Teams fought through rain and close contests on Saturday of HSNI until just one remained
June 15, 2025 by Ariana Golemis and Rhea Joshi in Recap
Saturday’s games at High School National Invite proved to be as intense as the weather. Teams battled through pouring rain and thick puddles of mud as they each tried to clinch a spot in the championship game, culminating in a fated clash between the top two.
Chalk Reigns in Prequarters
Lincoln 13-7 Holy Family Catholic
Lincoln rode the success of day one – where they gave South Eugene their closest win of the tournament – right into prequarters, earning the biggest win of the round against Holy Family Catholic. Even early impatience near the end zone didn’t curtail the success of Lincoln’s scoring abilities. Julia Mendez opened up the scoring for the Lynx, setting the tone for a strong game where she had multiple assists and blocks. The break train was cruising along as Lincoln went on a 5-2 run in the second half to extend their lead.
Blocks, assists, and big cuts to stretch the field from Lou Shernoff kept the Lynx on top, even in the face of Holy Family Catholic’s well-oiled downfield machine. HFC’s cutters were in constant motion and communication, and their handlers displayed impressive patience near the end zone. In the end, it was Lincoln’s downfield defense and some unforced errors by HFC that cemented Lincoln’s advancement to quarters, 13-7.
Nathan Hale 13-11 Oakland Tech
The next field over, Nathan Hale’s unselfishness and patience were the keys to their success over Oakland Tech, staying calm and trusting each other whether they had the full field to go or were right at the end zone. Hale’s core shone brightly through the pouring rain as Helen Golden and Hazel Geiger ran the field, with Golden’s quick footwork in the handler space sending defenders in the wrong direction and Geiger there to crush dreams in the deep space.
Oakland Tech were at their best when they were moving the disc quickly. But defensive switches and offensive flow from Tech were just barely not enough to stop Hale strong rotation. Golden and Lily DiGioia demonstrated impressive chemistry, while Jane Cater saved possession time after time. Well-placed throws through Hale defenders kept Tech within one in the late minutes of the game, but Golden’s offensive production remained unstoppable as she fired a throw into the end zone for a clean hold and the 13-11 win.
El Cerrito 11-7 Provo
Patience was similarly how El Cerrito’s offense found victory after Provo kept the game close during the first eight points of the game. The no.4 seed presented a variety of defensive strategies, including open lane poaches, three-person trap cups, and tight person defense to pull forward and end the half with a 4-0 run. Nessa Eisen got in on the quick disc movement with Ally Duff to bring momentum and energy to the field right when they needed it. The Nora Draut to Rani Millstein connection stayed strong from the first day, continuing to evoke big reactions on the sidelines. Provo’s Rachel Argyle and Abigail Davis worked the handler space well, but downfield cutters struggled to make effective use of the opportunities presented by the two players. A few great grabs by Tessa Knotts sparked audible excitement, and the team was able to stymie El Cerrito’s quick scoring abilities after the half. But that late first-half run proved buffer enough, and El Cerrito’s 11-7 win set up a quarters match with Amherst.
Washburn 13-10 Jordan
And despite the early hour, multiple speedy matchups and contentious foul calls from both Washburn and Jordan made for a high-energy game early Saturday morning. Washburn’s Kumari Okumura and Jordan’s Lily Brooks went head-to-head for much of the second half. Both teams struggled with consistent offensive flow due to the tight defense, causing them to improvise at high stall counts and force uplines into congested areas. U20 player Caroleen DeWolf showed off her high-level experience by breaking through late-game zones and making multiple runs down the field with Brooks’ help.
Despite Jordan’s depth, the Washburn core of Okumura, Kaelani Hoyt, and Charlotte Eskola played rounds of dominator and made multiple second-chance grabs to maintain their lead. However, their greatest strength was defense, as all three players seemed well-versed in baiting matchups and poaching to create crucial turns in the deep space.
El Cerrito Breaks Up All-Pool Winner Semis
El Cerrito 10-9 Amherst
Grit was the common thread through the rainy, muddy quarterfinals. The closest game of the round between El Cerrito and Amherst was no different, rife with sluggish points and unforced errors. Amherst leaned on their star duo, Felix Goeckel and captain Isla Cusick, who put the team on their backs. Cusick’s five assists and Goeckel’s four goals kept the game close. Amherst’s cutters did a stellar job of recognizing open cutting spaces and playing unselfishly for the good of the team. The “we before me” culture and ability to create space provided the Hurricanes with offensive success. In turn, El Cerrito’s squad showed off their depth – Rani Millstein’s three blocks, Nora Draut’s five assists, and freshman Nessa Eisen’s four goals led the team, and met few obstacles despite Amherst’s strong defense. The game came down to universe, with El Cerrito receiving. After cruising down the sideline and hitting a break to Draut, who else to score the winning point to cap a tough game with a clean hold but Eisen?
Garfield 12-10 Nathan Hale
Garfield and Nathan Hale fought a similar slog through a waterlogged field and torrential downpours that gave two of the most athletic teams in the bracket a chance to show off their chest-high bids and well-practiced throws. Unsurprisingly, number 11s on both teams, Hale’s Hazel Geiger and Garfield’s Nor Luloff, were trading bids back and forth to keep their teams in the game. While some players struggled to find their throws in the rainy conditions, Golden’s high-release flick throws over the cup were effortless and always found the intended target for Nathan Hale. The game was impossible to look away from and had crowds on both sidelines riled up from start to finish.
