Busy week ends on winning note for Haverford School
HAVERFORD >> Any week that ends with a Haverford School-Episcopal Academy showdown on the lacrosse field is bound to be hectic for the schools’ players.
But when the teams went their separate ways after Friday’s 15-8 decision comprehensively in the host Fords’ favor, this week seemed more historic than most capped by a rivalry collision.
The week jumped off the calendar in preseason for Haverford School, with presumptive Inter-Ac co-favorite Malvern Prep Tuesday and the home game against EA looming at week’s end. When that first affair sensationally lived up to expectations — Tommy McNamara scoring with three seconds left, the fifth straight unanswered goal in the fourth quarter to help the Fords storm back for a 10-9 win — Haverford School faced the challenge of regrouping in time for its rivals.
“What we like to say is that for 24 hours, we like to enjoy that,” said McNamara, who had a goal and an assist Friday. “And after that, it’s back to business. We circle EA and we get ready for that just like any other game. Just come out and try to do our best.”
Instead of an emotional letdown, the Fords (7-3, 2-0 Inter-Ac) used the torrid finish at Malvern as the template. Seeking to deprive the game of that level of intrigue, they jumped out early, scoring six straight goals after EA defenseman Matt Blommer’s opener to gain a stranglehold they never relinquished. Episcopal cut the lead to three early in the second half when Cole Johnson’s first goal of two made it 8-5, but Haverford scored three of the next four to erase any doubt.
“Before the game, we were just saying, ‘let’s play like it’s Malvern fourth quarter, every single quarter,’” midfielder Keyveat Postell said. “We were super hyped to play. We want to play how we did at the end of the Malvern game every single game, and I think we did today.”
The loss drops Episcopal Academy to 1-7 on the season, indicative of the difficult run of bad injury luck it’s endured, with 90 points from last season (via Eric Haab and Jake Martellucci), plus the midfield minutes of CJ McAnally confined to the bench.
Garno from Nostrant up 2 men at 2:31 of the third. 11-6 Haverford School. pic.twitter.com/Alm9487a4e
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) April 15, 2016
The group was dealt an extra curve this week when coach Andy Hayes informed the school of his intention to step down at season’s end after 12 years at the helm, the first 10 of which he was also a teacher at the high school before devoting himself full-time as the CEO of NXT Sports.
“It was very tough,” Hayes said. “The decision just really revolves around being able to be on campus every day, and obviously I thought there for a long time. Teaching there and coaching there is very important, and it’s hard being an outside coach.”
That rollercoaster — from four-one goal losses (two in overtime) as part of six setback to start the season, to Tuesday’s 10-2 win over Penn Charter for victory No. 1, to news of Hayes’ impending departure — dumped the Churchmen at the feet of the Fords.
“It’s been a tough season,” Blommer said. “We’ve had guys injured, and our top scorers being gone, having another loss of our coach and going through those emotions, it’s tough to bounce back and play a huge game today. We just didn’t have it. We played against a good team, and we didn’t finish.”
Through all the adversity and surprises, the teams manufactured 48 minutes of entertaining lacrosse. The craziness started three minutes in when Blommer was clearing EA’s zone. The defenseman spied Haverford goalie Alex DeMarco wandering out of his crease to close down passing lanes and loaded up a 70-yard bullet straight into the net.
“All week, we’ve been practicing the 10-man ride and clearing against that,” Blommer said. “We have a play called the ‘chaz’ where you shoot it. I just shot it, tried to score and got it in there.”
It wouldn’t be long until Haverford’s offense took over, though. Postell led the parade with five goals and an assist, providing the vital movement off the ball that capitalized on all the space that EA’s defense devoted to Forry Smith and Dox Aitken.
Cole Johnson scores man up. Gab Furey the feed. Fords lead cut to 8-5 pic.twitter.com/yaJzq1njRW
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) April 15, 2016
Though EA’s top two defenders, Blommer and Drew Silvera, minimized the contributions of the two attacking stars, keeping Smith to two goals and two assists and Aitken to a solitary marker, the Fords overwhelmed EA with waves of attackers pouncing on the space opened by those two.
“Of course I appreciate it because they draw a slide and I’m sitting on the crease,” Postell said. “When teams give a lot of attention to Dox and Forry, I’m doing my best to keep moving the ball around and keep dodging, go hard, because they’re going to get tired from so much attention.”
“I think we had our eyes too much on (Smith and Aitken), two great players,” Blommer said. “I think we got caught ball-watching a lot, and they have so many threats that it’s tough to defend.”
Dox Aitken, too strong. 4-1 Fords. 10.8 left in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/SjBiYXr9qA
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) April 15, 2016
Beyond the main themes, the game featured all the outstanding play you’d expect from two of the top programs in the era. Three long-pole goals were scored, two by Blommer and one by Haverford’s Chris Hervada. Despite big days from Johnny Nostrant (two goals, two assists) and freshman Peter Garno (two goals), EA’s Jake Floyd Jones impressed in goal, stopping 14 shots despite spraining his ankle in a collision just before halftime that forced his exit with four minutes to play.
With this early challenge out of the way, the outlook for both teams involve how this week will shape what remains of their season and their Inter-Ac aspirations.
“The season kind of started over with Malvern,” McNamara said. “We went 1-0 getting that win. Now, this game is just all about going 2-0 in the league and coming out and playing hard.”
“We’ve just got to stay positive,” Blommer said. “Keep working hard and try to keep everyone focused on one goal, which is to win an Inter-Ac championship.”
Forry Smith from Brendan O’Neill man up. 12-6 Fords. pic.twitter.com/V2siHqF1Pc
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) April 15, 2016
