Boys’ lax perfect season spoiled

After winning 13 straight games and shattering countless program records along the way, the CHS boys’ varsity lacrosse team finally met its match against division rival Foxboro, falling 5-4 on the road last Wednesday despite a valiant second-half comeback effort.

Junior Ben Lodge (Mike Barucci photo)

The heartbreaking loss came with just two games to go in an otherwise perfect season, and head coach Bill Bendell was not shy afterward in admitting that the Bulldogs wanted that one badly.

“We all wanted it,” acknowledged Bendell, who has loved nearly every minute of his ninth season as coach. “All of the players, the coaches wanted [to finish undefeated]. We were all disappointed, but we weren’t crushed. I think our goals are bigger than that and we’re more worried about the state tournament.”

And despite the end result, Bendell said he was very much impressed with how his players responded against a talented and hungry Warrior team on the road, especially after falling behind 4-1 at the half.

The Foxboro lead actually got to 5-1 at one point early in the third quarter before Canton made its run — a 3-0 burst fueled by senior Pat Ward, who scored two of the goals and further solidified his case as a deserving MVP candidate.

Also producing big goals were sophomore Paul Swart and senior Kurt Leavitt, while the Canton defense turned up the pressure and pitched a shutout over the final quarter and a half of play.

Ward’s second goal made it a one-possession game with under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and then Leavitt won a faceoff with about 30 seconds remaining to give Canton one final shot to tie it.

It was similar to the Bulldogs’ last meeting with Foxboro — a 7-6 win in double overtime back on April 24 — only this time they were unable to find the net on their final possession as the Warriors held on for the one-goal victory.

“We definitely had the momentum,” lamented Bendell after the game. “We just came up short.”

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, the week was not a total disappointment as they managed to collect an easy, 12-1 road win over Sharon two days earlier.

Canton scored the first five goals and led 8-1 at halftime before Bendell switched to his reserves for the final two quarters.

“It was just never in doubt,” Bendell said of the Sharon game. “We won every faceoff. We absolutely dominated possession time, and we kept scoring at will.”

He added that the first quarter featured some of the best offensive lacrosse that Canton has ever played. “We were unselfish, we moved without the ball, and good things were happening,” he said.

Ward led a balanced scoring attack with three goals and one assist, while senior captain JC Marcone, junior Tommy Galvin, and Swart finished with two goals apiece. Eric Wong, Ben O’Neill, and Jack Rooney rounded out the scoring for the Bulldogs.

Now 13-1 and with the Davenport Division already sewn up, Canton was hoping to finish strong and bolster its case for a top seed in the tournament with a strong showing this week against Abington and Westwood.

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Posted by Jay Turner on May 23 2013. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.