Eagles end Cardinals’ MIAA A run
Defending champions’ 13-game A Conference winning streak stopped
Most lacrosse coaches and players in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference say the same thing, that every league win is big and they all count the same.
But No. 4 McDonogh’s 6-4 comeback win against defending league champion and No. 1 Calvert Hall on Tuesday — a rematch of last year’s championship game — had a little different feel.
After trailing 3-0 at the half, the host Eagles took over. When Jack Simmons scored with 3:35 left to give them a 5-4 lead, the bench roared. When Griffin Catlett added an insurance goal with just over two minutes left, there was more of the same.
And then, when the final whistle blew, ending the visiting Cardinals’ string of 13 straight league wins, the Eagles savored an important win that puts them 6-4 overall and 2-1 in league play.
Sophomore faceoff specialist Gable Braun dominated the faceoffs in the second half, fellow sophomore Dale Swanson helped jump-start the attack with two of the team’s first three goals, and Simmons and Jack Sweeney (one goal, one assist) also came up big in the second half.
“We didn’t really change anything,” Simmons said. “I think we just pushed to McDonogh’s Matt Hilgartner takes a shot against Calvert Hall goalie Liam Darragh during Tuesdays’ MIAA A Conference game. Darragh made 11 saves for the Cardinals. keep working hard, keep making plays and we’ll be just fine. We stayed poised, we were down 3-0 at halftime and it didn’t really feel like that. It was a really weird first half, but we played really hard today.”
McDonogh coach Andy Hilgartner said the final 28 seconds of the frustrating first half was crucial. The Eagles weren’t able to break through, but hit the post twice. He liked the team’s jump, and it showed in the second half.
Calvert Hall senior goalie Liam Darragh (11 saves) was sharp throughout and Swanson’s opening goal with 8:57 to play in the third quarter — cutting the lead to 3-1 — was huge.
With Braun consistently getting the Eagles the ball, McDonogh got goals from Simmons, Swanson and Sweeney again with 1:04 left in the third to claim their first lead at 4-3. Two of the goals came with the Eagles having an extra man.
After Jack Sawyer got the Cardinals even at 4 with 6:52 left in the fourth quarter, the Eagles had the final momentum swing with the goals from Simmons and Catlett.
“It is a really big win, but no game matters more than the other,” Simmons said. “Calvert Hall, obviously we have a little history with them and it means a lot, but we really just take it one game at a time. Credit to them, they played really hard. They have a great team, great coach.”
The teams will be back at it Friday — the Eagles traveling to Boys’ Latin, while the Cardinals, who went 9-0 in conference play during the regular season last year, looking to rebound at No. 3 St. Mary’s.
Calvert Hall coached Bryan Kelly liked what he saw on defense, particularly the fine performance from Darragh, and how hard his team competed as a whole. He said Braun’s play on faceoffs and his team’s uncharacteristic turnovers when they did have the ball in the second half were the difference.
“It’s just the way it is — you’ve got to move on fast,” he said. “It’s going to hurt and then tomorrow is Wednesday and it’s a new day. That’s how you do it.”