Marysville defenseman Daniel Kastner (58) cradles the ball away from two opposing Shoremen. The Monarchs won, 9-5. Also pictured for MHS is Brendon Kovinchick (4). (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
After capturing its first win of the season, Marysville’s boys lacrosse squad followed with a 9-5 verdict over visiting Avon Lake.
“We played everybody a little bit today,” MHS coach Zac Engel said. “Defensively, everybody got out onto the field.”
Marysville got off to a good start in the first quarter by outscoring its opponent 3-1.
Senior Isaac Tocci scored Marysville’s first goal of the game with around 11 minutes left in the first quarter.
That was followed by Luke Montgomery’s goal that gave the Monarchs a 2-0 edge with eight minutes left in the opening quarter.
Montgomery then scored the third goal for MHS heading into the second quarter.
That shot came just after Avon Lake scored its first goal.
As a result, Marysville held a 3-1 advantage heading into the second quarter.
The Monarchs failed to connect the ball to the net during the second quarter.
The Shoremen bolstered their defense.
That gave their offense a chance to claim two more goals to create a 3-3 stalemate at halftime.
After the intermission, Marysville returned the favor by securing an additional three goals in the third quarter.
Avon Lake was held out of the net as the Monarchs climbed to a 6-3 margin.
They produced another three-goal quarter in the fourth to elevate their spread to 9-3.
While Avon Lake added another two goals, it was not enough for a comeback as Marysville recorded its second win of the season.
Tocci and Montgomery both contributed three goals in the team’s victory.
Also putting the ball in the net were Ben Durey (two goals) and Jordan Anspach (one goal).
In the cage, the tandem of Griffin Ahlstrom and Sean McGee worked to limit the Shoremen to just five goals.
“Right now is the time for us to get healthy,” Engel said in regards to what the team needs to do moving forward.
The Monarchs are slated to face off against Olentangy Berlin on Tuesday, April 5.
The Ohio Capital Conference match-up will be played at 7 p.m. on the Bears’ field.
“It’s good to go into spring break with two straight wins, no matter how they come,” Engel said.
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Pioneers topple Spartans
Jonathan Alder took Lima Senior to task by pummeling the Spartans, 18-1.
The Pioneers traveled more than an hour to Lima Senior High School for the team’s routing of the Spartans.
JA’s Jack Kennedy started the contest with a goal on an assist by Mason Wolford in the opening minutes of the game.
JA added another seven goals during the initial stanza.
The Pioneers notched scores from Corey Kingry (three goals), Wyatt Kaizer, Ryan Mark and Kennedy (two goals) and Aspen Cameron (one).
Kingry earned the first goal for the Pioneers at the start of the second quarter.
With an already comfortable lead, the Pioneers added another five goals compared to Lima Senior’s one.
The Spartans finally broke the JA defense late in the second quarter with just under two minutes until intermission for their first and only goal of the contest.
While the scoring slowed down on JA’s side of the field, that did not stop the visitors from securing another four goals in the third quarter and one goal in the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, the Pioneers walked away with their third win of the season.
In just three games this season, the Pioneers have tallied a total of 44 goals.
Leading the pack is Kingry (14), followed by Wolford (11). Wolford also currently leads the team in assists with six to date.
In terms of turnovers caused, Wyatt Kaizer has interrupted opponents five times this season and is leading the team in that category.
Goalies Eli Nicol, Mason Arbogast and Jacob Lee have recorded 21 saves as a staff, while seeing 46 shots on goal.
The trio has a 46% save figure.
In terms of faceoffs, the Pioneers have won 31 this season. Mason Curtis leads the team with 11 faceoff victories.
Games in the next few weeks are as follows:
March 30: home vs. Bishop Watterson, 7:30 p.m.
April 1: at Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, 7:45 p.m.
April 7: at Bexley, 7:30 p.m.
April 9: at John Glenn, 5 p.m.
April 13: home vs. Grandville, 7:30 p.m.
April 16: home vs. Westerville South, 5:30 p.m.
April 18: at Johnstown, TBA
April 20: home vs. Licking Valley, 7:30 p.m.
April 23: home vs. Oakwood, noon
April 26: home vs. Buckeye Valley, 7:30 p.m.
April 28: at Big Walnut, TBA
April 30: at Bellbrook, noon
May 6: at Marysville, 7 p.m.
May 10: home vs. Hilliard Bradley, 7:30 p.m.