Thursday: Thomas over Irondequoit and Two OT Games

There were thirteen games scheduled for Thursday. There were some blow-outs and there were some close one. Pittsford remained undefeated with an 11-6 win over St. Joseph's. Webster Thomas scored the opening goal and never trailed in their win over 8-4 Irondequoit. Luke Bartkoski scored an unassisted goal with 1:11 remaining in the first overtime period to give Victor a 9-8 win over HF-L. Josh Stiefel scored the game winning goal 3:29 into the first overtime period to give Brockport a 7-6 win over Eastridge. The Thunder beat gates 14-11 and Gananda beat Marcus WHitman 14-9. The other winners were Pal-Mac, Geneva, Livonia, Schroeder, Rush-Henrietta, Fairport and McQuaid Jesuit.

 --  Pittsford and St. Joseph's (Buffalo - Section 6) finally made up the game that was originally scheduled to be played at Walt Disney World in Florida during the spring break. That original game was cancelled due to electrical storms. Today there were no storms, but instead, temperatures in the high sixties.

The score was close for quite some time for the two previously undefeated teams. The Panthers, however, broke a 4-4 tie in the third quarter and six of the next seven goals to eventually win 11-6.

The Marauders won the first quarter, 2-1. Jackson Balkin scored the first goal with an assist from Dominic Perna. Perna started from behind the cage and after driving toward the goal front, passed the ball to Balkin out front right. Pittsford tied the game at 1-1 about four minutes later when Stephen Quinzi, behind the cage, fed Ben Overslaugh out front left. Michael Hubert finished the scoring in the quarter with an unassisted goal for St. Joe's. His goal was scored after starting behind the cage and inverting to the midfield line where he beat his defenseman and powered his shot into the goal.

Pittsford scored two unanswered goals in the second quarter. Brandon Barker scored the tying goal with a bounce shot from the left wing after receiving on a pass from Albie DiPasquale behind the goal. With less than two minutes left in the half, DiPasquale found Ben Overslaugh in roughly the same position out front left. The Panthers led at halftime, 3-2.

Scoring picked up in the second half with six goals scored in each of the last two quarters. St. Joe's started the scoring, tying the game at 3-3 when Andrew Bond scored his unassisted goal at 9:33. After a shot, saved by Pittsford goalie Kevin Maguire, bounced outside the crease Bond scooped it up and put a quick one in the cage. Quinzi gave Pittsford another lead with a drive from behind the goal which produced an unassisted goal and took Pittsford to 4-3. The Marauders tied the game a little over a minute later when Perna duplicated Quinzi's previous shot. About a minute later Pittsford took the lead for good when the Panthers, in man up, added a goal by Brad Schumacher, assisted by DiPasquale. Quinzi scored an open goal net after intercepting a St. Joe's clear and popping the ball in the cage, before falling deep in the crease. He scored another unassisted goal before the end of the third quarter, which ended with the Panther up 7-4.

St. Joe's started the fourth quarter with a goal from the face off (Perna, unassisted), but Pittsford continued their "slow down offense" which was punctuated with periodic scoring. Quinzi found Barker cutting toward the crease for a goal at 11:02. Barker scored again on a feed from DiPasquale at 5:50 and after a Panther time out, Quinzi scored alone at 5:05. Mark Nasca added a goal for St. Joe's with 2:28 left in the game when he received the ball from Balkin. Billy Cooper scored the last goal of the game as the Pittsford junior attackman received a clearing pass from senior defenseman Cameron Pincus with 1:41 left in the game.

In a game of steaks, Gananda defeated Marcus Whitman 14-9. Marcus Whitman scored the first six goals of the contest spanning 5:28. The Wildcats' Connor Kelly scored three goals in the opening sequence and finished with 5g-1a overall. Matt Hall added 2g-3a in the first six goals (2g-4a overall). The sixth goal was scored by Karl Gray. After being held scoreless for 8:09 the Blue Panthers struck. They scored the next seven goals spanning 17:09. Marcus Whitman scored a single goal with 10:00 remaining in the third quarter before Gananda went on another six goal run.

In the cage for Gananda, Brandon Smith finished with seven saves. For Marcus Whitman, Merritt Bailey finished with nine saves in 42 minutes. Tanner Smith played the final six minutes but did not face a shot.

--  In a contest that was back and forth for 48 minutes, Greece Athena/Odyssey defeated Gates Chili 14-11 with a four goal run in the fourth quarter which gave them their victory. The game was close with both sides scoring in streaks. Although the game only tied and 1-1 and 2-2, it was a one goal game seven different times with Gates Chili refusing to let the Thunder pull away.

