St. Joseph High’s boys lacrosse team scored a pair of late-regulation goals to force overtime, then netted the game-winner moments after goaltender Mike Braddick came up with a crucial save, to edge host Trumbull High 13-12 on Saturday afternoon.
The Cadets improved to 2-1 and the Eagles fell to 1-3.
Mike Sudora scored with 39 seconds remaining in the four-minute OT after he took a feed from Christian Colon. The play was made possible by Braddick denying Sam Watson from point-blank range at the other end of the field; the Cadets cleared the ball and promptly attacked and scored to earn the win.
St. Joseph has dominated the all-Trumbull rivalry throughout the years, but St. Joes coach Joe Izzo — having seen the Eagles in action this spring — knew to expect a battle this time around.
“They’re so much improved over last year. We knew it wasn’t going to be the same team,” Izzo said of the Eagles, whom his squad handled in a 21-4 throttling last spring. “It is a rivalry game, so you throw some emotion in the mix as well and you’ve got the making for a real barn burner.”
The Cadets led 6-4 at halftime and the Eagles fought back for a 7-6 lead.
After St Joes tied the score, making it 7-7 after three quarters, the Eagles went up 9-7, only to see the Cadets respond with the next three goals for a lead.
The Eagles answered with three of their own, capped by net-finders off the sticks of Mike Devito and Jacob Howes for a 12-10 advantage with 2:36 left in regulation.
St. Joes capitalized on a Trumbull penalty when Peter Bashar scored during a man-up situation with 1:43 left. Bashar scored again, whipping home a high shot, with 1:13 left to knot the score and force the extra period.
In overtime, Trumbull goaltender Danny Forren came up with two big saves to give his team a chance, but a dead ball penalty on the Eagles nullified a would-be man advantage situation.
“Anytime there’s a letdown or a lull in the game, good teams take advantage of it,” said Trumbull Coach Jim Kammerman, adding that while he was disappointed in some costly mistakes, he was pleased with the effort his team put forth.
“I’m very pleased with the way the guys played, very pleased with the effort,” Kammerman said. “You just can’t make big mistakes at crucial times of the game.”
The Cadets have proven to be clutch in close games early on. Powell had the decisive goal with just a second remaining in St. Joseph’s 14-13 win over Brien McMahon of Norwalk on April 16.
“It just shows a lot about the character of the team, how they come together when things get tight. They don’t fracture,” Izzo said.
Forren made 19 saves, and Braddick stopped 13 shots.
The Cadets got three goals apiece from Colin Powell, Jared Newel and Bashar, and Sudora scored twice.
Faceoff specialist Flippo Petrini had a team-best six groundball scoops and Bashar had four groundball scoops for the Cadets.
Tom Schutz, Watson, Howes and Devito all scored hat-tricks for the Eagles. Kyle Tesei and Michael Cullen both scooped four grounders.