RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. – Senior Zahra Smith netted a game-high four goals while freshman Karly Okamoto added a hat trick and three assists as St. Francis scored a 15-0 shutout of Woodcreek in the varsity nightcap of a season-opening Delta League girls' lacrosse doubleheader at Mather Sports Complex.
The varsity win followed a JV victory with an identical 15-0 final, with Zia Smith and Olivia Hamm scoring five and four goals, respectively.
Additional younger SFHS varsity players added to the scoring mix in the nightcap, with sophomore Brynley Hodge chipping in three goals and two assists. Freshman Camdyn Zucker netted two goals in the second half.
Senior Bella McCullough and freshman Sofia Rainbolt each recorded shutouts for their work in the Trouble crease. McCullough stopped the only shot she faced in the entire 50 minutes of play, while Rainbolt collected two saves against the Timberwolves' four total attempts.
St. Francis crafted a 5-0 lead within the first 8:32 of play. Okamoto drew a shooting space call in the opening minute and converted the eight-meter attempt, then she assisted Claire Westberg on a goal less than a minute later. Smith then set up Abby Alvernaz on a goal to make it 3-0. Hodge scored on a crease roll in the third minute then assisted Westberg some 47 seconds later to extend the advantage to five.
Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Barger won back-to-back draws in that opening run to keep possession on the Troubies' attacking end.
Hodge was the first SFHS player to complete a hat trick, faking to Lauren Weiser before scoring on a cut with 3:23 left in the first half, setting the board at 9-0. Alvernaz won the ensuing draw and delivered a pass to Okamoto for the 10th goal eight ticks later, completing Okamoto's hat trick.
The Troubies led 11-0 at the halftime break, then Smith scored three of her four goals in the second half. The Delaware State-bound midfielder drove through the arc in the 30th minute, then converted eight-meter chances with 14:16 and 0:24 on the game clock for her third and fourth scores.
In similar fashion to their older SF sisters, the junior varsity ran up a quick lead in the opening minutes en route to a 10-0 halftime edge. Hamm drew first blood with her eight-meter goal, then Zia Smith scored three straight from the third through fifth minutes: a quick stick from twin sister Zoe Smith at 22:35, a fast break after Rainbolt's first save at 21:47, then on a feed from Chloe Tanner with 20:11 on the clock.
Sofia Rabinovitz posted a backhanded goal for the Troubies' fifth score then assisted both Zoe and Zia Smith later in the contest.
Matea Avery also had a strong all-around game, posting a pair of early steals to keep Woodcreek away from the net, turning an assist from Hamm to close the first half, then setting up a Hamm goal after a ground ball midway through the second half.
St. Francis remains at home for another doubleheader against Vista Del Lago on Tuesday, then will take a rare road trip outside the greater Sacramento area with a visit to Monte Vista High in Danville next Friday.
