Sports
Marblehead Doubles up the Big Blue in Thursday's Lacrosse Game
Alex Whitmore scored three goals for the Marblehead boys' lacrosse team Thursday afternoon in a 6-3 win over Swampscott.
The Big Blue lacrosse team kept Marblehead’s Alex Whitmore off the score sheet in the first half, but the second half was a completely different story.
The senior co-captain whipped three goals by Swampscott goalie Mark McMahon in the second half of Thursday’s Northeastern Conference match-up, powering the Headers to a 6-3 win in Swampscott.
The Headers beat Gloucester heading into Thursday’s game, while Swampscott was riding a four-game winning streak, and they hoped to make up some ground in the standings with a win over MHS.
Marblehead (8-2) scored first, with 1:07 to play in the first quarter. Ian Maag was directly in front of the Swampscott net, about fifteen feet out, when he fired a low shot past McMahon.
The Headers went up 2-0 at 10:27 of the second quarter, on a nice individual effort by Jacob Maselek. Maselek took the ball to the left of the cage, spun around to his forehand and buried a shot by McMahon.
Marblehead dominated play early on, with Swampscott’s play improving late in the first quarter and into the second quarter. The Blue were rewarded with 5:43 to play in the half when Matt Gambale scored his 10th goal of the season.
Both of the goalies were playing well, Wilson Lautner had six saves for Marblehead in the first half, McMahon turned away seven shots for Swampscott.
McMahon had Whitmore’s number in the first half, stopping the senior four times, twice from right in front of the cage.
Swampscott tied the game at 2-2 at 9:10 of the third quarter on a goal by Adam Samborn. Swampscott broke into the Marblehead zone with a three-on-two rush led by Sean Lannon. Lannon got the ball from Josh Rothwell and he fed Samborn for the equalizer.
That second goal was the end of the Swampscott highlights on the afternoon, as Whitmore took over after it was tied at two.
Chris McLeod passed the ball to Maag who gave it to Whitmore near the side of the net, and he made it 3-2 with 4:35 left in the third quarter.
Whitmore’s second goal just 42 seconds later made the score 4-2 Marblehead, and that was all Lautner would need in the net.
Brian Gellert made it 5-2 at 8:28 of the fourth quarter, skimming a low, hard shot along the grass into the far corner of the net.
The Big Blue had a two-man advantage for 30 seconds after a Marblehead slash and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Lannon scored off a pass from Billy Valle with 6:27 left in the game, but that was the end of the Swampscott scoring.
Whitmore completed his hat trick with 2:34 to play, blasting a shot by McMahon's right side, making the final 6-3 in favor of the Headers.
Wilson Lautner finished with 15 saves for Marblehead, his counterpart in the Big Blue net Mark McMahon, stopped 18 shots.
Marblehead takes on Hamilton-Wenham at home on Saturday; Swampscott (5-5) hosts Weston at noon on Saturday.
