was influenced by several circumstances, including the fact that both teams were impacted by unfamiliar rules in the rival sport.

     “The girls’ sticks are a lot different from the guy’s sticks,” Okwosha said. “Their pockets are a lot shallower and the ball slips out really easily.” 

     Being a multi-sport athlete playing both soccer and lacrosse for travel teams, Okwosha was more familiar with the sports so he was able to recognize the differences in the rules. He could also spot the major driving forces in the games such as senior Taylor Padgett, who is currently committed to East Carolina University for lacrosse.

     “We weren't allowed to check so we couldn't do much, especially with Taylor, because staying in front of her is hard because she is really shifty,” Okwosha said. 

     Both Ingram and Okwosha praised Padgett's athleticism, stating she was able to control the ball in both sports. Padgett was a force to be reckoned with, but that did not rule out the fact that the guys had their advantages as well. 

     “It was fun, but you could definitely tell that there were some things that the boys were [better at]; obviously [they were] more aggressive and they can be a lot faster,” Ingram said.

     Junior Keller Fraley stood out among the boys, displaying his talent through his quickness and even scoring the PGSA team's only goal in the lacrosse portion of the game.

     “Keller was everywhere and he scored and intercepted a couple of passes and played great defense,” Okwosha said. 

     Both teams were able to strike a balance between work and play, with the fun factor taking priority. It is not uncommon for smack talk to occur during a sporting event, and when you add teenage girls and boys to the mix, you have true competition.

     “It was just fun because we've been out there on the field with them every day practicing and we would talk about it at practice with them and say we're going to beat you,” Ingram said. 

     Both teams definitely gained something from the games, and benefited in a number of ways. Because of the joy and laughter that resulted, Ingram and Okwosha expressed that they would absolutely do it again.