MILLTOWN — Saint Mark’s boys lacrosse team cut Caesar Rodney’s lead to two goals midway through the third quarter during the teams’ matchup on May 11, but the Riders put any thoughts of a Spartans upset to rest with a five-goal burst on the way to a 15-6 victory.
The Riders scored the first five goals of the game, but the Spartans cut one off the lead before halftime on a goal by Daniel Mitchell that he whipped low to the right side of the net. The momentum carried into the second half.
Logan Gibbons stopped a Caesar Rodney shot early in the quarter, and a few minutes later, Joe Walsh emerged with the ball from behind Riders goalkeeper Jacob Buxton and tucked it into the net. Both keepers added big saves, with Gibbons’ leading to a counter for the Spartans. That ended with Jacob Wisniewski skipping a shot past Buxton at the 6:54 mark, and the Spartans’ sideline grew louder than it had been all afternoon.
But that only seemed to infuse the Riders. It took the visitors just 10 seconds to answer. Dane Wilson won the faceoff, and for the second time during the game, he carried the ball down the field and fired one past the keeper. Less than a minute later, the Riders scored once more. CR had some good fortune the next time they were on offense, as a shot from Steven Grossman bounced off of Gibbons, but when the ball came down its back spin carried it over the line for another goal. Ninety-five seconds after the Spartans pulled within two, the Riders’ lead was back to five.
Caesar Rodney added two more goals before the third quarter ended. Mitchell sent a low shot in shortly after the fourth quarter began, but Ryan Carey answered on the next CR possession. The final tally of the afternoon came with just 58 seconds to go as Wisniewski went five-hole.
Carey finished with five goals. Caesar Rodney had 37 shots. The Riders finished the regular season 11-4 and will find out their state tournament assignment on Sunday.
Final statistics were not available for Saint Mark’s. The Spartans (7-7) play their last regular-season game on Saturday at 1 p.m. at home against Concord.
All photos by Mike Lang.
