Defense comes up big as Sparts get goals from many players in Wednesday’s win.

After two years of near misses, the Bainbridge boys’ lacrosse team finally made it back to the championship game.

Sam Snow scored a hat trick while the defense took care of the rest as the Spartans defeated the Garfield Bulldogs 12-6 in a state semifinal playoff game Wednesday night at Bainbridge High School.

It’s the first time since 2004 that Bainbridge has played for a state title.

“It feels good,” assistant coach Dejon Hush said. “I feel excited for the fellas to get this opportunity, because some of the seniors have never won a state championship.”

Fiore Alailima, one of seven seniors on the team, said he’s was happy as well.

“I’m actually kind of glad we won this year, because then it would have been three years in a row” that they missed getting to a state title, he said.

In the first quarter, both sides got off a lot of shots, but Bainbridge was the first to connect, as Max Olson scored with two defenders on him.

Alailima and Casey Skelton scored as well.

Garfield scored early in the second quarter as Danny Hoffman put one in, but the goal was later taken off the board due to a illegal stick.

Snow scored off an assist from Evan Wright before Max Callaghan put one in for the Bulldogs.

Jordan Foster scored the last goal of the half when he made a great fake to fool nearly everyone on the field before putting it in.

In the third quarter, it was more of the same.

Wright scored off an assist from Dylan Masi while Snow scored twice – once off an assist from Wright and one from Masi. Bjorn Ostenson chipped in a goal as well.

The defense and goalie Bryce Stevenson did their job, allowing just one goal in the third quarter.

Alailima gave credit to the defense for keeping them in the game.

“Without our defense we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said. “They executed more than we should have (on offense.) They did an outstanding job tonight.”

The Bulldogs finally got into a rhythm with four goals in the fourth but that was all they could get.

Foster scored off an assist from Snow while Masi and Dayton Gilbreath scored as well to break the streak and send the Spartans to the championship game.

There, they’ll take on arch rival and state champions the last four years in Mercer Island at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.

Alailima said he’s excited to take them on.

“It’s going to be a great game,” he said. “They’re a great team. It’s going to be huge.”

Hush said they’ll need to be on their game.

“It’s the battle of the islands,” he said. “I would expect nothing less. They’re a great team with great players. They’re going to be our biggest test and we need to be ready for that test.”

Game time is 7 p.m.