MIGHTY QUINN
Stoney Creek goalie Jerome Quinn impresses in win over crosstown rival Rochester Adams
Crosstown rivals hooked up for a key Oakland Activities Association Red Division showdown in boys’ lacrosse on Thursday as Rochester Hills Stoney Creek made the short drive over to Rochester Adams, and came away with an 8-2 win.
The Cougars were won back-to-back games against their rivals since 2016-17, made possible by pitching a 4-0 shutout after halftime, which especially drew the attention of head coach Tyler Kilpatrick.
“We had some guys really step up on defense tonight,” Kilpatrick said. “Sam McDermott I think should be in first-time allstate consideration this year. Riley Rosenberg did a fantastic job as well. And (goalie Jerome Quinn), I don’t know that I’ve seen a new guy come in and play as well as he has and did tonight.”
Stoney Creek never trailed in the game and had the field tilted in its favor for much of the contest. The Cougars roughly doubled up Adams in scoring chances in the opening 24 minutes, yet the game was tied 2-2 early in the second quarter.
The Cougars eventually broke the tie and never looked back with two more before halftime. Both instances came after Kilpatrick called a timeout to set things up for his bunch. In fact, the Cougars on four different occasions in the game scored within 75 seconds coming out of a timeout including once in the final minute before intermission.
“I don’t think we played the kind of game we strive to play,” Adams head coach Bradley Smith said. “We’ve built a culture here over the last five years of working hard and putting in a little more effort in the games. Unfortunately we caught a hot goalie (in Quinn) it looks like. He had a heck of a game, you got to tip your cap to the opponent.”
Special teams were a factor for both teams. Neither side ultimately cashed in with the extra attacker. In the fourth quarter alone, Stoney Creek was able to kill off a man-advantage situation for Adams twice and parlay that into two insurance goals moments later.
“Our defense really locked it down,” Quinn said. “They gave me all the space I
needed to make the saves. Everyone on the team put in the effort we needed tonight.”
Six different players scored in the win for Stoney Creek with junior midfielder Jonah McKay leading the way with a hat trick. McKay after the game talked about the team’s mentality coming into a game that features league and playoff implications as well as crosstown bragging rights.
“We just have to come ready and focused,” McKay said. “We’ve been working hard in practice. In the games we lost, we’ve come out slow and not as focused. Tonight we came out and did the little things right.”
Also scoring for the Cougars in the win were Tyler Burns, Carson Cagigal, Sam Fogler, Chaz Huthwaite, and Jon Fogler. Adams meanwhile got single goals each from Adam Cicone and Ben Brett.
“We were getting the opportunities to generate our offense,” Smith said. “We just have to get balls on the net at the end of the day. I think if we shoot around and aim on net, get a couple balls on target, we’re looking at a completely different score going into the fourth quarter.”
Stoney Creek (3-2, 1-2 OAA Red) now has a date with the division-leading Dragons from Lake Orion at home on Tuesday.
“The OAA Red is up there as far as conferences go,” Kilpatrick said. “There is never an easy night when you’re going against these teams. I think for these guys to come out and play the way they did is a testament to the leaders on this team.
Adams (1-3, 1-2 OAA Red) meanwhile will return to game action on Saturday, when they step out of conference play and host Grosse Pointe South. The Highlanders will return to league play on Tuesday, when they visit Clarkston.
“This team has heart and will show effort,” Smith said. “They’ll show glimpses of genius but then have moments where we just don’t look like the team I know we can be. But we’ll come back and be ready to work tomorrow.”
“We had some guys really step up on defense tonight.”
— Tyler Kilpatrick, Stoney Creek head coach