Traverse City Central edges West in overtime, extends win streak to 10

Traverse City Central needed overtime to flip the script on Traverse City West, edging the Titans 9-8 on April 29 and stretching its boys lacrosse winning streak to 10 games.

The rematch came just three weeks after West took the first meeting, 12-10, at Thirlby Field on April 8. That earlier game set the tone for the spring rivalry, with West leading 6-5 at halftime before finishing with the two-goal win. In the return matchup, Central showed enough poise to stay close after West got out in front early, then finished the job when the game reached overtime.

The result said as much about Central’s season-long growth as it did about one night in a rivalry series. The Trojans entered the rematch at 9-3, with 153 goals scored and 95 allowed, numbers that reflect both offensive production and a defense that has held up over the course of the spring. West, meanwhile, kept the game tight enough to force Central into a late test, a sign that the Titans remain dangerous even when the records and scoring margins suggest Central has been the steadier team.

That balance is what makes the local matchup so compelling in Grand Traverse County. Since the Michigan High School Athletic Association split the schools into separate varsity boys lacrosse programs, Central and West have been building their own identities instead of sharing one combined roster. Every meeting now carries more than bragging rights; it shapes how each program is viewed heading toward the postseason, and it gives both coaching staffs another measure of where their teams stand. David Dobreff leads Traverse City Central, while Casey Schaub coaches Traverse City West.

The overtime finish also reinforced Central’s ability to handle the pressure moments that decide rivalry games. West’s early edge showed the Titans can still dictate stretches of play, but Central’s response, and its ability to close out a one-goal game after coming up short in the first meeting, marked the difference between a split and a sweep. For a Central team that has now won 10 in a row, the rematch was another sign of consistency. For West, it was proof that the gap remains narrow enough for another hard-fought meeting to swing either way.