In a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams exchange blow after blow, the Brighton Bengals boys lacrosse team edged out the Olympus Titans 10-9 to win the Region 6 championship.  

With the game tied at 9 as the clock ticked under five minutes in the fourth quarter, the Bengals’ Gabe Carrera found an opening to take the lead before holding on with several crucial saves by goalie Ian Nelson to preserve the win. 

Brighton came out of the gate firing, jumping up 3-0 in the first quarter in what would be the largest lead of the game by either team. 

The Titans responded with two impressive goals in transition but would finish the quarter down 4-2. 

Olympus then took control in the second quarter limiting the Bengals’ attack with its physicality, forcing multiple turnovers. The Titan offense also cranked up its sharpness as its ball movement created quality chances turning in four goals of their own to take the lead at halftime 6-5. 

The Bengals responded almost immediately to start the second half tying the game at 6. Carrera then eluded his defender for what would be the second of his team-high three goals to make it 7-6. 

After another response from Olympus’ high-powered attack, the two teams would trade goals in the final minute of the third quarter, with a nicely worked score between Austin Taylor and Donovan Wismer followed by a wild sequence that saw Brighton’s Nelson make a save and recover the ball to then be knocked off the ball behind the goal allowing Olympus another quick-strike goal on an empty net. 

The teams would trade goals again in the final period with Brighton taking another lead followed by another Olympus response before Carrera uncorked his game-winner.

 The second half saw Brighton grab a stronger foothold on the game winning more faceoffs as the Bengals went 14 for 23 through Zackery Nobis and Jaxon Webster. 

But the hero for head coach Chris O’Donnell’s team may have been Nelson as the senior finished with 18 saves. Brighton’s defense held the Titan squad to nine goals, the fewest in a season where Olympus is averaging almost 19 per game. 

With another one-goal victory over Park City the week before, Brighton’s victory over Olympus earned the Bengals the Region 6 title as the two, along with Park City and Alta, expect to contend for the 5A championship here in a few weeks.