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by Richard Greco | For NJ Advance Media
on June 05, 2015 10:31 AM, updated June 05, 2015 1:59 PM
Julia Persche of Summit scored the game-winning goal with 3.4 seconds remaining in the Hilltoppers 6-5 win over Ridgewood in the NJSIAA/Investors Bank/The Lacrosse Ball Store Tournament of Champions’ first round.
The goal came just over a minute after a Jordan Ford goal was disallowed because she was using an illegal stick. Ridgewood challenged the legality of Persche’s stick and it was deemed legal allowing Summit to earn a trip to the TOC final three seconds later.
On Thursday a video was released on youtube, which has sense been taken down by the user, that showed a Summit player appearing to adjust Persche’s stick prior to the stick check being called.
I think that the Summit cheating video should be linked to this so that readers understand the issue.
I heard about the problem but until I saw the video I did not understand what was at stake.
Where did the video go? It has been removed from Facebook and laxpower.com.
Even if Summit adjusted an illegal stick after the goal, it appears the letter of the regulation still sides with them. My understanding is that the player scoring the goal cannot touch the stick after the opposing coach has asked for a review of the stick. In this case, the player adjusting the stick is NOT the player who scored the goal (she grabbed it out of the goal scorer’s hands and then handed it back) and the adjustment took place before the Ridgewood coach could ask for it to be looked at. Apparently, it all happened extremely quickly which many have interpreted as the Summit players were coached to “cheat” in this fashion. I haven’t seen the tape but if this is true, it is a true disgrace. What are we teaching these young people?
The tape was damning.
Why was it taken down? If everyone thinks that Summit was legal the. Show the video.
I think that there is more going on. Ridgewood was calling for a stick check – who wouldn’t. The officials were at fault.
Summit should forfeit the next game.
you lost. move on.
It should be investigated. If they chested there should be punishment. Maybe ban Summit from finals next year too.
Maybe the stick was deflated? The comments at the bottom of the article includes a screen cap of #25 altering the stick after the goal. Pretty smart coaching by Summit despite being poor sportsmanship.
You have to drop your stick straight to the ground in college when you score…you can be sure this rule will now be added to the NJSIAA ruleset next year.