MAHOPAC, N.Y.—After earning a 13-8 win over a solid Westlake team last Thursday ( April 24), the Wolf Pac boys lacrosse team was hoping to carry some momentum into Saturday morning’s rain-soaked trip to Putnam Valley. But the Tigers erased a three-goal deficit in the final minutes and escaped with a 14-13 win.
Mahopac led 13-10 with seven minutes to play, when the Tigers went on a tear and evened the game with about a minute left. Mahopac then won possession, but couldn’t get the go-ahead score. PV gained possession, and Caden Glenn (four goals) scored the game-winner with 20 seconds left.
Pac coach Jon Bota said his team was ahead numerous times throughout the game, but the Tigers always had an answer.
“Every time we went up, they came back,” Bota said. “When we answer, we need to learn how to hold on to that momentum and finish. That was a very tough loss… There were a lot of learning experiences there.
“But Jonesy (sophomore Liam Jones, four goals and an assist) had a big game for us,” Bota added. “Cam Hart also did a nice job on faceoffs (winning 21-of-31); he got us possession.”
Senior captain Brayden Torrey, and junior attacker Gavin O’Keefe each had two goals for Mahopac (5-5). Soph Bobby Egan had a goal and an assist, Bryan Margolis had a goal, and keeper Lucas Lambertson stopped 12 shots on goal.
Two days earlier, Margolis and Torrey each dropped two goals and three assists on Westlake, with Jones and O’Keefe each adding a hat-trick.
Egan delivered a goal and a pair of assists, Derek Lorusso had a goal and an assist, and Ryan LaRue had a goal. Lambertson stopped 11 shots on goal for the Pac.
“I think we handled Westlake well,” Bota said. “That was a solid game for us. We started off hot — went up 5-0, and they fought back. We had the momentum, and held onto it, for the most part.”
Two days earlier, Mahopac hosted perennial sectional power Yorktown, and took a 16-3 beating.
Hart, Torrey, and Lorusso each had a goal for Mahopac, Pat Mahoney had an assist, and Lambertson stopped nine shots on the cage.
“Yorktown has some good players,” Bota said. “We didn’t win many faceoffs, and our shot selection needs to be smarter when we’re facing one of the top-ranked goalies in the country (Yorktown junior Hunter Mezzatesta, rated the No. 1 keeper in the country for the class of 2026).
“We need to work harder for better shots,” Bota went on. “They allowed us to take shots, but not good shots.”
Mahopac is set to host North Rockland on Thursday (May 1) at 5 p.m., and travels to take on John Jay CR Saturday at 7 p.m.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here