VIRGINIA BEACH

In a game marked by blustery winds and chilling rain, Cape Henry weathered a late rally and outlasted Norfolk Academy 13-9 in the Tidewater Conference girls lacrosse tournament final at Bishop Sullivan Catholic Friday.

It was the second consecutive tournament title for the top-seeded Dolphins, who led 9-1 at at the break.

Tournament offensive MVP and league Player of the Year Mary Flowers tallied four of her five goals in the first half.

“We were so pumped up at the start," said the University of Richmond-bound senior. “It was all we thought about in school.”

Flowers, a midfielder, was the engine for Cape Henry’s quick start. When she wasn’t menacing Bulldog defenders with her signature spinning stick and elusive dodging, she was thwarting attackers by intercepting passes and scooping up ground balls.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Brittany Bertolino scored two of her three goals to help Cape Henry extend its lead to 12-2.

Bulldogs coach Ruth Acra called time out and told her team to make things happen.

“They needed to get the ball in the net and dig in,” Acra said.

Norfolk Academy responded with a seven-goal run — fueled by two goals apiece from Shira Ellenson, Anne Goodwyn and Blair Lindsey — and trimmed its deficit to 12-9 with less than eight minutes remaining.

But the No. 2 seed could get no closer, and Flowers netted her last score with 1:01 left.

The Dolphins gained possession and as the seconds counted down, Flowers, with the ball in the pocket of her stick, spun around one last defender before tossing the ball into the air — marking an end to her TCIS playing days.

“It’s extremly upsetting, but all good things come to an end,” she said.