Sports
Late Barrage Can't Lift Dodgers Boys Lax in MCT Final
Dodgers score three unanswered goals to close within two, but Kinnelon takes county title.
Despite a four-goal, fourth-quarter barrage, the Madison High School lacrosse team fell to Kinnelon, 9-4, in the Morris County Tournament finals at Fairleigh Dickinson University on Tuesday night.
"We waited a long time to get moving," head coach Mark Sweeney said after the game. "It's hard to start in the fourth quarter and get moving."
Sweeney's assessment was dead on, as the Madison offense struggled to get anything going throughout the first three quarters.
Find out what's happening in Madisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The times that Madison would control the ball in their offensive zone would see them force passes and strain to get shots past Kinnelon goalie–and tournament MVP–Matthew Diaco.
"We were trying to do little one-on-ones instead of playing as a team. That's not our game," Sweeney said.
Find out what's happening in Madisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In the first half, the Dodgers defense looked strong, allowing only two goals–both to Kinnelon attacker Joe Burek–but struggled to fend off Kinnelon later in the game, giving up three goals in the third quarter.
"We had some opportunities early on," Sweeney said. "I thought our defense played very well in the first half, but our shots didn't fall."
But something happened in the fourth quarter as Madison–losing 5-0–began its onslaught starting with captain Charlie Oldendorp scoring on a pass from junior attacker Colin McLinden.
After another Kinnelon goal made the score 6-1, Madison's Chad Smith got the Dodgers within four, scoring on another assist from McLinden.
McLinden would win the ensuing faceoff, leading to yet another Madison goal–this one from captain Austen Lein–making the score 6-3.
Another faceoff win by McLinden–his third in a row–created Madison's fourth goal of the day, scored by Will Stuhler. And with that, it looked like the once anemic Madison offense could pull off the unthinkable win.
But Madison would be unable to finish, as an Oldendorp shot off of the post would be the Dodgers' last chance of the game.
"In the end, we were able to make some passes, and if a couple of goals fell early it might be different," Sweeney said. "We started moving the ball and feeding cutters and that was what we wanted to do, but we didn't early on."
Kinnelon would tack on three goals late in an already decided game.
"Hopefully we see them again in the states," Sweeney said.
