Somers lacrosse comes up short in showdown with Shawnee

SOMERS, N.Y. - Don Green and Jordan Hirsch played lacrosse together at Hen Hud and Nazareth University. Each also has a state coaching championship to their credit. Now coaching in New York and New Jersey, the former teammates still stay in touch, and what started as casual conversation turned into something more.

“Reaching out, he thought it would be fun for him to come home and play,” said Hirsch. On April 9, Shawnee made the trip to Somers.

The game did not disappoint, as it was tied 7-7 late in the third quarter. However, the visitors scored the final four goals. Still, Somers senior Dylan Jimenez embraced the challenge.

“Tough team, I’m just honored to play a nationally ranked team,” said Jimenez.

Shawnee came out strong, winning the opening draw and generating two point-blank shots, but Somers goalkeeper Hudson Ruby responded with a pair of saves to keep the game scoreless early.

Eighty seconds in, Somers created offense off two Shawnee turnovers. Oliver Jung drove straight down the middle and put a quick shot on goal, but a deflection helped keep it out.

Shawnee eventually broke through. Moving the ball well, the visitors found Tommy McAneney for the finish from the left side, giving Shawnee a 1-0 lead.

At 7:50, Somers failed to capitalize on a draw win and turned the ball over. Hirsch acknowledged the early lapse.

“We came out a little lackadaisical,” the coach admitted.

Shawnee quickly made them pay. Tyler Rotkowitz wrapped around and fired a shot off one foot to extend the lead to 2-0 with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

Ruby kept Somers within striking distance, stopping Michael Bartasius in a one-on-one opportunity at 5:45.

The Somers offense responded. Jimenez worked from the end line, spun free in front, and scored while falling away to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 5:08 remaining in the first.

But Shawnee answered immediately. After a scramble, Rotkowitz struck again with a nearly identical wraparound goal.

With 4:32 remaining, a penalty on the draw gave Somers another chance, but a turnover led to another save from Ruby. Rotkowitz again found space in front, but Ruby denied him at 4:04.

After a Shawnee miscue, Somers pushed the tempo. Tristan Iglesias used his size and strength to work down the right side and finish an underhand shot with 90 seconds left in the quarter, cutting the deficit.

Shawnee responded once more. Rotkowitz beat the defense over the middle to close the quarter with a goal and a 4-2 lead.

Somers opened the second quarter quickly. Grayson Santucci won the draw, the offense moved the ball efficiently, and McAneney scored from the right side just 19 seconds in.

The pace then settled until Hudson Ruby sparked a Somers transition sequence with a key save on E.J. Martino. Somers moved the ball upfield through Xander DiPasquale and Harry Brelesky, leading to a finish from Jayden Newman that cut the lead to 4-3 at 5:41.

Shawnee’s top duo responded again. Rotkowitz assisted McAneney at 1:35, and 45 seconds later McAneney returned the favor, sending Shawnee into halftime with a 7-3 advantage.

Despite the deficit, Somers remained focused at the break.

“We talked about shutting certain people down offensively and cutting out lanes,” said Jimenez.

Somers executed that plan for nearly 12 minutes into the second half. During that stretch, the defense tightened and the offense began to find rhythm.

Ruby opened the half with a key save, and Jimenez helped ignite the offense by moving the ball through the middle and setting up DiPasquale for a goal, cutting the lead to 7-4 at 9:20.

Somers continued to pressure. Iglesias powered through defenders from the right side and muscled his way to the crease for a goal that brought Somers within two.

“He’s a really tough matchup,” said defender Bret Kennedy. “I’ve got to guard him in practice every day. It’s hard to bottle him up.”

Iglesias kept applying pressure, and Somers’ persistence paid off when Kennedy picked up a loose ball and scored in transition to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:20 left in the third.

However, Shawnee regained momentum late in the quarter. McAneney scored through a double team with just 15 seconds remaining to give Shawnee an 8-7 lead heading into the fourth.

Shawnee carried that momentum into the final quarter. McAneney extended the lead to 9-7 after dancing through the defense, and Rotkowitz added another wraparound goal at 5:43 to push it to 10-7.

Mason McGovern added an insurance goal at 4:57 to seal the victory.

Despite the loss, Hirsch praised his team’s resilience after a slow start.

“It shows that we have something to us,” he said.