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By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 7/2/14
BOYDS, Md. – The Connecticut high school boys’ team earned two come-from-behind one-goal wins Tuesday in the first day of action at the Brine National Lacrosse Classic at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
Notre Dame West Haven 2015 FO/MF Joe Biondi
Connecticut edged Pennsylvania, 5-4, and then closed with another 5-4 triumph over Washington D.C. to take the Pool D lead.
In the victory over DC, Connecticut rallied from a 4-2 deficit as Zeke Emerson (Deerfield Academy, MASS, 2016 MF) and Frank Ranfone (Guilford, CT, 2015 MF) scored the tying goals and Shawn O’Loughlin (Pomfret School, CT, 2015 MF) had the go-ahead goal with 4 minutes to play.
Connecticut also got strong work at the face-off X by 2015 midfielder Joe Biondi (Notre Dame West Haven), solid defense from Darien (CT) 2015 Jack Feeley and 2016 LSM Josh Willis (Staples, CT) and clutch goaltending from Xavier (CT) 2015 Zachary Odell.
“Toward the ends of the game we have been really digging deep,” said O’Loughlin. “Both games we’ve come from behind a little bit. The defense has been playing really well and our goalie has been playing great all day and our face-off guy has been huge.”
Pomfret School 2015 MF Shawn O’Loughlin
O’Loughlin said the team has jelled quickly.
“I’ve been playing against all these kids, but never with them,” he said. “It’s cool to see the other side of it. It’s a good group of guys; everybody is smart with everything and nobody is playing selfish.”
Biondi said it was a stroke of luck that he even made it to the Connecticut tryouts.
“Honestly, I play hockey in the winter so I didn’t think I could even make the tryout,” he said. “But I had an off day and was the only guy at tryouts that was taking face-offs.
“Today, I have been trying to get at least 50 percent of the face-offs to get us possessions. We had a lot of missed chances to score and I wanted to make sure we had the ball.”
Biondi is enjoying the experience of playing for his state in a national tourney.
“I’m the only one from the New Haven area; it’s a wide spread of kids across the state so it’s good to play together,” he said. “It’s fun playing against better kids
New Canaan (CT) 2016 atackman Clayton Burt and Fairfield Prep (CT) 2015 midfielder Patrick Lambert also scored for Connecticut.
NOTES - The balance in Pool D was remarkable as every game between the five teams was either a tie or a one-goal contest.
Buffalo (1-0-1) tied Minnesota (1-0-1), 5-5, and then defeated Pennsylvania (0-2), 7-6, on a last-second goal by 2016 midfielder Ryan Poulton (Severna Park High, MD, was placed on the Buffalo team along with several other Maryland players). Jonathan Hetrick (Poolesville High, MD) had two goals to lead Buffalo and Brian Ward (Mt. Lebanon, 2016 MF) scored the tying goal for Pennsylvania with 2:05 to play.
Washington D.C. (0-2) also fell to Minnesota, 6-5.
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