Ballston Spa takes a much needed victory
Scotties use two, four-goal runs to end quarters and hold off Streaks
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Like two elevators heading in opposite directions, the Ballston Spa boys lacrosse team is looking to move up a few floors, reaching up towards the penthouse and the top floor aristocrats housing Niskayuna in Class B this season and Saratoga Springs is holding the doors open to let in a host of new faces before they push the button up and look to take on rival Shenendehowa in Class A.
The Scotties took advantage of two four-goal runs to close out the second and third quarters Friday afternoon at the Saratoga BPA Fields and get past the Blue Streaks, 13-8 on a cold, windy afternoon.
Ballston Spa (1-1 Suburban Council, 1-1 overall) were led by Zac Schuette’s five goal afternoon and Damien Randall’s 12 saves in the cage.
“We knew that face-offs were key, Austin Deskewicz did a great job, we had to move the ball off quick and we had to win ground balls,” Schuette said. “(The win) means a lot, we lost the past two years, we were ahead at halftime both times, so knowing we were ahead we got to keep it rolling, we can’t stop.”
After a rough 16-7 loss to new Class B entry Niskayuna on Tuesday afternoon, Ballston Spa
was able to tighten things up offensively and adjust to being outside and at full speed.
“Offensively we think we have a strong team with some depth for the first time past our top six (players), so it’s been something that we’ve been waiting to come,” Ballston Spa coach Joe Pollicino said. “This is only our second game of the year, but in several scrimmages we felt that like it was there, just little tweaks and coming out of the gym we had some trouble with some spacing and some of our sticks. “Today we saw our passing, catching wasn’t where we needed it to be, but our potential was seen in a few outbursts that we had in the game today.”
Scottie’s Ethan Tomas, Aidan Klein and Joe McDonald each added a pair of goals in the win.
The Blue Streaks (0-1 Suburban Council 0-2 overall) saw their momentum disrupted by eight penalties over the course of the contest, giving Ballston Spa man-advantage opportunities against an inexperienced varsity unit.
“We’ve got a lot of youth, we lost 18 guys last year to graduation, we have a tenthgrader in cage (Ryan Flemming) and one of the runs was a clearing mistake by him, an attack man riding hard in his face, ball hits his stick, bounces right to the kid and he puts it away,” Saratoga Coach Joe Hayes said. “It starts momentum and then we had a lot of penalties that kids are riding hard and trying in the game and the ball bounces the wrong way or they get a hold, we didn’t play smart lacrosse. We looked for some things to wrap kids up when we should have worked to turn them back and that cost us some penalties.”
Despite the youth of the Blue Streaks the man disadvantages were from defending the Scotties and not physical mistakes made out of frustration, something Hayes can work with.
“When they are out on the side I’m right in their ear, ‘I know you’re playing your heart out and trying your hardest, but instead of throwing a wrap check, you should have worked to turn them back and that wrap check turns into a hold or a push,’” Hayes said. “That’s kind of what ate us up.”
The Blue Streaks will travel to Colonie Tuesday afternoon and face the Raiders. Ballston Spa will travel to face Troy High, 6 p.m. Thursday night on their turf field.