for this game because there’s so many people supporting you.”
Immaculate Heart held 50/50 raffles and silent auctions to raise money for The Epic School in Paramus, a place for children with autism. The Blue Eagles were inspired to help out by Samantha Marmo, a former player, whose sister attended the school.
Coach Sue Montegari said her goal was to beat last year’s fundraising total of about $2,900.
It’s become an event the Blue Eagles look forward to every spring.
“It’s a really special day for the girls – for something bigger than us,” Montegari said.
The win came at a perfect time for Immaculate Heart.
The sixth-ranked Blue Eagles entered the day on a two-game losing streak, with an offense that sputtered at periods. Growing pains were inevitable with only three starters returning for the Bergen County finalists.
But Montegari demanded more effort from her group. There were still a host of college-bound players in her lineup who were capable of producing.
“If we’re coming out here and want to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk,” she said.
“It was really important for us to come out here, play our hardest and recognize that each day is a learning experience. We need to learn from our mistakes. We wanted to come out intense with quick ball movement – do the stuff we’ve been working on but haven’t really been able to see on the field. Today, I think we had the confidence to do it.”
The Blue Eagles responded on Saturday with eleven goals in the first half alone. MaryPat Sayre notched a hat trick, while Maggie Cooney and Lexi Edmonds scored two apiece.
“The intensity level was so much higher,” Cooney said. “We pushed ourselves. Everyone was faster. Every play was better. The decision-making was awesome.”
A running clock began about two minutes into the second half with IHA growing a double-digit lead. Starting goalie Kate Rice took a spot on the bench soon after.
As per tradition, the Blue Eagles left the field with a win on their big day.
“Everyone knows we have a lot of potential as a team,” Devita said. “We have a lot of speed. But winning this game – especially since it’s for a cause – meant a lot to us. It gave us that extra push.”