WILMINGTON — Salesianum is headed back to the DIAA boys lacrosse championship game for the 17th consecutive season after a 16-8 win over Archmere in a semifinal on May 29 at Abessinio Stadium. The top-seeded Sals will meet No. 2 Cape Henlopen on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Delaware Military Academy.
Archmere was the tournament’s fifth seed despite beating the second, third and fourth seeds convincingly in the regular season, and that landed the Auks on the same side of the bracket as the Sals. The Auks had battled Salesianum during the regular season, and they stayed close for most of the first half in Wednesday’s matchup.
In fact, Miles Kempski opened the scoring three minutes in after two good defensive stands for Archmere. But Lucas Vahey tied it up just over a minute later, taking a loose ball in his defensive end and going the distance before scoring.
The teams were tied, 2-2, midway through the first when the Sals went a man up, and they took the momentum at that point. Luca Pompeii scored with the advantage, and the junior was just getting started. After winning the next faceoff, the Sals went on the offensive and scored some 30 seconds later to take a 4-2 lead. A faceoff violation on Archmere gave the ball to the Sals, and Pompeii recorded the natural hat trick, scoring high on the pass from Noah Driggs.
The Auks snapped Pompeii’s scoring streak on what appeared to be an own goal by the Sals, but Salesianum took advantage of an Archmere turnover to get that goal back. Pompeii notched his fourth of the first quarter with 2:12 to go, and the score was 6-3 after one.
The Sals continued the offensive surge into the second quarter. Auks goalie Zidane Brena — who had as good a night as anyone — turned away three Salesianum shots early in the quarter, but he had little chance when Elliot Dotson scored with the Sals a man up with 9:31 left in the half. The Sals then turned a faceoff win into another goal, as Rowyn Nurry found Driggs all alone to Brena’s left 50 seconds after the previous goal. Chase Cellucci made it three goals in 64 seconds, scoring with the long pole after a faceoff violation on Archmere.
Goals by Breandan Marley and Drew Duncan brought the Auks to within four, but the Sals got the next two. Marley wrapped up a physical first half, tucking the ball behind Sals goalie Cam Taylor while absorbing a cross check that sent him to the turf.
Salesianum’s Nurry and Pompeii scored the only two goals of the third quarter as the hosts slowed the game down. Brena made several more saves to help keep the Auks within striking distance, but they continued to be hurt by turnovers and a deliberate Sals offense. Taylor was called on to make one save.
The Sals had a man-up situation early in the fourth, and Driggs converted it after finding himself all alone in front. Aidan Mahoney found the net with 8:32 to go, but the Auks could get no closer.
Final statistics were not available early Thursday morning. Salesianum improved to 16-2. Their meeting with Cape in the title game will be the fifth straight between the two schools. The Sals defeated the Vikings, 18-4, in the regular-season finale in Lewes. Archmere finished the season 13-5, with both in-state losses coming at Salesianum.
This will be the 10th championship meeting for the Sals and Cape.
Photos by Mike Lang.
