VIDEO: Boys' Lacrosse Team Races Past Wilmington

If you like lacrosse games filled with goals and physical play, then Tuesday's game at between the Generals and the Wilmington Wildcats was perfect for you.

The two teams were tied at three after one quarter, but then Hamilton-Wenham's experience took over. The Generals pumped five goals past Wilmington netminder Adam Siegel to go ahead 8-3 at halftime, and they never looked back, winning by the final score of 12-6.

Wilmington (5-3) came into the conference game looking to bounce back from league losses to Pentucket and Newburyport, while the Generals were trying to get a modest winning streak going after last week's .

Both teams are slotted in the Small Division of the Cape Ann League. The Wildcats got on the board first at 11:04 when Peter Leighton set up Brian Priem, who whipped a shot past Hamilton-Wenham goalie Luke Drieze. Priem had a hat trick for the visitors Tuesday afternoon.

The Wilmington lead lasted for 44 seconds, with Eliot Burr answering for the home team to even the score up at one.

"This was one of the better games we played offensively," Generals coach Jim LaSelva said. "I was pleased with the effort today, from the goalie on out."

Hamilton-Wenham's Trevor Lyons and Eddie Frick traded goals with Leighton and Priem and the score was all even at the end of the first quarter.

Hamilton-Wenham came out smoking in the second quarter, moving ahead 4-3, on Frick's second goal of the game at 10:56. Spencer Bergholtz scored twice and Taylor Drinkwater and Drieze scored single goals for the 8-3 halftime lead.

The goal by Drieze was the highlight of the first half; the goalie made a save in front of his own net, and raced down the length of the field, and fired a shot past Siegel. Drieze seemed to catch Wilmington off guard, the Wildcats backing off the goalie, thinking he would pass the ball - he didn't - and Hamilton-Wenham was up by five goals heading into halftime.

Wilmington played much better in the third quarter, scoring twice, but the damage on the scoreboard was already done. Burr, Frick and Bergholtz all picked up hat tricks with goals in the third quarter, finishing out the scoring for Hamilton-Wenham.

Nick Neff replaced Drieze in goal in the fourth quarter and made several nice stops with Wilmington trying desperately to cut into the Generals lead.

With 4:16 to go in the game Wilmington's Priem made the final 12-6, the Generals getting their fourth win of the year.

"We've got a young team, and Hamilton-Wenham's experience was really a factor today," Wilmington coach Mike Fay said after the game. "We tried to chip away at their lead, but we just couldn't close the gap."

Hamilton-Wenham (4-2) travels on Friday afternoon, April 29, for a 4 p.m. start, looking for their fifth win of the season.

The Generals next home game is Wednesday, May 4, at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School at 4 p.m. against Cape Ann League rival Ipswich.

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