Not every Suburban Council boys lacrosse team can do what Guilderland did Saturday night.
The Dutchmen traveled to Section I power Lakeland-Panas and pulled out an 8-7 overtime victory over the previously unbeaten Hornets.
It was great for us, said Guilderland coach Sean McConaghy. `After last year’s start with a couple of losses to go down there and compete with them is great.`
The game didn’t start well for Guilderland’s defense. Lakeland-Panas ` the No. 17 ranked class A team in the state ` jumped on the Dutchmen early with six goals in the first quarter. Only a four-goal effort from Guilderland’s offense kept the Dutchmen within striking distance.
`It looked like it was going to be a high-scoring game, but luckily for us, our defense woke up,` said McConaghy.
As Guilderland’s defense put the clamps on Lakeland-Panas’ offense, the Dutchmen’s offense patiently looked for openings to exploit. The strategy worked, as Guilderland steadily chipped away at the deficit until Aaron Cahill tied the game at 7 late in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Powers took over the hero’s role in overtime. The junior scored with less than 1:30 left in the extra period to give the Dutchmen the victory.
`He was hurt all pre-season, and he didn’t even play against Colonie (in the season opener),` McConaghy said of Powers, who finished with two goals and an assist.
Cahill and Rory Nunamacher each added a pair of goals, and goaltender Nick Koss stopped 12 of the 19 shots he faced to help the Dutchmen hand Lakeland-Panas its first loss of the season. Jack Dougherty led the Hornets with two goals and three assists.
The momentum from Saturday night’s victory carried over into Monday’s Suburban Council game with Saratoga Springs, as Guilderland pulled away for an 11-5 victory. Nunamacher paced the Dutchmen with a hat trick, while Cahill, Paul Jones and E.J. Genzano each tallied twice. Koss stopped 17 shots to pick up the win in goal.
Chris Adams, Matt Crimmins, Nico Cortese, Dylan Nizolek and Ryan Quinn scored for Saratoga.
Guilderland has a tough stretch ahead of it. The Dutchmen visit Ballston Spa Wednesday to face the 4-1 Scotties, and then they travel to Latham Friday for a game against a Shaker team that took defending Section II, Class A champion Niskayuna to overtime Monday before losing 7-6. The stretch ends next Tuesday when Guilderland visits Niskayuna in a rematch of last year’s title game.“