After ending the half down six, Golden and Geiger gracefully maneuvered through a well-structured zone to find DiGioia at the front of the end zone. To Garfield’s disbelief, multiple patient breaks from Hale brought the score within one at 11-10 with just a few minutes remaining until soft cap. That disbelief soon turned to relief, as Elizabeth Muss, a Garfield first-year, got the final bid off a deep huck, leading to another Garfield point with an assist from Maeve McArdle. Now at game point, Purple Haze worked through Hale’s tough zone and endured another foul call on the endzone line to break, clinching a spot in the semis.
Roosevelt 14-8 Lincoln
The second meeting of the year in the all-Washington matchup saw two teams very familiar with each other fighting for a spot in the semifinals. The Rough Riders rode a wave of momentum to reach an early 3-0 lead after two big hucks to Bridget Barnett and another break following a huge sky from national talent Chloe Hakimi. As the rain turned into a downpour, it was apparent the no.1 seeded Riders were much more confident in the conditions. Dishes and lateral swings were all that the Roosevelt zone allowed Lincoln to throw early on. Hakimi, Barnett, and ZsaZsa Gelfand quickly took control of the game, with the star seniors playing unstoppable small ball and Barnett being an unrelenting threat downfield. The Lynx were able to take advantage of some Rider miscommunications but were plagued by turnovers that prevented scores. Roosevelt won their first game of the day by a comfortable six points to advance.
South Eugene 15-4 Washburn
Although South Eugene was seeded second, just one below Roosevelt, their path to the final was less contested with huge point differentials throughout bracket play – beginning in quarters. Washburn forced some turnovers with strong person defense, but the bad weather and immense energy required to take the close quarters’ win took an obvious toll on the team’s physical state. A quick huck from Dana Herrmann to Sonja Dorsch to score South Eugene’s first point set the tone for the rest of the game. South scored break after break with Dorsch’s limitless stamina leading the way on both offense and defense. After a 6-0 South run, Washburn’s Kumari Okumura and Kaelani Hoyt created a handful of scoring opportunities with chilly offense against a junky zone. Washburn’s Riley Gage was a defensive powerhouse, but her efforts were not enough to disrupt the pace of South’s offense before they ran away with the game.
Convincing Semis Wins Set Up Rematch
Roosevelt 15-10 Garfield
This Seattle battle was a tight matchup for the first half as Garfield never let Roosevelt get ahead by more than two points. An early zone defense from Roosevelt didn’t seem to faze Garfield – until Sonia Snyder scored to start the game with a break. The early going was slow, as the game was plagued by muddy ground, violation calls, and long discussions. As the pace picked up, so did the Rough Riders’ scoring, with Gelfand and Chloe Hakimi being unsurprisingly unstoppable. Gelfand’s ability to rip the disc from end zone to end zone allowed Roosevelt to stretch the field and score quickly. Garfield countered with Nor Luloff and Mira Schneeweiss-LaRene, who contributed the most offensively. The Purple Haze began to lose momentum as the Riders took half and then refused to let up. Hakimi and Gelfand’s cannons, chemistry, and composure brought the Riders to the biggest game of their season.
South Eugene 15-2 El Cerrito
South Eugene’s junky cup zone stifled El Cerrito in the semifinals as star players Nora Draut and Rani Millstein were shut down by and rendered unable to carry out their go-to plays. Helen Burruss spearheaded South’s initial few points with elite field vision, but the team began to pull from the depths of their roster to get everyone playing time. The audience had an opportunity to watch some of the team’s younger players find their footing and demonstrate future potential. After a quick 10-0 run by South, El Cerrito’s Nessa Eisen pushed to put some points on the board. Success was brief as Burruss and Asa Kimball were brought back into the game to finish out the landslide victory.
Roosevelt Wins its Title
Roosevelt 15-7 South Eugene
This matchup is familiar – South Eugene took home the crown last year on a universe point victory. The tables turned in 2025, however, as Roosevelt refused to end their winning streak. The Rough Riders were off to the races with another opening break, a high, arcing throw from Chloe Hakimi to ZsaZsa Gelfand in the back of the end zone. South was able to find gaps in the middle of the field and advance the disc, taking advantage of the times Roosevelt would remain in their zone defense near the end zone. The handler defense stepped up for Roosevelt, however, and often was able to completely shut down any small-ball opportunities for South Eugene. The Riders’ ability to score consistent breaks and pristine endzone sets gave them a confident lead in the second half. It was Roosevelt who took this year’s trophy, a triumphant end to the high school careers of their seniors and a definite sigh of relief for the program.
Final Tournament Standings (Full Results)
1. Roosevelt (WA)
2 South Eugene (OR)
3 Garfield (WA)
4 El Cerrito (CA)
5 Amherst (MA)
6 Nathan Hale (WA)
7 Washburn (MN)
8 Lincoln (WA)
9 Jordan (NC)
10 Oakland Tech (CA)
11 HFC (OH)
12 Provo (UT)
13 Summit (OR)
14 Strath Haven (PA)
15 Alexandria City (VA)
16 Four Rivers (MA)
Stay tuned for more in-depth final and semifinals recaps, first-team and second-team announcements, and exclusive info about the teams’ cultures and tournament tradition!
