For once, the Shaker boys lacrosse team found itself on the right side of a one-goal game.
Stefan Debkowski scored late in the first overtime period to lift the Blue Bison to a 7-6 victory over second-seeded Guilderland in Friday’s quarterfinal round of the Section II, Class A playoffs in Guilderland.
Shaker (5-14) scored twice in the second quarter to take a 2-0 halftime lead on Guilderland (16-3). The Dutchmen’s offense clicked in the second half, but the Blue Bison got key saves from goaltender Ken O’Connor and some clutch goals to force overtime.
Debkowski and Nick Smith each scored two goals, and O’Connor stopped 20 of the 26 shots he faced to help No. 10 Shaker advance to Tuesday’s semifinal against third-seeded Shenendehowa, which cruised past Saratoga 16-7 Friday.
Rory Nunamacher tallied twice, and Quinn Connell added a goal and three assists for Guilderland, which had reached the Class A finals each of the past three years.
Shen scored seven times in the first quarter and never looked back in dispatching Saratoga in its quarterfinal game. Jesse Elliot and Kevin Bloss each netted four goals, and Sean Sullivan added three goals and two assists for the Plainsmen.
Andy Morris and Dylan Nizolek tallied twice for Saratoga.
In other Class A quarterfinal action Friday, top-seeded Niskayuna and No. 4 Colonie advanced with impressive victories. Niskayuna downed Columbia 14-3, while Colonie outscored Christian Brothers Academy 8-1 in the second half to pull out a 13-7 win.
Mark Panneton led Niskayuna’s offense with five goals and an assist. Jared Franze and Steve D’Amario each scored four times, and Dan McKinney added four assists.
Colonie trailed 6-3 late in the first half of its game against CBA before getting on track with two goals late in the second quarter. The Garnet Raiders then took the lead for good with less than four minutes left in the third quarter.
Garrett Dollard, D.J. O’Connell and Dan Sofia each had hat tricks for Colonie, which advanced to its first semifinal appearance in two decades. Andrew Vivian scored four goals for CBA.
Colonie meets Niskayuna Tuesday at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.`