By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
There was no break for the varsity boys lacrosse team last week as the Whalers played six games in 11 days over the spring vacation. In the final stretch, Nantucket edged out Bourne 6-5 Friday, lost at Hanover 12-5 Saturday before returning home to defeat Bishop Stang 11-2 Tuesday.
 |
Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Ray DeCosta puts a shot on net during Tuesday's win over Bishop Stang. |
The Whalers improved to 9-2 overall this season and need only one win to secure a spot in the postseason tournament. Nantucket will be looking for that victory today as they travel to Bishop Connolly.
“Teams that do well when the weather gets warm in this state are the teams that improve throughout the season,” head coach Rick Blair said. “Every team in Massachusetts has players that are still learning how to play the game. Guys that stay focused and improve their individual game and improve within the team concept during the season are the teams that do well in the tournament. It is not necessarily the team that has the most all-stars on the first day of the season.”
The Whalers coaching staff has been preaching fundamentals all season and focused on balancing the field against Bishop Stang (2-4).
“It is very easy against some of these weaker opponents to not balance the field and get away with cheating, if you will, and take the easy goals that come. As we saw against Falmouth (in the 13-6 loss) and at Hanover, when you rely too much on individual play and you don’t practice the fundamentals, it can bite you in the tail end at the end of the day,” assistant coach Corey Gammill said.
The Whalers found the openings and made the right passes Tuesday as they ran away with the easy victory over the Spartans. Nantucket controlled possession for most of the game as goalie Joe Bopp saw only 10 shots on goal. The Whalers welcomed back a full defensive unit for the game including senior Hadi Nabulsi who made a made a big impact in keeping the Spartans away from the net.
The Whalers meanwhile put at least 25 shots on the Bishop Stang net.
Henry Farrell tallied three goals and two assists, while Taylor Thayer also scored three times in the win. Ray DeCosta added two goals and two assists, while Gaven Norton, Andrew Haddon and Curran Huyser scored single goals for the Whalers.
Henry Toole played well in the midfield for Nantucket.
 |
Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Curran Husyer gets a shove from a Bishop Stang midfielder during Tuesday's 11-2 victory. |
Playing their fifth game in seven days, the boys lacrosse team lost at Hanover Saturday.
Pat Lawlor, who beat the Whalers last season with three goals in the fourth quarter, scored seven times Saturday to again take down the Nantucket squad.
“We knew who he was, we just missed multiple slides on defense around the goal,” Blair said.
Otherwise the game was relatively even. The Indians won the face-off battle 12-10. The Whalers took 31 shots on net, and Hanover had a similar amount, the difference was in the placement.
“Their shots were from four or five feet in close and we basically had trouble initiating any offense off the dodge. We were looking to feed the crease and we forced a lot of passes in there,” Blair said.
Nantucket trailed 6-2 at the half and could not catch up. Farrell scored twice, while Norton, Haddon and Delroy Lawrence tallied one goal each. DeCosta contributed with two assists.
Toole and Teddy Fales continued solid play in the midfield.
“Over the vacation we seemed to slip a little bit in terms of focus. We played five games in one week. I think if we face Hanover in the tournament I think you would see a different outcome,” Blair said.
Two days after the first loss of the season to Falmouth, the Whalers got off to a slow start Friday at Bourne. Nantucket trailed 4-2 at the half, but were never out of it.
“There was never any sense of panic. We felt we were the better team, we just needed to start to play,” Blair said.
The Whalers patient offense stepped it up and started to convert on scoring opportunities. Thayer, Norton and DeCosta scored twice each, while Farrell tallied three assists and Lawrence added one.
Jamie Viera played a solid game with three shots on net and five ground balls. Lawrence continues to impress on the defensive end, leading the backfield in ground balls this season.
|
