GREENVILLE – The top-ranked Salesianum lacrosse team found itself in unfamiliar territory on April 9. The Sals were playing their first in-state team in Appoquinimink, and the Jaguars had a 3-1 lead late in the first quarter. But the Sals exploded for the final 12 goals of the first half en route to a 20-5 win.
The Jags picked up two early goals, one each from Connor Garrison and Hunter Wohler, to take that 3-1 lead with 2:26 left in the first quarter. Brian Wong scored for the Sals with three seconds to go, cutting the Appo lead to one at the end of the first.
The Sals dominated the second quarter, scoring five goals in the first four minutes. Logan Falconetti and Wong tallied eight seconds apart less than 30 seconds into the frame to give Sallies its first lead at 4-2. After a Brady McGovern goal, Wong scored twice more, including a spectacular over-the-shoulder goal.
Salesianum was equally dominant on the faceoffs, led by Matthew Riley, who was rewarded with a goal late in the half. All told, the Sals put 11 balls into the net in the quarter, with Wong getting three, and Falconetti and McGovern adding a pair each.
The Sals scored the first two goals of the third period to make it 14 straight before Garrison answered to bring the Jaguars to within 15-4. Sallies ended the quarter on a strong note, putting in four of the final five goals, including one each for Brady McGovern and Griffin McGovern.
The win lifted the Sals to 4-3 on the season. They face No. 2 Cape Henlopen on Friday at Wesley College in Dover at 8 p.m. in the Dave Reynolds Lacrosse Festival. Cape was the last team from Delaware to defeat the Sals; that came in the 2014 state tournament final.
The Jaguars (2-3) travel to Concord on Monday at 3:30 p.m.
