Overtime Thriller for Boys Lacrosse

The cold weather on Mar. 29, the night the SMFHS boys lacrosse squad
kicked off their season against the Archbishop Hoban Knights, did not
stop the two teams from having an exciting game up until the last
second.

The Knights hosted the Bulldogs at their football stadium, but it was
Stow who looked more excited from the get-go.

Hoban started the game with the first possession, but could not capitalize
and nearly two minutes later, Stow became invasive. Jim Griggs was
the first to put points on the scoreboard after he regained control
of one of his missed shots and made the second chance opportunity.

Shortly after, the Bulldogs struck again, adding on to the lead Stow began to
pile up. Hoban looked as if they were getting ready to make their
first goal of the game, but the Bulldog defense continued to push them away. Jeremy Light, a senior defender, continued to keep the offense off to the sidelines, forcing Hoban into passes they really did not want to take. Josh Crews also played well defensively, and the senior Kevin Hoffman continued to press Hoban away. It was also the play of Ryan Kevern, the sophomore goalie who had made a name for himself by starting his freshman year on varsity, that kept Hoban scoreless into the second. The goalie deflected one of Hoban's wide-open shots, and managed to get the ball out to Matt DeBlois, who drove the Bulldogs downfield before a Knights timeout.

The quarter ended with a 2-0 Stow lead, and the second quarter seemed to
be the same story. Nick Griggs displayed a lot of effort, opening up
downfield looks and playing well on defense. Kevern found another
save at 8:40 to go in the half, and the game got physical from there on out.

Spencer Daddario drew a penalty for the Bulldogs, and a slew of missed shots
and opportunities by Stow deflated the energy. Jordan Mannella, Griggs and Brian Dureiko all managed to weave through the defense but did not find the goal, until finally with 1:58 left to play Mannella hit net from the left side.

The score going into halftime would be 3-0, Stow.

Something must have been said to the Hoban Knights during halftime. The Knights who came out to play the Bulldogs in the first half did not appear to
be the new, inspired Knights who came out to play the second half.

Kevern allowed a goal in the first 45 seconds of the third, and suddenly it
appeared to Hoban that the game was not out of reach. Just two
minutes later, the Knights scored yet again, cutting down the
comfortable lead Stow once had to one. Give Hoban yet another minute,
a wonderful shot and an excited sideline, and the game was tied at
three apiece.

Kyle Mossor did have an open look at the goal, but the Hoban goalie was able to bat his shot away and continue to rally behind his teammates. Mannella
again was pestered by the defense and missed, and Daddario had one
pass that sailed to the sideline with nobody within range. The Bulldogs were in trouble.

It was at midfield when Stow's Jared Baker and another Hoban player
exchanged words after a penalty, and both players were penalized;
Hoban with a push, and Baker with a conduct foul. Both sidelines and
the stands lit up, and people were buzzing. The game was now going to
be a defensive struggle.

The third ended with a Hoban bounce shot, putting the Knights ahead in a
shocking third quarter, 4-3.

The fourth and final period opened up with some intensity, and Hoban was
called for unneccessary roughness. Kevern continued to block shots
well, but Hoban was able to slip another goal by him to make it 5-3.
With under five minutes to go, Stow's time was running out.

Mannella then fed the ball inside to Dureiko, who was able to score and get
Stow within one. It was not long after until Mossor found his first
goal of the season, hitting a shot with 2:12 left in regulation and
sending the game into overtime.

Last season, the Bulldogs lost an overtime heartbreaker in the playoffs to
Shaker Heights. Each game is sudden-death style, where the first team
to score is awarded the win.

This time, Stow came out on the other end, when Jim Griggs hit a shot 49
seconds into the overtime session and clinched the game for the
Bulldogs. The moment could not have been sweeter for the team, and
could not have been more bitter for Hoban, who had staged such a
brilliant comeback only to fall short in overtime.

The Bulldogs are now 1-0 and will square off against Cardinal Mooney on
Mar. 31 at Hiram College. Game time is set to be 11 a.m. The squad
will also play Fairview that day, and will play at home for the first
time versus Hudson on Apr. 12.