Friday, April 22, 2011

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Mark Glicini scored the last of his 5 goals with 3:18 left in overtime to give Mahwah a thrilling 12-11 win over Don Bosco Prep.

MAHWAH – So much happened during the 48 minutes of regulation. There was Mahwah’s dominant third quarter in which it controlled possession, scored six straight goals and took a four-goal lead. There was Don Bosco prep’s comeback that saw the Ironmen score five straight goals to battle back in front. There were three tie scores in the final 5:04, the last of which came when Bosco’s Anthony DiSanzo scored off a rebound with just 15 seconds remaining.

But even after all of that, nothing mattered except the faceoff, the one that would start the sudden death overtime period and the one that would decide which team would get the first shot at the game-winning goal. The responsibility fell to Mahwah’s Joe Kearney.

“You zone everything out and nothing matters except getting that ball,” said Kearney, who battled Bosco’s Max Troast all afternoon in the midfield trench. “I don’t care what the other guy was doing; all I was concentrating on was that little white ball. I had to get it because that was probably going to decide the game.”

Max Allen scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter to spur Bosco's comeback.

Technically, Kearney didn’t win the draw as Troast dug it out and pushed the ball toward Bosco’s offensive half. But Kearney never gave up, hustling in from behind to steal his team the opening possession of the overtime and the only one it needed.

Mahwah needed two shots, both by attacker Mark Glicini. His first one from about 10 yards out sailed just high and wide of the mark, but the Thunderbirds maintained possession and Glicini made the adjustment. From just about the same spot after a run straight down the middle, Glicini picked the upper right for the game-winner in Mahwah’s 12-11 win in a battle of two of Bergen County’s top lacrosse teams on Thursday at Mahwah High School.

“To get that goal in overtime with the game on the line, there is nothing better,” said Glicini, the Mahwah senior who will play his college lacrosse at Yale University. “It was heartbreaking when we were up by so much and then have them comeback, but I told the fellas that we had to get the momentum back and to get the crowd back in the game. It didn’t matter what the circumstances were that led to overtime, we had to get it done when we got there.”

It was an entertaining game from the get-go with both teams having their chances to put the hammer down. Bosco (8-2), which came into the game having won all eight of its previous matches against New Jersey competition and fresh off a victory over perennial power Mountain Lakes, had a 4-3 lead at the half and scored first in the second half when Connor Scavone swooped in from the left and scored to give his team a two-goal lead.

Joe Kearney won the faceoff that set up Mahwah's winning possession in overtime.

Just when it looked like Bosco was taking control, Mahwah roared back behind Glicini. After Ryan Magher scored to get the T-Birds to within one, Glicini ran off three straight goals, the last on a pretty play in traffic in front. Glicini went high to cup Anthony Mordaga’s pass from behind the net and, in one motion, bounced in a short-hopper on his way down for a 7-5 Mahwah lead with 1:24 to go in the third quarter.

All of a sudden it looked like Mahwah was going to finish the game on an enchanted run as Dan Buonocore, a senior who lettered in golf the last two seasons, scored his first varsity lacrosse goal when he took the rolling ball off the faceoff and sliced in to make it 8-5. Bob Collins then scored with less than one second left in the third quarter and the T-Birds had their largest lead of the game heading into the final 12 minutes.

“We knew it wasn’t over at that point because of the quality that Don Bosco presents on the field. They have a great coaching staff and great players and they were coming off a win over [Mountain] Lakes,” said Mahwah head coach Ernie Yenco. “We knew it wasn’t over at that point.”

It certainly wasn’t as Bosco’s Max Allen scored twice in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, DiSanzo added a goal with 6:31 to play to get the Ironmen to within 9-8 and Noah Duguay’s rip from the top tied the score with 5:04 left in regulation. After giving up six straight goals, Don Bosco responded with five straight of its own and, when Matt King scored off a spin move with 3:39 left, the Ironmen had a 10-9 lead.

Bosco keeper Dan Whittam making one of his 10 saves.

“We have had some success but we are still only a third year program and we are still learning how to play at the highest level. It can be frustrating at times,” said Yenco, whose team is the defending Bergen County champion. “We were up 9-5 and you don’t necessarily expect a comeback, but you should against a team like Bosco. We just had to regroup and put together some quality possessions.”

Mahwah got two quality possessions courtesy of two faceoff wins by Kearney. His first set up Collins’ equalizer with 2:43 left in regulation and his second, just 22 seconds later, led to a Glicini charge down the middle and an 11-10 Mahwah lead.

The two teams then traded turnovers and Bosco got the last possession of the fourth quarter. After a timeout with 53 seconds to go, Jason Yates got off the first shot at the equalizer only to be turned aside by Mahwah goaltender Mike Spera. But, in the right place at the right time, DiSanzo cleaned up the rebound to knot the game at 11 and force overtime and the all important faceoff that was stolen by Kearney.

“With Joe Kearney it seems like the more pressure he is under, the tougher he gets and it is amazing to see. He knew we needed to win possession and he was going to do that anyway he could,” said Yenco. “He never gave up and we use the word “Resiliency” around here a lot and that was what it was. He was resilient at the most important time.”

With possession secured, Mahwah went to Glicini twice. The first time he shot high, the second was right on target. Mahwah improved to 5-1 on the season and got its first signature win of the 2011 campaign. There will be chances for others as the T-Birds take on Ramapo on Saturday and then get their own shot at Mountain Lakes on April 30.

“These three games – Bosco, Ramapo and Mountain Lakes – are all we have been talking about. These three games are all that have been on my mind when I go to sleep at night,” said Glicini. “We got this one and if we can get the next two I know we are going to take it all.”

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