After playing a tight first half, Chatham High School (N.J.) Boy’s lacrosse team played lockdown defense and continued its fine offensive ways, behind senior Shep Boyd’s five goals in the game, in the second half to drown Mountain Lakes, 11-6, Saturday at Cougar Field.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After a stellar week of preparation and their steady play on Saturday, Cougar head coach Christian Scarpello said his boys are getting closer to where he wants them to be. Minus a few misplays, he was pleased with their overall performance against a good team.
“I think we played well,” Scarpello said. “We’ve been talking about putting together four quarters, and I think we’re just about there today. A couple sloppy mistakes we want back, but that’s part of the game. We had a great week of practice, and a little bit of a reset. So, I’m feeling great where we’re at.”
Boyd, a University of Michigan commit, got Chatham (5-1) on the scoreboard early in the game. But the Lakers responded with two straight, quick markers to put them ahead, 2-1.
Junior Nicholas Lagunowich tied up the contest at 2-2 with a tally with 1:20 to go in the first period.
Boyd recorded his second goal of the contest for a 3-2 advantage 1:12 into the second quarter. But, as you have it, Mountain Lakes (4-2) knotted the game at 3-3 a little over a minute later.
Again, when the Cougars needed someone to step up, Boyd was right there to deliver, as he fired the ball into the back of the net for goal number three, and a 4-3 lead with 6:59 remaining in the second period.
Senior Ryan Hoffelder made it a two-score game with 5:06 left in the second period. But the Lakers took advantage of Chatham’s poor in front-of-the-net defense, registering back-to-back markers to tie the game at five all with less than two minutes to go in the first half.
Next, junior Quinn Grosso gave the Cougars a one-goal advantage with 1:17 to go in the second half.
After Mountain Lakes tied the game again, Chatham did not permit another goal the rest of the way, with Grosso making it 7-6 with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter.
Two goals apiece from Boyd, who also scooped up five ground balls, and senior Kyle Gibney, put contest out of reach for the Lakers.
The Cougars host Bergen Catholic Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
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