Boys’ lax team scores big win over Sharon

Following a tough road loss to Mansfield to start the week, the CHS boys’ lacrosse team bounced back Thursday night against Sharon with a 15-12 comeback win at home to improve to 2-2 in the Hock and 3-2 overall.

Originally scheduled for Wednesday but postponed due to rain, the game against the Eagles featured several lead changes as well as quality play by both teams on both sides of the ball.

After jumping out to an early 3-0 lead, the Bulldogs seemed to let up a bit as Sharon crawled back into the game, eventually taking an 8-5 advantage into halftime.

Head coach Bill Bendell attributed the letup to poor decision making and poor shot selection — neither of which are uncommon with young teams, he said. But Bendell was proud of how his team responded in the second half, as they stormed back to even the score at 9 in the third quarter.

The real momentum changer came next, when sophomore midfielder Nick O’Connor picked up the ball off the faceoff, ran hard toward the cage, and then fired a shot past the Sharon goalie to make it 10-9 just before getting hammered by two defenders. O’Connor then bounced right up, high fived a few teammates, and got ready for the next faceoff.

“It was just a tough play,” said Bendell, who raved about O’Connor’s “lunch-pail” demeanor. “One of the best goals I’ve seen as a coach, as simple as it was.”

He also singled out freshman defenseman Matt Bagley for neutralizing his man throughout the second half — thanks, in part, to some advice from his coaches — after getting beat by a fake early on in the game.

“It’s hard to make those kinds of in-game adjustments, and for a freshman to take that coaching was really great to see,” Bendell said.

Despite the high score, Bendell thought his defense played well as a unit, including goalie Devin Costa, who had 13 saves.

Offensively, the Bulldogs were firing on all cylinders as seven players scored at least one point. Senior captain Max Kamin led the team with five goals and an assist, while junior captain Matt Malloy had a goal and a team-high six assists. O’Connor, Pat Ward, JC Marcone and Kurt Leavitt all had two goals, and sophomore midfielder Shane Nordgren scored his first varsity goal.

In Monday’s loss to Mansfield, the Bulldogs did the exact opposite of what the coaches had stressed before the game.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game for us, and we talked about the importance of a quick start,” said Bendell. “And then we fell behind 6-1 at halftime.”

But the Bulldogs at least made a game of it in the second half, outscoring the Hornets 4-2.

Malloy and Ward scored two goals apiece, Leavitt added the other goal, and Bagley and junior Calvin Winchell both had assists.

Canton had two games scheduled during April vacation week: Tuesday versus nonleague Medway and Thursday at Dedham. Next week, they travel to North Attleboro on Wednesday and host King Philip on Friday at 4:15 p.m.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Apr 21 2011. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.