Ponte Vedra girls lacrosse team barrels into Class 2A championship game

The Ponte Vedra girls lacrosse team stormed into the state championship game with a semifinal blowout on Friday night.

The Sharks took control before halftime and hammered Vero Beach 16-4 in the Class 2A final four game. Ponte Vedra will play for the state title on Saturday night at 7:30 against Oviedo with a chance to give the area its fifth girls championship. Bartram Trail has won all four previous titles. Ponte Vedra played for back-to-back titles (2014-15) but lost to Vero Beach both times.

This one wasn’t even close. Ponte Vedra’s defense was lights out against Vero Beach, the state’s most successful program. The Sharks turned a 5-3 game into a romp by halftime, stretching that led to 11-3 and never looking back.

Shelby Pare and Gracie Madson scored five goals apiece, and the Sharks used a smothering defense to hold Vero Beach (11-12) scoreless in the second and third periods. Taylor McKeon and Brooke Johnson followed with two goals each. Giada Antenucci and Abby Kaltman closed out the scoring. Johnson led Ponte Vedra with three assists, and Grace Raymond added two.