WILMINGTON – The top-seeded Salesianum lacrosse team let No. 8 Wilmington Friends hang around for a quarter when they met May 24 in a DIAA quarterfinal matchup Abessinio Stadium, but the Sals owned the second quarter and rolled to a 19-2 win and a berth in the semifinals on May 28. The Sals led, 4-2, after the first 12 minutes, but they found the back of the net 14 times in the second to take control.
The Sals will meet No. 5 Caesar Rodney on May 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Delaware Military Academy.
Drew Motta got the Sals going in the first minute. Salesianum turned a steal into the first goal, as Drew Motta took a pass from Mitch Cummings (St. John the Beloved Parish) and beat Quakers goalie Ethan Lukach. The Sals’ defense smothered Friends all day, and a check that caused a loose ball led to the team’s second goal, scored by Chris Cobb.
Andrew Forman got the Quakers on the board less than a minute later, sneaking a shot by the Sals’ Cam Taylor. Luca Pompeii (St. Mary of the Assumption Parish) answered for the Sals after being knocked to the turf, but when Joey Winchell cashed in after a Salesianum turnover, the Quakers trailed by just one midway through the first.
That, however, would be the last Friends goal. Richard Jewell added the last goal of the first, and the avalanche of goals came in the second. Pompeii scored just 14 seconds into the quarter after a faceoff win, and Cobb hit from close range after finding himself alone in front. Three goals in a 51-second span helped the Sals pull away.
Final statistics for Salesianum were not available early Sunday. The Sals improved to 14-2 with the win.
Lukach had 15 saves for Friends, which finished the season 11-6.
Photos by Mike Lang.