Gates Chili scored the opening goal during a man-up situation with Joe Corona assisting Zack Campaniello. Three minutes later with only 0:23 remaining in the opening quarter, Greece got on the scoreboard. Pat Crowe scored the first of his 3g-3a with an unassisted goal for the Thunder. The first quarter concluded with the score tied 1-1.

In the second quarter Greece started their first run with five unanswered goals. Gates Chili scored the opening goal just 1:14 into the quarter with an unassisted goal by Corona. 0:43 later Greece tied the game for the second time. Anthony Merola scored the first of his impressive 8g-2a with an assist from Jamie Trimboli. The next four goals were scored by Merola (3 times) and Trimboli. The final goal of the first half was scored by Matt Martin for the Spartans. Martin scored (unassisted) and finished with four goals for Gates. Greece led 6-3 at halftime.

Coming out of halftime Gates Chili brought the game to within a single goal at 1:21. Joe Caccamise scored the first of his team leading four goals with an assist from Greg Statt. Statt came back with a goal of his own only 0:34 later. The Thunder kept their lead with another goal from Crowe (assisted by Merola). Three minutes elapsed with back and forth play followed by another unassisted goal from Statt. On the ensuring face off, Merola scored with an assist from Crowe. The Thunder extended their lead with a goal from attackman Anthony Crawford. After multiple penalties for both teams, Gates Chili scored in a 5-on-5 situation followed by a man-up goal from Athena. All three goals were scored in only 0:27. Caccamise scored the final goal of the quarter to pull Gates Chili back within two goals (10-8).

Caccamise's fourth goal was scored with 7:32 remaining in the final quarter and brought the game back within one goal for the final time. Greece scored the next four goals to secure their victory. Merola scored the last three (two assisted by Trimboli). Joey Fornataro scored first goal in the streak for Greece. The Spartans added two goals in the final 1:17 but it was not enough. Martin scored both goals with Ruf assisting the first and Taliento assisting the second. In the cage for Greece, Hunter Merola finished with 11 saves (50%). For the Spartans, Dylan Dix finished with nine saves.

-- Although Hilton kept the game close, Webster Schroeder defeated the Cadets 11-8. Schroeder scored the first goal of the contest and never trailed. The Cadets tied the game at 1-1 and then again at 7-7, but could not take the lead. Hilton came out in the second half and scored three unanswered goals in the third quarter. The Warriors did not score for 16:33 spanning the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. However, in the fourth quarter Webster won 4-1.

Leading in scoring for Hilton were Dante Giordano (2g-2a) and Derek Richards (1g-3a). Midfielder Ricky Cocilova finished with 1g-1a and 57% at the face off draw (4/7). Midfielder Harald Juergens (1g) finished leading his team in ground balls with six. Richards and defenseman Tom Bianchi finished with three ground balls each. In the cage, Jarod Kimble finished with eight saves.

--  Game NOTE: Josh Stiefel scored the game winning goal 3:29 into the first overtime period.

--  In one of the two overtime games played today, Victor defeated HF-L when junior midfielder Luke Bartkoski scored an unassisted goal with 1:11 remaining in the first overtime period. Bartkoski took the third shot for HF-L and the fourth shots of overtime to secure the victory. HF-L's Jake Boice won the face off draw after the ground ball was picked up by attackman Connor Flaherty. That gave the Cougars the first shot at overtime. After missing the cage, Victor cleared the ball and took their own turn at the cage. Goalie, Max Beniamino made the first save, but on the second shot on cage Bartkoski made it past him.

HF-L scored the opening goal with Flaherty assisting Tim Breau with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter. Victor came back and scored off two consecutive face-offs with goals from Sam Byassee only 0:26 later and Roy Young only 0:17 after that. Victor led 2-1 at the close of the opening quarter.

HF-L scored to open the second quarter as well. Flaherty assisted Brandon Lewis to tie the game. Victor kept up their pressure and scored the next three goals. Byassee added his second and Young his second and third. With 2:59 remaining in the half, Victor led 5-2. HF-L scored with 0:28 remaining. Flaherty, helping to produce his third straight goal, assisted Ryan Kelly. Victor won the last face off of the quarter and scored as time expired with an unassisted goal from Kyle Haslinger. Victor led 6-3 at halftime.

In the third quarter Victor scored the first goal to increase their lead to four. HF-L then added four unanswered goals to finish out the quarter and enter the fourth tied at 7-7. Flaherty scored first. Kelly scored his second and Peter Pluta and Alex Mapstone scored the first goals of the game. In the fourth quarter Victor took back the lead less than one minute into the quarter with Haslinger assisting Reyluis Gutierrez. Pluta scored his second goal to send the game into overtime with 4:43 remaining. HF-L did not get another shot after Pluta's goal. Victor, conversely, finished the quarter with 17 shots, including the last two on cage (saved by Beniamino).

