Tigers thwart Warriors’ efforts
WILTON — “This is why people don’t like Ridgefield,” yelled a Wilton fan midway through the final quarter of Thursday night’s boys lacrosse game.
The reason for his frustration? Ridgefield had scored two straight goals to open a 9-7 lead and now the Tigers were content to move the ball around and take time off the clock.
For nearly three minutes, Ridgefield maintained possession without taking a shot. The Tigers then called a timeout with 4:22 left, and when play resumed Weston Carpenter scored to give Ridgefield a threegoal lead.
Wilton had only one more brief possession as the Tigers closed out their 10-7 triumph and improved to 12-2 with two regular-season games left.
“I’m going to do that every time ... if I have the lead and the ball you’re going to have to come and get it,” Ridgefield coach Roy Colsey said about slowing down play. “That’s why we need a shot clock. At the end of the day I’m a fool if I’m giving them back the ball when they have to be the ones on the offensive end.”
Ridgefield led 5-3 before Wilton got back-to-back goals from Zach Rossi and Reilly Sullivan to tie the score with 7:59 left in the third period. But Ryan Colsey and Owen Gaydos scored off sweet individual moves and John Mathes followed with another goal to put the Tigers ahead 8-5 going into the final period.
Less than a minute into the final quarter, Wilton (6-8) was back within one at 8-7 following goals by
Liam Sullivan and Andrew Luciano.
But after Mathes gave Ridgefield a two-goal cushion, the Tigers went to their stall.
“Ridgefield is a very skilled team,” Wilton coach Steve Pearsall said. “They know how to control the possession, let’s say. We knew that. You can’t get behind against them.”