Blue Devils Stun Ridgewood in OT for Title

GERNE NAILS OT WINNER, FERGUSON NETS 6 GOALS

Losing nearly all the face-offs gave the third-seeded, No. 14 Bridgewater-Raritan boys lacrosse team a distinct advantage and put undue pressure on the second-seeded, No. 9 Westfield Blue Devils’ defense and goalkeeper during the North Jersey, Group 4 semifinal at Gary Kehler Stadium in Westfield on June 3. But the Blue Devils’ defense and goalkeeper Corey Gilford rose to the occasion and battled off just enough attacks, while the offense came through with an overtime goal by Billy Gerne to jolt the 11-6 Panthers, 11-10.

Panther face-off specialist Daine Kostes definitely won the battle in the pit by winning 22 of 24 face-offs in addition to scooping 18 ground balls and adding a goal and an assist. The 13-5 Blue Devils did not win a faceoff until early in the third quarter. The defensive efforts of Blue Devils Mike Marshall (4 ground balls), Steve Csorba (2 ground balls), Ben Seward and Drew Pravlik (ground ball each) and Jack Paris, along with Gavin LaConti, Luke Angelo and company, came up big under the pressure as did Corey Gilford who recorded 15 saves.

Junior attacker Garrett Ferguson (ground ball) put in six goals for the Blue Devils and senior attacker Colin Coyle (ground ball) scored once and dished out four assists – three to Ferguson. Senior attacker Cody Lam (2 ground balls) scored twice and added an assist. Billy Gerne finished with two goals and two assists.

Brody Nussman netted a pair of goals and two assists for the Panthers. Jack Cifuentes fired in two goals. Nick DiEsso (7 ground balls), Andrew Childs, Alex Rahimi, Brady Millets and Vinny D’Alosio each scored once. Goalkeeper Cameron Kurdyla was also kept busy and recorded 14 saves. Bryce Lewandowski had six ground balls, while Dane Sorensen and Mikey Bratus each scooped three ground balls.

Despite losing all four face-offs in the first quarter, the Blue Devils won the quarter, 2-1, beginning with Coyle making good on a right side wraparound with 9:16 on the clock. Late in the quarter with 1:55 showing, Ferguson on an assist from Gerne, got into the act to up the lead to 2-0. Within 26 seconds, Kostes scored on an assist from Cifuentes.

Once again, the Blue Devils lost all six face-offs but won the second quarter, 3-2, for a 5-3 halftime lead. Lam slammed one home with 8:41 showing but less than a minute later, Nussman assisted D’Alosio on his goal. With the help of Gerne, Ferguson made good on an underhand shuffle two minutes later. Ferguson got an assist from Lam and nailed his third goal to stretch Westfield’s lead to 5-2 with 4:10 left in the half. With 1:38 remaining, Rahimi scored off a rebound.

The third quarter turned out to be a disaster for the Blue Devils as the Panthers would reel off four unanswered goals to seize a 7-5 lead. It took just 1:09 for Cifuentes to score on a jump shot then 42 seconds later Kostes assisted Millets on his goal to knot the score 5-5. Lightning flashed again just 19 seconds later when Kostes won the face-off and the ball got to Childs, who rattled the cage. With 6:59 on the clock, Cifuentes fired one in from 15 yards out to extend the Panthers’ lead to 7-5. Five minutes later, Lam finally stopped the streak with a sidearm slam. However within a span of 19 seconds, DiEsso got possession at midfield, made run toward the cage and scored. Ferguson returned the favor 25 seconds later (1:06 remaining) with a scoop and slam shot. In the waning seconds of the quarter, Marshall knocked the ball free and it rolled to Gerne, who struck gold to knot the score, 8-8, with just :01 showing.

The Blue Devils took a 9-8 lead one minute into the fourth quarter when Coyle from behind the Panther goal, set up Ferguson with his fifth goal. Nussman was credited with a goal 21 seconds later when the ball appeared to be knocked in by a defender after a scramble in front of the goal. The Coyle-to-Ferguson combo worked again with 8:16 left in regulation to put the Blue Devils in front 109 but with 6:49 remaining, Nussman scored on a left side stuff. Corey Gilford came through with one of his many key saves one minute before the quarter ended.

The four minute overtime period began with another Gilford save then with just 33 seconds showing, Gerne fired in his left side, sidearm goal for the game winner.

The victory set up a championship match with the top-seeded, No. 8 Ridgewood Maroon on June 5. The 17-3 Maroon reached the finals with respective wins over West Orange (23-0), Parsippany Hills (21-6) and Montclair (15-5). On May 5 in Westfield, Ridgewood edged the Blue Devils, 11-9.

This time, the Blue Devils took the Maroon to overtime and Coyle tucked in the game winner to earn 14-5 Westfield a 10-9 triumph and the North Jersey, Group 4 crown. Coyle finished with four goals, an assist and two ground balls. Christian Gilford had two goals and two assists. Lam scored twice and added an assist. Koby Waldman and Billy Gerne (ground ball) each had a goal and an assist. Laconti andAngelo each dished out an assist. Marshall scooped four ground balls and Csorba scooped three, while Ferguson and Seward each scooped two. Paris, Pravlik, Josh Caramagno and goalkeeper Corey Gilford, who recorded eight saves, each had one ground ball.

Will Yates, Charlie Merrick and Jack Schultz each scored twice and added an assist for the 17-4 Maroon. Jack Frers and AJ LoSauro each scored once and had an assist. Matt Hogan scored once and won 14 of 22 face-offs. Goalkeeper Matt Roughgarden recorded 10 saves.

The Blue Devils were to play South Jersey champs Eastern on June 8 at Hunterdon Central High School.

Bridgewater 1 2 5 2 0 10 Westfield 2 3 3 2 1 11 Westfield 2 3 2 2 1 10 Ridgewood 41310 9