Beniamino finished with 13 saves (59%) for the Cougars. HF-L was led in ground balls by Flaherty with five. Defenseman Aidan Papalia and midfielder Pluta finished with three each for. Victor's Troy Dowdle finished with six saves.

 

 --  After a one goal loss earlier in the week to Fairport, Webster Thomas came into this game with something to prove. The Titans came out with a strong game plan and defeated Irondequoit 8-4. Thomas scored the opening goal of the contest and never trailed. The Titans looked methodical and stuck to their plan throughout the entire game.

A key component of their plan early in the contest was to control the pace of the game. Although the Eagles won all three face-off's in the opening quarter, when the Titans did get the ball on offense they were patient and took a lot of time off the clock. The Titans only took three shots in the quarter (all three on cage with one goal). In the cage, senior goalie John Bezek made three saves in the opening quarter to hold the Eagles to only a single goal. Bezek finished with eight saves (67%) on the game and played all but a single minute of penalty time. Thomas's Kevin Hill scored their goal in the first quarter after coming out of a time out. Hill grabbed a pass from across the cage and beat his defenseman to put Thomas on the board. Irondequoit scored their first goal with only 0:35 remaining in the quarter off a fast-break. Three of the four Irondequoit goals were scored during uneven play. The game was tied 1-1 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter Thomas began to shine. They scored four goals on five shots on cage; including two goals during a non-releasable two minute penalty against Irondequoit. The first goal of the quarter was scored by Jake Giudice with an impressive drive from behind the cage. Giudice came from behind the net and arced the ball into the near corner past Irondequoit goalie Alex Shoemaker. Five minutes later Thomas increased their lead to two goals with another drive from behind the cage. Hill drove from behind and found Nick Schuman open after the defensive slide. Thomas won their first face-off of the contest when Justin Bird picked up his own ground ball. Bird came down and took a shot on the cage which was saved by Shoemaker. The Eagles pushed the ball up on a fast-break goal but Bezek came up big against Sam Melvin with a point blank save. The Eagles kept up the pressure for the next three minutes with Bezek making two more saves. Thomas got the ball back and after a missed pass, Irondequoit brought the ball back down for another fast-break goal. Zach Brimmacomb scored for the Eagles when they were man-down. 0:36 later the Eagles were assessed their non-releasable penalty and the Titans went to work. Schuman assisted both goals with a step in to draw the slide and a pass to the open man. Giudice scored the first goal and Bird scored the second goal. The quarter ended with a Thomas penalty and Irondequoit started the 3rd quarter with the ball.

Even with possession (5-on-5 and then man-up) the Eagles could not convert. They took four shots with only one on cage to start the quarter. Thomas scored their third and fourth straight goals to get their biggest lead of the game (7-2). Giudice and John Hill scored unassisted goals for the Titans. With 4:24 remaining in the quarter, Bezek was called for a penalty and Alex Gulisano was forced into the game. Irondequoit took only a single shot during the man-up and it missed the cage. Irondequoit added their lone goal of the quarter with 1:02 remaining. The play began with Joel Roemer missing the cage with an outside shot. Daniel Doktor grabbed the loose ball around GLE and took an inside dodge to surprise the defense and Bezek. Roemer finished the game with 7 shots, 4 on cage and no goals for the Eagles. Thomas led 7-3 at the end of three quarters.

Both teams added one goal in the fourth quarter. Thomas had a goal in the early part of the fourth quarter that was pulled back by the officials due to a flag down on the play. Irondequoit scored the first goal of the quarter with an outside shot from Raymond Shalvoy. Shalvoy finished the game with five shots (four during the fourth quarter) and only two on cage. In total in the fourth quarter, Irondequoit took 8 shots with only two on cage. Thomas also increased their shooting late in the game with 9 of their shots in the fourth quarter. Thomas was shooting at 71% on cage in the first three quarters and only 29% on cage in the fourth quarter as they started taking less patient shots.

Irondequoit's Shoemaker finished with six saves in the contest. The face-off men for the Eagles won 60% of the draws. Ben Brooks finished 4/5 and Mitchell Culver finished 5/10. Brimmacomb (midfield) finished with a team leading six ground balls. Brooks finished with four and Shoemaker finished with three between the pipes. For Thomas, John Hill led with six ground balls. Bird and defenseman Ryan Nugent finished with five ground balls each and Kevin Hill and defenseman Colin Blind finished with four ground balls each. Overall, the Thomas defense was strong with Alex Armstrong, Nugent and Coz Fiore playing impressive defense. The Titans repeatedly turned back Irondequoit and kept them from taking shots.