Prepared by DAVID B. CORBIN
The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School boys lacrosse team and the New Providence Pioneers were engaged in a close match-up for three quarters but the Raiders caught fire with a 5-2 run in the fourth quarter to grab a 12-8 victory in Scotch Plains on April 15. Two days later the Raiders hosted a very formidable opponent, the Delbarton Green Wave, and were overcome, 13-8.
The early part of the game against the Pioneers was controlled by strong defense on the part of both teams then finally with 1:18 left in the first quarter, Ben Filler ripped one into the net to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Then with 12 seconds showing, midfielder Colin Kochanowicz on an assist from Cooper Dupuis made the score 2-0. Each team scored once in the second quarter. Both teams opened up on offense in the second half, scoring four goals each in the third quarter until the 3-3 Raiders gained the upper hand in the fourth.
Attacker Aidan Fairweather finished with three goals, an assist and a ground ball for the Raiders. Attacker Colin McAuliffe netted two goals, two assists and two ground balls. Midfielder Jack Wall netted two goals and an assist. Filler finished with two goals and a ground ball. Kochanowicz also had an assist and Dupuis scooped three ground balls. Attacker Nick Homer recorded a goal and two assists. Jake Timchak contributed an assist.
Face-off specialist Ryan Mauer won 14 of 20 face-offs and scooped nine ground balls. Defenders Caden Matulonis and Caleb McDowell each scooped five ground balls. Jake Lukko and Connor Scarpa each had four ground balls. Matt Iannotta won one of two face-offs. Callum Fynes scooped three ground balls. Goalkeeper Joe Marranca recorded 11 saves.
TJ Munn notched a hat trick and scooped three ground balls for the 43 Pioneers. Jackson Benward finished with two goals, an assist and a ground ball. Jackson Zarinko had a goal, assist and five ground balls. Mike Henry finished with a goal and five ground balls. Goalkeeper Andrew Gullo recorded eight saves. The situation was much different against the Green Wave, whose only two losses were to out of state opponents. Delbarton zoomed to an 8-2 lead at the half but the Raiders found a chink in its armor to score five goals in the third quarter to tighten the score to 9-7 but the Green Wave repaired the chink in the final quarter.
McAuliffe notched five goals and scooped five ground balls for the 3-4 Raiders. Fairweather had a pair of goals and an assist. Wall finished with a goal, two assists and two ground balls. Homer had an assist and two ground balls. Mauer (7 ground balls) won 14 of 23 face-offs. Lukko scooped six ground balls. Matulonis and Louis Kelly each had five ground balls. McDowell had three ground balls, while Ryan Scarpa, Filler and Fynes each had one. Goalkeeper Matt Krantz recorded nine saves.
Asher Testa notched four goals for Delbarton. Willie Doyle had two goals and two assists. Luke Carrillo scored twice. Jack Sartorius had a goal and two assists. Andrew Johnson had a goal and an assist. Bob Cusimano and Ryan Trafford each scored once.Alex Schobel, Ryan McLane, Peter Falk, Luke Campbell and Gabe Reiter each contributed an assist.
