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Barrett Swinson
He tore off his helmet and sent his gloves, stick, and whatever else he could grab flying into the air. With a burst of energy reserved for game-winning moments, driven purely by raw, untamed adrenaline surging through his body, the young player lunged forward.
However, for the Topsail midfielder, it represented more than just an instant.
It was everything.
After scoring the decisive goal in Topsail’s 10-9 win against Laney on Wednesday, Swinson stated, ‘When things get tough and the competition intensifies, you simply have to keep pushing forward.’
The Pirates (15-4, 12-2 Mideastern) continued to fight relentlessly throughout the game, securing their victory over Laney with their first conference defeat of 2025 during an epic double-overtime regular-season finale.
Believe in your teammates,” Swinson stated. ” Losing to Laney was tough, so we had to focus on what we could control and then bounce back in the following match to return the favor.
The team’s victory on Wednesday emerged from the ruins of disappointment mere days after the Pirates saw their Mideastern Conference championship aspirations crumble with a defeat against Hoggard on May 5th.
The loss was not only painful but also shocking. It abruptly closed the door on back-to-back league titles, leaving the squad feeling rattled and demoralized.
However, by Wednesday, the significance of that instant had dissipated. Instead, what remained was resilience—a trait that Coach Jamie Sliwasa describes as having become emblematic of this Topsail team.
That’s the squad we envisioned,” Silwa stated. “We spent a lot of time during our practices discussing, ‘How will we react to losing to Hoggard? Will we fight or surrender and enter the playoffs as meek lambs, or will we go in roaring like lions?’
Swinson’s impressive performance during the late hours aided the Pirates, enabling them to build up to a commanding three-goal advantage. This early surge prevented their hearts from being broken for the second occasion within seven days. Nevertheless, it was junior goaltender Mathias Rossi’s pivotal save in the extra period that truly provided the Pirates with renewed hope and opportunity.
Winning shows us our true selves,” Rossi stated about their victory. “Everyone has been talking about beating Laney for Laney’s sake. But this week, we shifted our focus from showing them that we’re superior to demonstrating to ourselves that we have what it takes.
Topsail comes in right after Laney, which clinched its first Mideastern Conference championship since 2006 prior to the match. The team will join the NCHSAA state playoffs starting May 13, ranking among the top ten seeds in the eastern region.
“Initially, our season began somewhat bumpy, but ever since, we have been working hard during practices, truly aiming to demonstrate to ourselves how exceptional we can be,” Rossi stated.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews:
‘Who we are’: Topsail lacrosse earns revenge over Laney in double-overtime thriller
