Home Local Sports Salesianum School takes high-profile boys lacrosse battle over Cape Henlopen High School:...

Salesianum School takes high-profile boys lacrosse battle over Cape Henlopen High School: Photo gallery

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Jacob Schell of Cape Henlopen watches Salesianum goalie Cam Taylor control a Vikings shot. Taylor made a number of quality saves. Dialog photo/Mike Lang

WILMINGTON — Salesianum and Cape Henlopen have had a habit of playing close lacrosse games over the past few years as their programs, and when the programs met on May 1 at Abessinio Stadium, it was no different.

The Sals built up a lead as big as six goals during the third quarter and went on to a 10-6 win over the Vikings. The teams, who have met in the last three state championship games, drew a healthy crowd on a cool night at Abessinio.

Salesianum never trailed, but the game was another tight one with Cape. The first goal took a few minutes, but it was a nice one. Elliot Dotson came out from behind the net and dodged a defender before firing a shot that brushed off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net at the 10:22 mark.

After winning the ensuing faceoff, the Sals quickly doubled the lead. Luca Pompeii set up behind Cape goalie Mason Trench and spotted Rowyn Nurry moving in front. Nurry took the pass, deked to create space and scored short side with 9:33 left in the first.

Cape took advantage of its first man-up opportunity to score its first goal. The Vikings patiently worked the ball around the offensive zone. Finally, Luke Burton shot high and beat Sals goalie Cam Taylor.

For the next several minutes, Taylor and Trench put on a show in their respective nets. Trench stopped Nurry and Chase Black from short distances, and Taylor equaled him with a series of saves, including one on a Vikings two-on-one rush.

Nurry was able to score coming out of the X position with 3:34 to go in the first, and Pompeii added one of his own after the Sals won the next faceoff. Finally, Aidan Rupp connected on a counter after another stop by Taylor.

Each team scored twice in the second quarter, which featured a few long possessions and went six minutes before Cape scored

The Sals came out in the second half and increased their lead in another low-scoring quarter. Dotson fired a left-handed laser inside the far post at the 9:45 mark, and Nurry earned his hat trick on a man-up halfway through the period. Cody Trivits picked up Cape’s lone goal of the quarter, beating Taylor while being knocked to the turf with 2:42 remaining.

C.J. Fritchman won the faceoff to open the fourth and took it in for a goal, cutting the lead to four, much to the delight of the Cape Henlopen students who had made the trip north. But that was as close as they would get.

Nurry finished with three goals, while Pompeii had two. The Sals (8-3) host Malvern Prep (Pa.) on Saturday at noon in their final regular-season home game.

Six different Vikings scored. Cape (7-3) travels to Sussex Tech on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

All photos by Mike Lang.

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