Faced with the possibility of a damaging defeat at Tully last Tuesday night, the state Class C no. 17-ranked Mustangs put together yet another fourth-quarter comeback that led to a 12-10 victory over the Black Knights.
Tully, led by Drew McNerney (four goals) and Nick Edinger (two goals, two assists), dominated the first half, roaring out to a 7-4 lead. But it peaked too early and Marcellus, having shown in the past it could play at its best with a late deficit, did so again.
The Mustangs pulled within one by the fourth quarter and then outscored the Black Knights 4-1 in the final period, watching Dan Cusick stop most of the shots he faced on his way to 18 saves overall.
Ross Filtch paced the attack and finished with four goals, Shane Rohe scored twice and added a pair of assists, with Matt Hutchings getting two goals and one assist. Kieran Tierney had one goal and one assist as Gabe Van Order, Matt Reich and Tim O’Sullivan also found the net, with Nate Garlow contributing an assist.
Marcellus knew it could not take red-hot LaFayette lightly on Thursday night, and it did not – but a poor start eventually cost the Mustangs in a tense 15-14 defeat.
The Lancers, once 1-6 before winning five straight entering this game, had its way with the Marcellus defense as it roared to an 8-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. But the Mustangs weren’t rattled, roaring back to get even, 9-9, at halftime before a tense, closely played second half.
Hutchings augmented his four goals with five assists as Donovan also scored four times. Van Order added three goals, with Filtch converting twice and earning an assist. Rohe had three assists and Reich got one goal and one assist.
All of this, plus Cusick’s 17 saves, didn’t save the Mustangs from a LaFayette effort that included Devon Buckshot and Jordyn Marchiano each picking up four goals and Ian Evans adding three goals and one assist. Between them, Lancers goalies Bert White and Nate Nicholas had 16 saves.
Having won an overtime thriller at CBA on April 28, Westhill crashed in last Tuesday’s game at Penn Yan, where the state Class C no. 7-ranked Warriors were humbled in a 12-2 defeat to the no. 6-ranked Mustangs. Both of the Warriors’ goals came in the first half, but Penn Yan still went up 7-2 and, with airtight defense, pulled away late.
Given that, the Warriors were quite glad to see Jordan-Elbridge on Thursday night, and rode a big second quarter to a 17-6 victory over the Eagles.
What was a 5-3 lead expanded when Westhill burned J-E for seven unanswered goals in the second quarter. Ryan Zimmerman led the push, earning five assists to go with his pair of goals.
Casey Rogers scored four times and added an assist, with Hunter Waddington, Luke McAnaney and Jack Miller each scoring twice. Matt McAnaney had a goal and two assists as Owen Matukas and Nick French also found the net.
Only Dylan Dunham had multiple goals for J-E, finding the net three times for a hat trick. Colby Falcone and Dale Wagner each finished with one goal and one assist. Sam Robles also scored as Taylor Rivenburgh made 12 saves.
J-E entered May with a 2-7 record. With post-season hopes slipping away, the Eagles led Fulton going into the fourth quarter last Tuesday night, but that got away, too, in a frustrating 10-9 defeat to the Red Raiders.
A first-quarter shutout aided J-E, who led, 2-0, and then maintained that two-goal edge through the next two periods, only to see Fulton outscore them 4-1 in the last period as Tyler Shaw (three goals, one assist) led the rally.
For much of the game, Dunham and Hunter Brunelle carried the Eagles’ attack. Dunham scored four times, while Brunelle had three goals and one assist. Wagner got two assists as single goals went to Falcone and Robles. Mason Barrigar also had an assist. Nick Hallinan made 11 saves, three less than Red Raiders counterpart Brandon Batstone.
