Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ lacrosse teams in action Saturday. CB West/Kennett photos provided courtesy of Richard Owens. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL American
HATBORO-HORSHAM 10, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 9 (2 OTs)
Sam Fink scored the golden goal early in the second overtime, giving the Hatters the heartstopping win over the Spartans.
“We had just cleared the ball over – we had just picked up a nice ground ball on a turnover that we’d forced,” HH coach Gauntlett Walker Jr said of the sequence leading to Fink’s game-winner. “We were able to get it over the mid line. It was kind of a controlled scramble situation.
“We were able to get it to Sam Fink, who basically called his own number. He wanted the opportunity to take his guy to the rack. He was able to diagnose what they were doing defensively. For whatever reason, they didn’t slide on him, and he was able to beat the goalie on a lefty wing dodge.”
For the Spartans, it was their fourth one-goal game.
“We were writing up our scout on them and we were talking to our guys about it going into the game,” Walker said. “We basically said, ‘They’ve been in a ton of one-goal games, they’re going to be battle tested, they’re going to be ready for these types of situations.’
“We’ve had a couple ourselves, but they were a little bit earlier in the season. We told our guys – ‘No matter what the score is, they are going to 100 percent claw and fight you for every single thing you guys get.’ We definitely preached – keeping a mental focus and not getting down even when we did turn the ball over after those good opportunities. We had good leadership out on the field that calmed the guys down and said – look, we didn’t get it this time, but we’ll get it the next time.
“All the guys coming into the huddle after the first overtime – they were all extremely confident that even though we didn’t capitalize in the first overtime that we would eventually and net the game-winner.”
Early on, the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie after one quarter, and the Hatters took a 3-2 lead into halftime. They still led 6-5 after three quarters only to watch the Spartans rally to knot the score 9-9 at the end of regulation.
“It was pretty much back and forth the entire time – I don’t think either team led by more than two,” Walker said. “They would score one, then we would score two, then they would score two. It was definitely a seesaw battle the entire time.”
Neither team scored in the first OT period.
“We started off the overtime with a pretty long possession – I think we probably had it for a good two-and-a-half to three minutes, and then unfortunately we turned it over,” Walker said. “On that possession, we did have a couple of really nice offensive opportunities.
“Springfield did a good job of shutting down our man up opportunity that we did have. We hit one pipe, and their goalie made a great save on another opportunity. We definitely had some good looks, but I give them credit for sticking with it and getting the ball back to their offense.”
Walker gave props to several players who stepped up in Saturday’s win.
“We actually dealt with a lot of injuries in this game,” the Hatters’ coach said. “Two of our guys went down unfortunately, so we did have some guys step up. We had some guys playing in awkward positions. Obviously, Sam Fink, who scored the game-winner, had a great game.
“Jack Steinberg was able to step in as a long pole for us and also Nate Phillips and Justin Focht. All three of them were thrown into situations they’re not normally in, and they were able to hold down the fort for us and make sure everyone was on the same page.”
Fink finished with two goals and two assists while David Benjamin had a hat trick and two assists. He also won 13 of 23 faceoffs. Min Lee had two goals and one assist. Alex Cerminara, Tyler Kirn and Dom Tarsi each added one goal. Tarsi also had an assist while Kirn’s four ground balls lead the Hatters. Jaden Mariano chipped in a pair of assists. Tommy Pedicone and Hunter Long both had two ground balls while Connor Davis had two caused turnovers and one ground ball.
Goalie Brendan Kim was credited with 15 saves in the win.
“They only scored two goals in the first half and seven in the second half,” Walker said. “I give them props for making the adjustments at halftime to get some better opportunities.
“Brandon kind of calmed himself down in the overtime periods, and he made a great save for us and was able to transition the ball to get the ball back to our offense. He’s definitely been a calming force for us on the defensive side of the ball. When things do get a little bit hectic, he always seems to make those big plays in the crunch time when we need them.”
Saturday’s game capped a challenging stretch of four games in six days for the Hatters.
