By Mike Kelly.
In what was perhaps the most dramatic and exciting game of the season, Haddam Killingworth Boys Varsity Lacrosse rallied from two goals down in the fourth quarter to beat conference foe Valley Regional on Saturday, May 8, 2021, keeping their undefeated record intact. The Cougars are now 7-0 on the season.
The game was a rollercoaster affair, with both teams trading momentum and leads throughout. HK got the scoring started midway through the first quarter, as Senior Middie Cal Braren rolled right 12 yards in front of the crease and buried a shot, putting the Cougars up 1-0. Shortly thereafter Braren struck again with a heater to the bottom right corner, giving HK a two-goal advantage.
An ill-fated turnover by the Cougars on their side of the field resulted in Valley’s first score, ending the quarter 2-1.
Six minutes into the second quarter, Senior Middie Aiden Coleman, directing traffic from behind the cage, fed cutting Junior Attack Cory Phipps for the one-timer, giving HK the 3-1 lead. Valley then responded with a goal of their own, closing the gap to 3-2.
A few minutes later Freshman Middie Cooper Savoy found the back of the net with a silky spin move out front, giving the Cougars a 4-2 advantage.
Valley was undeterred, however. The Warriors struck back quickly, scoring three consecutive fast-break goals in rapid succession to take the lead 5-4. Going into halftime the Cougars were back on their heels.
Valley maintained momentum to start the third, pushing the lead to 6-4 with a score in a man-up situation. HK Sophomore Attack Nolan Braren managed to stop the Cougar bleeding with a gaudy handle and goal, pulling the home team within one, 6-5.
The Warriors then managed to sneak in a score in the last seconds of the third quarter, again taking a two-goal lead, 7-5. This could have been a backbreaker for a team with less heart. For the HK squad, however, the adversity seemed to inspire rather than deter.
While less veteran teams may have panicked facing a two-goal deficit with less than 10 minutes to play, HK seemingly saved their best lacrosse for last. Middie Savoy started the Cougar rally with back-to-back goals, one on a fast break and the other with a slick spin move, tying the game 7-7 midway through the fourth.
Valley responded to take the lead back briefly, 8-7, but soon after C. Braren found Middie Coleman cutting down the lane for the equalizer, 8-8. The two middies would team up again moments later, this time Coleman feeding the assist to C. Braren for the go-ahead goal, 9-8. From there HK would never look back. With 26 seconds left N. Braren fired a scorching side-arm step down from the left side, thumping the back of the Valley net, and it was all over. HK 10, Valley 8.
Of note, this game again was about more than just shots on goal. The Cougars have demonstrated tremendous teamwork and tenacity across the field, on offense and defense. Freshman Goalie Braden Civiello, making his first start on varsity, saved 8 shots. Middie Daniel LaRosa was a loose ball hawk scooping up 5 grounders. Middie Charlie Maxwell controlled two loose balls, Sophomore LSM Jack Insalaco captured 5, and LSM Sam Young grabbed three. D-poles Aiden Griswold and Matteo Piacenti scooped two and four, respectively. It was, as most successful sports outcomes are, a true team effort.
Photos by Liz Griswold.
