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Regis Jesuit wins first field hockey championship

The Raiders won a wild, 2-1 overtime game over Cherry Creek to capture the program's first state title.

DENVER — It's only fitting that the biggest game of the season had the most dramatic ending possible.

One second.

That's how much time Cherry Creek had to come up with an answer before being blanked by Regis Jesuit in the state championship game at All-City Stadium on Thursday night.

The Raiders were a breath away from completing the shutout, but that's when the Bruins' Ella Pratt scored with one second left on the clock to send the title game into overtime.

But when it came down to who would score the deciding goal, Regis Jesuit's Lauren Pendergast was the one to deliver -- just as she had earlier for the game's first goal, and as she did in the Raiders' 1-0 semifinal win two days prior.

The Regis Jesuit star scored both of her team's goals in the 2-1 overtime victory to claim the first state title in program history.

"Lauren has made her performance in every single game her best of the season," coach Spencer Wagner said.

"She didn't come into the playoffs with that many goals to her name, but she's scored in every playoff game and that has pushed our team to the finish."

As for Pendergast, it didn't matter who stole the show, just that her team raised the championship trophy at the end of the night.

"I don't care who scores. We got the result we want; I'm happy," she said. "It's surreal ... I'm speechless."

Regis Jesuit dealt No. 1 Cherry Creek (16-1-1) its only loss of the season as the Bruins finish runner-up.

The Raiders finished with a 15-2-1 overall record on their state title run, capping it by avenging a 3-1 loss to Cherry Creek earlier this year on Sept. 13.

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