'It Felt Like Our Accomplishments Weren't As Valued': Hockaday Girls' Lacrosse Championship A Bitter-Sweet Experience Compared To Jesuit Dallas Boys'

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Hockaday School varsity lacrosse team took state on Sunday, May 9, in the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League Division 1 Championship Game in Houston.

So did the Jesuit Dallas boys.

While the achievement was the same, the Hockaday girls say they weren't exactly on an even playing field - literally.

"Our 8 meter was completely dirt. I fell in it in our semis game, and I was just covered in dirt," said Maddy Charest, a Hockaday varsity lacrosse player and co-captain.

"The boys had a huge stadium with a huge turf field," said varsity player Grace Hoverman.

While the boys had a high-quality livestream of the game, the girls' video was intermittent and grainy.

The boys took home a large trophy and individual medals; the girls had a smaller trophy and no medals.

"We put in just as much work as they did, and I think that it felt like our accomplishments weren't as valued, I guess," said Charest.

"To see that discrepancy is very hard as a coach," said head coach Molly Ford Hutchinson. "You want to give the girls everything that the boys have and more, so that was hard."

The boys' and girls' leagues are governed by different organizations. Kristi Cancelmo, the South District Coordinator of the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League, also notes there's a different in the amount of money each takes in per year.

She said, "It's a matter of time, momentum, bringing up our numbers, and being able to fund our teams the same way the teams are being funded for the boys."

The Hockaday players say they'll keep fighting until that happens.

"Through doing this, we set a precedent for younger girls and maybe women across the country and the world to recognize when there is an inequality or a challenge that they face to speak up for it because it might lead to change," said Hoverman.