“It’s been a long week,” Walker said. “I know the boys are all feeling it. It was good to get out of the week 3-1. We haven’t done that in quite some time, so to be able to win three games against three pretty good opponents is definitely huge for us. We’re trying to keep the train rolling as much as we can.”
For the Spartans, Jaxon Weiss had a hat trick while Alex Vecchione and Cameron Dennis both had two goals. Luke Gozzard and Austin Maggioncalda had one goal each.
Patrick McMahon was credited with eight saves in goal for the Spartans.
Hatboro-Horsham (5-7, 5-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West on Monday.
Springfield Township (6-5, 4-3) will travel to Neshaminy on Thursday for a non-league game at 7 p.m.
Springfield Township 2-0-3-4-0-0 9
Hatboro-Horsham 1-2-3-3-0-1 10
Non-league
PENNSBURY 7, HOLY GHOST PREP 6 (OT)
Jack Kalinowski – on a back door cut – turned a pass from senior Avery Dysart into the game-winner, giving the Falcons the exhilarating overtime win in Saturday’s non-league thriller.
“This is one of the games you circle on the calendar since so many of the kids grew up playing together in Lower Bucks Lacrosse,” coach Dean Curtis said. “Holy Ghost did a great job with their one defense to limit possessions and really challenge our offense.”
The Falcons led 2-1 after one period, but the Firebirds returned the favor in the second quarter, and the two teams went into halftime deadlocked 3-3. The Firebirds took a 5-4 lead into the final quarter when the Falcons rallied to knot the score, setting the stage for OT.
“We have to give it to our defense today for really stepping up and getting us the ball back when we needed it,” Curtis said. “Pat Kirk, Reece Millman, Matt Harkins and Stone Bambrick were key in holding their team to six goals.
“Nicole Cione was solid in the cage and was instrumental in our clearing game today.”
Cione recorded five saves in the win.
Kalinowski led the Falcons with two goals and two assists. Dysert dished out four assists. Kolby Ranniello and Shane Siegmund both had two goals while Will Taylor had a goal and an assist.
Max Rittenmeyer’s hat trick led Holy Ghost. Sean McLaughlin, Will Macan and Gavin McDonough each had a goal. Frank Britsch was credited with an assist.
Ryan Forde kept the Firebirds in the game with 13 saves.
Pennsbury (9-3, 5-2 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Monday.
Pennsbury 2-1-1-2-1 7
Holy Ghost Prep 1-2-2-1-0 6
WILSON 6, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3
Goals were hard to come by for both sides, but it was Wilson taking a 1-0 lead in the first period and extending that to 3-1 by halftime on their way to the hard fought win.
Nicholas Knepp scored all three of East’s goals – Jonah Osborne assisted on his first in the second period. He added a pair in the third period – the first unassisted and the second with an assist from Michael Skulsky.
Quinn Collins led the defense with seven caused turnovers and one ground ball. Evan Bullotta also was a force on defense with three caused turnovers and two ground balls. Dean Blackwell and Ethan Greenlee each had three ground balls. Blackwell also had two caused turnovers and Greenlee had one. Ryan Mccauley had two ground balls while Mark Lapiolli, Chris Funston and Quinn Collins each had one. Lapioli, Knepp and Brennan Coleman each had one caused turnover.
East goalie Ryan Kueny was credited with 11 saves.
Central Bucks East (8-3, 7-0 SOL) will travel to Pennridge on Tuesday.
Wilson 1-2-2-1 6
Central Bucks East 0-1-2-0 3
KENNETT 17, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3
The visiting Blue Demons, who led 5-1 after one quarter, took a 12-3 lead into halftime on their way to the non-league win.
The Bucks received single goals from Brayden Albrecht, Austin Hahn and Matt Jacobsen. Connor Albrecht and Jeff Woosnam each had an assist.
Evan Hee was credited with seven saves in goal for the Bucks, and Will Shandlay had one save late in the game.
Jacobsen won 5 of 12 faceoffs while Cole Gunutti (0 of 3) and Jeff Woosnam (0 of 1) also saw time at the faceoff x.
Central Bucks West (5-8, 4-4 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday.
Kennett 5-7-4-1 17
Central Bucks West 1-2-0-0 3
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