Islanders Top Crusaders in Final Two Minutes

NARRAGANSETT—The Prout School boys lacrosse team trailed for just 1:21 of the second half in Tuesday’s game with Middletown High at Domenic Christofaro Park.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, it just happened to be the final 1:21 of the fourth quarter that they trailed in their 5-4 loss to the Islanders.

“That was a tough game, I knew that it was going to be difficult,” Prout head coach Timothy Ryan said.  “They’re a good program, they’ve come a real long way in the past few years.”

Prout held a 4-3 lead at halftime behind three first half goals from junior Edwin Sheehan, and maintained their one-goal advantage heading into fourth after a scoreless third quarter.

“Edwin’s a good player, and I think everybody knows that, he’s been around for awhile,” Ryan said.  “He’s a good athlete, he’s got pretty good fundamentals and when he can get his hand free and get separation he’s a pretty good shooter.”

The Crusaders lead would have probably ballooned to a greater advantage had it not been for the play of sophomore Connor McGrath in net for the Islanders.

“Connor McGrath is five-foot two, but he’s all heart.  The kid just plays really hard,” Middletown coach Richard Formica said. 

The Islanders also clamped down on defense, holding the Crusaders scoreless in the second half.

“They got a little more motivated from a halftime speech, let’s put it that way,” Formica said.  “Defense is about heart, motivation and pride, and they got a little bit more motivated and prideful about their defense.”

Middletown was then able to square up the game at 4-4 with 8:06 still to play, setting up the game-winning goal from senior Field Martin with 1:21 left in the game.

“I got the pass, and all I could think about was putting the ball in the back of the net to make my team win,” Martin said.  “I’ve never had a game-winner, so I just felt could to put my team on top.”

The Crusaders made a desperate attempt to get the equalizer, but the horn sounded just before Sheehan released a shot from about 20 yards out.

Prout (0-2 Division-II South, 0-2 overall) will look to earn its first win of the season when they take on cross-town rival South Kingstown High Thursday at 3:45 p.m. at Curtis Corner Middle School.

“We need other guys to step up and that hasn’t really happened yet, which is kind of the frustrating thing,” Ryan said.  “We’re still relying on just a couple of guys, I need more people to step up and until that happens I don’t think that we’re going to reach the level that we’re really capable of.”

The Islanders (3-1 D-II South, 4-2 overall) will take the rest of the week off before returning to action next Tuesday when they host the Rebels at 6 p.m. at Middletown High School.

“We’ve just got to keep improving every day, that’s our motto,” Formica said.  “This team is a young team, and it’s a matter of the coaching staff and the couple of seniors that we do have keeping them even keeled.”