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Patriots Down Flaming Arrows
12-7!
Classic Duel Draws Thousands of Fans!
Full Team Effort Denies Sachem!
There couldn’t have been a better
setting for the annual rivalry of a Ward Melville/Sachem match-up than home
field advantage, the Classic night game, a junior varsity win against the
Flaming Arrows earlier in the day, and the Patriots girls varsity win against
St. Anthony’s prior to the boys varsity game. The Patriots responded with a
convincing 12 – 7 win. After the game, Ward Melville head coach Joe Cuozzo
said, “It wasn’t too pretty, but we put up a big ‘W’
and the important thing is that we won and we’re 9 and 0.”
At this point, the way the first quarter’s have been, maybe it’s just a
given that we give up the first goal, and true to the word, Sachem drew first
blood. Empire Team midfielder Ryan Schoenig controlled the early faceoffs for
Sachem, and it made for a competitive and fairly even first quarter which ended
2 –2. WM first score by senior midfielder John Keysor was a bullet from the
top of the crease and senior attackman Jon Matsui added another to get the
Patriots all even at the end of the first period. The Patriots took a lot of
shots, but not much was getting in and the Sachem goalie was formidable in his
saves.
The Patriots defense dug in to keep the game close. Led by seniors Thomas
Theodorakis, Doug Seale, Kevin Sullivan, and Brian Lange, the defense only
allowed 1 goal on three man-down situations, and held the line with the Patriots
having 10 minutes in penalties.
In the 2nd quarter, the Patriots settled in as usual after a tough
first quarter, won some faceoffs by senior midfielder Ryan Blaney, and
controlled the play a bit more. The defense was awesome and held tight after
having to start the quarter with a
3:00
minute unreleasable penalty for an illegal stick. Keysor scored unassisted, and
then junior midfielder Michael Ward displayed some speed after picking up a
ground ball at midfield, outracing the Sachem defenders, and netting a hard
bounce shot from the top of the restraining line past the Sachem goalie. Senior
attackman Jon Matsui added a third goal for the quarter for the Patriots and the
1st half ended WM 5 Sachem 3.
The 3rd quarter proved to be fairly even with the Patriots outscoring
Sachem 4 goals to 3. Ryan Schoenig was on fire for the Flaming Arrows, but the
goal of the quarter had to be when senior midfilelder Ed Rogan threaded the
needle in the crease to Matsui who finished with a behind-the-back goal. Matsui
was phenomenal scoring all 4 goals in the 3rd period for WM. End 3rd
qtr WM 9 Sachem 6, still anybody’s game. Senior goalie Ricky Freud was making
a lot of saves, and kept the Flaming Arrows behind.
Mike Ward set the tone early in the 4th qtr, with an unassisted goal
after picking up his own rebounded shot, then Peter Kasper found the net, and
junior midfielder Ryan Preuss finished the Patriots
scoring with an assist from Keysor. Final score WM 12 Sachem 7.
Joe Cuozzo added, “Ricky Freud played great in goal tonight, and Jon Matsui
really kept us ahead by coming back every time Sachem made a play or scored to
keep it close. Keysor and Ward played well in the midfield for us, and our
defense was outstanding in man down situations.”
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE PATRIOTS ON WIN #9!!!!!!!!
WM plays Connetquot on Mon April 29,
4:00 p.m.
at the Patriots home Field.
Please be
there to support your Patriots 2002!
Go
Patriots!
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