Robbinsville closes regular season with win at Hopewell
HOPEWELL TWP. » Only time will tell if the Robbinsville boys lacrosse team can get over the hump against the area’s best teams in the Mercer County Tournament, but the Ravens are playing well entering the postseason.
Despite coping with some injuries, Robbinsville ended the regular season by spoiling Hopewell’s Senior Night with a 14-6 win Tuesday evening at Ackerson Field.
The Ravens (8-4) have remained a strong program this year under a new head coach in John Demkovitz and with plenty new faces thrust into prominent roles.
“We lost so many seniors last year,” senior attackman Jake Veres said. “They came to some practices and talked to us and said, ‘Keep your heads up. Play lacrosse. It’s a fun game, not uptight, and you’ll be fine.’ So that’s what we’ve been doing now. I think we’re getting the right mentality. Definitely playing for the guys who can’t play for us right now.”
After falling into a 1-0 hole with 8:03 left in the first quarter, Robbinsville scored the next 11 goals and seized total control of the game by the midpoint of the second quarter.
While Hopewell struggled to dodge offensively, Robbinsville exploited opportunities in transition, was meticulous down the field and finished passes nicely around the net.
Veres starred with four goals and two assists. Nick Cimilluca and Jeremy Calabro both netted three goals, Eli Winn added two and Ian Kempton chipped in one. Freshman goalie Cameron Coyle had 11 saves.
“Honestly I think we just saw how their defense was playing,” Veres said. “They kept on pressuring out on us very fast and were quick to slide. I think we saw that and we exposed them.”
Veres currently leads the Colonial Valley Conference’s Valley Division with 37 goals and is now just five points shy of 200 for his career. No longer flanked by graduated stars such as Mike Sanguinetti and Corey Kale, the senior has become the focus of defenses and credits younger players stepping up behind him.
“I think the past few years teams really haven’t looked at me as the number one guy, even though I’ve had the numbers for it,” Veres said. “So this year I’m getting locked off in a lot of my games, getting pressured more. It’s a new thing for me, but it’s taught me to mature and share the ball more than I usually would. So I have to trust my guys.”
Before the game, Hopewell honored its seven seniors — Nolan Crognale, Ian Airey, Jack Demareski, James Grundy, Harry Meredith, Colin Hayward and Ryan Vaccaro.
Crognale, Spencer Bell and Dylan Tomarchio each scored two goals for the Bulldogs (2-9), who have suffered a bevy of close losses but will host an MCT second-round game on Thursday as the seven seed against 10th-seeded Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Robbinsville is seeded third and has a bye until Saturday’s quarterfinals, where it will host either Steinert or West Windsor South.
The Ravens are 6-2 against CVC competition this year, but they know they will need sharper allaround play in order to ultimately knock off top-seeded Hightstown or second-seeded Princeton Day, who have both beaten Robbinsville handily.
“Just good team lacrosse,” Veres said. “Every game we’ve lost I think one side of the ball has been lacking. No matter whether it’s offense, defense, goalie, faceoffs, we’ve all got to play together as a team. I honestly felt like we should’ve won those games.”
Robbinsville (8-4) 2 Hopewell (2-9) 1 Goals —
Veres 4, Cimilluca 3, Calabro 3, Winn 2, Kempton (R), Tomarchio 2, Crognale 2, Bell 2 (H). Veres 2, Cimilluca 2, Smilow 2, B. Christiansen, Calabro, Winn, Kempton (R), Tomarchio, Crognale, Bell, Hayward (H).
Coyle 11 (R), Meredith 11 (H).
34 (R), 20 (H).
Assists — Shots — Saves — 5 0 6 1 1 — 4 — 14 6