Jonathan Alder’s Maddox Kingry takes a shot on Johnstown goalie Benjamin Smith during the first half. The freshman midfielder scored a hat trick in the team’s 15-3 win over the Johnnies.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
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Jonathan Alder’s boys lacrosse team earned its second consecutive win of the season following a 15-3 triumph over Johnstown.
“They are playing pretty well, but we have some things we need to clean up,” JA head coach Rob Davis said. “The offense is starting to click and the defense was a little ahead of the offense coming into the season.”
Despite the bitter cold still whipping the Ohio landscape, the Pioneers’ offense has notched 30 goals in two games.
JA claimed its second straight win after a 15-1 victory over Chaminade-Julienne last weekend to put the team’s record at 2-0 against Division II opponents.
The Pioneers got off to a fast start against Johnstown with a goal from Kaiden Snyder during the initial minutes of first quarter.
Roughly 30 seconds later, Jack Kennedy followed with another goal to put Alder ahead 2-0.
Two more goals from Grant Nicol and Maddox Kingry doubled the growing lead later in the initial period.
Snyder delivered two assists in the time frame.
With no pressure felt from Johnstown’s players, Kennedy recorded his first assist of the night. That went on Caleb Wiltshire’s score with less than two minutes left in the opening period.
Finding space in Pioneer territory, Johnstown’s Will Taylor secured the team’s first goal, putting the scoreboard at 5-1.
Kennedy stayed the course at the attack. He concluded the first quarter with one final score to give the Scarlet and Black a 6-1 lead.
“The offense is starting to click with Jack, Wyatt, Maddox and Grant,” Davis said. “We have a couple of dynamic freshmen that are really, really good.”
The Pioneers remained strong on the offensive end in the second quarter. They scored an additional five goals, compared to the Johnnies’ one by Graham Grinstead.
Scoring for Alder in the second quarter were Snyder, Kennedy, Wyatt Clemons and Kingry (two). Taking credit for assists were Snyder and Mason Curtis.
At the midway point of the game, the Pioneers held a commanding 11-2 lead.
Davis gave his starting core rest in the second half.
The Pioneers still managed to increase the margin with goals from Snyder, Clemons and Kennedy during the third quarter.
Johnstown’s Taylor notched his second goal of the night during the final stretch. However, the damage had already been dealt.
Defenseman and midfielder Joe Kennedy showed versatility from the long stick crew by scoring the final goal for Alder with just over a minute left in regulation.
Inside the cage, the tandem of Eli Nicol and Gavin Murphy collected a total of six saves. Nicol was credited with four of them.
The victory gave the Pioneers a strong start to the season in the team’s second matchup.
The team, however, will be tested this evening when it hosts St. Charles. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m.
“Our clears aren’t good enough yet and our rides aren’t good enough yet,” Davis said about what needs to be addressed. “Those are the things we need to focus on.”