FLINT – There’s a secret weapon roaming the field for Flint Powers’ boys lacrosse team. No, it’s not a specific play or tactic, it’s a player: Spencer Owen.
Whenever Powers Catholic coach Steven Maiorana needs a goal, he can always rely on Owen to go and get points.
Owen has the 7-5 Chargers team running its high-powered offense to perfection. Powers has won three straight – including a 10-8 victory over Bay City Western last Tuesday night that was suspended after three quarters, due to lightning.
Owen was named The Flint Journal’s Athlete of the Week on April 28 and has four games with six or more goals so far this season.
“He creates his own goals and he is a very good dodging attacker,” Maiorana said about Owen. “Everything really starts with our offense.”
Owen has netted 11 goals in Powers’ last two wins – which includes an 8-7 double-overtime thriller over DeWitt on Saturday where he finished with three goals. He scored his third goal of the game with 2:30 remaining in the second overtime to lift the team.
DeWitt rallied back from a 7-0 deficit early in the third quarter, though, with seven unanswered goals, but Powers held on to victory.
Owen has scored consistently all year but the team is still trying to find a regular rhythm for more frequent success. Powers is undefeated in league play (3-0) but struggles in non-conference battles. The Chargers looked great in a 9-8 come-from-behind win over visiting Tecumseh earlier in the year, but is trying to cut out bad habits.
Powers is ranked No. 42 in the state, according to laxpower.com ratings, and looking to put together another solid playoff run. East Grand Rapids topped Powers in the Division 2 regional semifinals a year ago, 18-6.
“We still have to put together a full four quarters,” Powers Catholic coach Steven Maiorana said after the DeWitt win. “We played a great first half — one of the best we’ve played all year. We were winning face-offs, taking the right shots.
“In the second half, we took two bad penalties and they capitalized on both. We did not win a single face-off either,” he added. “You try to stay positive and not get negative. This game was a building block.”