Smyth, Springfield stop Haverford

HAVERFORD >> With 20 seconds left on the clock in the third quarter Thursday, Pat Smyth convened a regular meeting around the Springfield crease after a goal.

This one, though, was particularly comprehensive. Haverford’s Bobby McClure had liberated himself from two defenders after a pick, the product of the attackman’s slipperiness and miscommunication by the Cougars, to tie the teams’ District One boys lacrosse second-round game.

“I was just taking responsibility because it was my fault, that goal,” senior All-Delco defender Smyth said. “I just wanted to let them know that it wasn’t going to happen again.”

Smyth made sure it wouldn’t, spearheading a fourth-quarter goose egg that sent the No. 10 seed Cougars to a 7-5 win over the No. 7 Fords Thursday night.

Springfield’s late stinginess stemmed in part from that cage conclave. Smyth gathered the six defensive players around goalie James Spence and offered a refresher, as much for himself as anyone, on switching picks behind the net and calling out assignments.

The St. John’s commit didn’t pass along any novel info. But Springfield’s adjustments in that moment epitomized how they adapted to Haverford’s attack all game.

The Fords went ahead just 34 seconds in when no one hampered Nick DiIorio from taking a pass near midfield, getting a 30-yard running start to his split-dodge and bouncing home a shot past Spence. When DiIorio tried the same move a possession later, midfielder Matt Ries, who scored in the second quarter, made sure it was no sale.

Smyth was primarily tasked with shadowing McClure, who had beaten him for three goals and two assists in the last meeting May 5. But Smyth tweaked his approach, as did Zac Methlie in marking faceoff man Luke McCallion (four goals last time). The result was just one goal and one assist for the 100-point man McClure, while Haverford (15-5) was limited to a mere three shots in the fourth quarter.

“Bobby’s a great player, obviously,” Smyth said. “He’s a tough cover. Last time, I was a little bit too hyped up for the game, trying to do more than I really should’ve. This time, I just needed to relax. The coaches told me to relax, kind of sit back and don’t try to do too much. It worked.”

Kyle Long solo. Springfield up 6-5. 7:05 left. pic.twitter.com/7YMu4KkFj9

— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) May 20, 2016

On the other end, Springfield (14-6) modified its plan of attack to meet Haverford’s changing defense, earning a date in Saturday’s quarterfinal against No. 2 seed Spring-Ford. Haverford quieted Mike Gerzabek, outside of a long-range goal with 1:21 left in the third quarter. Though they didn’t man-mark as exhaustively as Springfield, their six-man defense limited opportunities and caused turnovers.

They also took away Springfield’s bread-and-butter, the skip pass inspired by Kyle Long’s superior field vision. Long still managed three assists in the first three quarters — including two man-up feeds to Joe DeBernardi and a silky pass to Mike Vent on the crease that Vent needed only place over off-balance goaltender Danny Tierney’s shoulder.

Long to DeBernardi again. Again man up. 3-all. 2:02 to half. pic.twitter.com/fbS68IDwjk

— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) May 19, 2016

With Springfield extending possessions and patiently probing the defense in the fourth quarter, Long knew it was time to go it alone, getting a step on his marker down the right channel with 7:05 to play for what proved to be the game-winner.

“When they got to that type of game like that where they’re not sliding very fast and they’re letting you go, you have to take advantage of the non-slide, get to the net,” the sophomore said. “You let a few fly, and even if you miss, they still have to adjust because the threat’s there.”

Sustained offensive success proved elusive for Haverford, despite plenty of the ball with McCallion’s 11-for-17 day at the X. He scored late in the first and second quarters, and Billy Farrell cashed in back-and-forth play with a goal at 4:25 of the third to put the Fords up, 4-3.

But turnovers torpedoed the Fords in the fourth quarter, overeager to push the ball recklessly in the scant possessions allotted by Springfield’s deliberate approach.

“It’s tough,” McCallion said. “It can’t be an excuse though, and we’ve got to be able to bounce back, and that’s something we need to work on next year.”

There’s a silver lining for Haverford. It contended for a Central League title until the next-to-last week of the season and earned its first playoff win since at least the early 1990s, per coach and former player Dan Greenspun. That their season had to end Tuesday is the cold reality of the state’s (and one of the nation’s) deepest tournaments.

“We’re all on a pedestal now,” McCallion said. “We’re not the underdog anymore. We set a standard for ourselves, and I’m looking forward to coming back next year and trying to reach that standard or even surpass it.”

Springfield continues to embrace its underdog persona. The defending District One champion Cougars were written off by many after a 1-5 start, but are playing as well as anyone.

“I have all the confidence in the world,” Smyth said. “In all the defenders, coaches and all the players on the team, we all can make adjustments.”