Let’s goal crazy!
Wilton sets CIAC scoring mark, wins 1st state title since 2013
FAIRFIELD — Before the CIAC playoffs, Wilton boys lacrosse coach Steve Pearsall had let it be known how he felt about his Warriors playing in Class M.
“We will fight like hell to get back in the L class next year,” Pearsall said at the end of the FCIAC tournament, when the Warriors finished as runners-up.
After a dominating performance in the state final, there’s no doubt Wilton was the class of Class M.
Wilton scored the most goals by a single team in the history of the state finals as they dismantled Notre Dame-West Haven 22-6 for the Class M championship Sunday at Sacred Heart University.
It was a loud statement for the Warriors, who outscored their opponents 63-23 in four tournament games.
“We’re all psyched,” senior Ben Calabrese said. “We all know we’d rather be in Class L but we took care of business in Class M, and it just proves for the juniors next year that we should be in Class L. We were the second(ranked) team in the state and we were in the FCIAC championship. It just proves that we should be Class L.”
“We definitely wanted to make a statement,” senior Grant Masterson said. “We wanted to play well as a team, play well for our seniors, play well for our coaches who have been helping us all the way around, and play well for the underclassmen who have been supporting us from the bench. This was a great effort today, and I’m excited we got the win.”
It was the seventh overall state championship for Wilton and its first since winning Class M in 2013. The Warriors were making their 11th appearance in the CIAC finals.
Wilton was on point from start to finish, at one point scoring 14 straight goals and holding the Green Knights scoreless for 27 minutes. They started that run with a 7-4 lead, and by the time it ended, they had set the state record.
Somers had the old mark, set during a 19-5 win over Waterford in the 2017 Class S final. The old Class M record had been held by New
Fairfield with its 18-2 win over Weston in 2019. Darien also scored 18 in an 18-3 win over Simsbury in the 2016 Class L final.
It was a tour de force for Wilton, as 11 players scored. Junior Mike Wall led the offense with two goals and five assists, junior Charlie Johnson had five goals, and Calabrese and Charlie Rath each had hat tricks.
It was a tough landing for Notre Dame, which was playing in its first state final.
“I’m just so thankful for all the hard work and sacrifice they put into it,” Notre Dame coach AJ Alessi said. “This team brought us to new heights. They left the program better than they found it.”
Senior Aiden Fletcher did most of the scoring for the Knights, collecting four goals, with sophomore Dom Basti netting two.
“We competed; we’ve got some great players too and we were able to do some things,” Alessi said. “But eventually the possessions they got, we weren’t getting as many, and then it’s tough to stop them. Bottom line is that’s a great team we just played.”
Pearsall said he plans on speaking with the lacrosse committee to try to come up with setting a protocol for teams to appeal their class designations. Wilton’s enrollment was short of Class L this season and he said he doesn’t anticipate that changing next year.
In the meantime, the 2022 Warriors are going out with a victory and a title.
“It doesn’t matter,” Masterson said. “Class L or Class M, I’m happy. We won a championship and we did everything we could do no matter where we were placed.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mike Wall, Wilton: There are plenty of Warriors listed in the box score, but Wall stood out with five assists and two goals
QUOTABLE
“No disrespect to any of the teams in the M class, it’s just we’re used to playing different teams. We’re used to playing the L class teams, and that’s where we want to be at the end of the season. Those are our rivals, and you always want to play them as many times as possible.” — Wilton coach Steve Pearsall
No. 4 WILTON 22, No. 10 ND-WH 6 NOTRE DAME ...................... 2 2 0 2 — 6 WILTON ............................... 5 7 8 2 — 22 Scoring: NDWH: Aiden Fletcher 4g; Dom Basti 2g;
Wilton: Mike Wall 2g, 5a; Charlie Johnson 5g; Ben Calabrese 3g; Charles Rath 3g; Grant Masterson 2g, 1a; Spencer Liston 2a; Sean Wiseman 1g; Thomas McKiernan 1g; George Hahn 1g; Andrew Black 1g; Ryan Leung 1g; Matthew Giller 1g; Dylan Smith 1a Goalies: NDWH — Christopher Schuler 11 saves; W — Colin Lenskold 10 saves, Evan Blankenship 0 saves, Quin Silva 0 saves. Records: Notre Dame-West Haven 15-7; Wilton 19-4