JUNE 6, 2015 LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JJ CONRAD
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Hundreds of views turned to thousands in just a few short hours Thursday, as a controversial YouTube video made its way around the state.
Sportsmanship, gamesmanship and ethics were at the forefront of it all. And girls lacrosse bylaws and rulebooks were brought into question.
The video features unusual activity from one Summit player following Julia Persche’s game-winning goal with 3.4 seconds remaining in the Hilltoppers’ 6-5, Tournament of Champions semifinal victory Wednesday against undefeated Ridgewood.
“[Thursday] night one of the coaches sends me this video and says, ‘You have to watch this,’ ” Northern Highlands coach Mike Menzella said of the video, which was deleted Friday. “I watch it and I’m like, ‘No way. Are you kidding? That’s how the game ended?’ We all can’t believe it.”
Following a Ridgewood go-ahead goal that was taken off the scoreboard because of an illegal stick with 1:12 remaining, Persche scored the game-winner 1:09 later.
As Persche was mobbed by teammates in a celebration near the net, one teammate –who was highlighted in the video – grabs the stick in question and appears to tamper with it before handing it back to Persche
