Somers Beats John Jay in the Circle and Between the Pipes

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On Friday night May 15, Somers traveled Route 35 for another chapter in their crosstown rivalry with John Jay and the first half back and forth really lived up. 4-3 in favor of Somers, John Jay was poised to continue the script in the final minutes. But the narrative ended, and Hudson Ruby was the scribe.

“He was right there holding them up,” said Kieren Picco, and when five point blank saves led to Tristan Iglesias’s goal the other way, Somers rode the momentum to a 10-6 victory.

A tough hard hitting defensive game was established at the outset, and John Jay ended up with the first advantage. The Wolves on the power play, Ruby made his first impression.

The goalie’s deflection on Dino Rajamani’s overhead gave his team the ball, and after Somers beat the John Jay transition defense, Picco did the rest. Coming from behind at 8:21, the elephant leapt off his back foot and scored on a jump hook.

Then Blake O’Callaghan had his chance to match up. Following Bret Kennedy’s draw win, Iglesias juked his way into space for an underhand sling, but O’ Callaghan’s net got in the way.

Ruby wouldn’t be out done, though. On a loose ball at midfield, James Tesi got the scoop between two defenders and hit the accelerator. Face to face with Ruby, Tesi’s burst wasn’t enough to beat the stopgap’s catcher at 6:25.

A Somers turnover unfortunately gave the ball back and would result in another penalty on the Tuskers. No problem, Ruby negated the advantage anyway. On Jack Hartney’s left sided whirlwind, Ruby’s pads thudded for the save, and Somers took off.

Even so, Somers wasn’t able to maintain possession, and Rajamani put on a two step. Receiving from Hartney, Rajamani faked a shot coming forward, juked past the defender and pulled his team even.

At 5:02, Mason Beresford took the draw. But O’Callaghan had the deflection on Somers' only shot and was heads up with his catcher.

The goalie’s loft all the way upfield was ruled a shot, and the Wolves were designated closest. Around the horn to the goal line, Dash Stewart hit a cutting Riley McMahon on the right, and he gave John Jay a 2-1 lead at 3:11.

A run was not to be for the home team, and Beresford was the reason. Taller and wider than Colin Kazanecki, the Tusker didn’t attribute his dominance to muscle. “All speed,” he assured.

So the Tuskers went on attack, and Cam Violante did the dirty work. Refusing to give in out front, he found enough space to hit Xander DiPasquale on the right, and the junior’s goal at 2:11 ended the first quarter scoring at 2-2.

Onto the second, Somers showed a wrinkle and put Kennedy in the circle. Not up in the air, the Tusker followed suit, and the offense went to work. Patiently moving the ball, Violante swung behind the goal, passed out to DiPasquale on the right, and he stepped into an overhand at 10:46.

3-2, the whistle gave John Jay the draw, and the Wolves made the most of it. On the right, Stewart deferred the pick, cut inside instead, and the free path led to an overhead past Ruby.

Tied again at 9:44, O’Callaghan stood tall on a wraparound by Dylan Jimenez, and moments later, the Wolf did the same when Violante was all alone in the same spot. The senior had help from the post on the next shot, and his team took over.

The transition defense got physical so the Wolves used a timeout to get up the field. And that sat pretty well with Picco. “I love playing tough and physical,” said the defender. “It’s the best part.”

The return didn’t have Somers letting up either. When Riley McMahon tried to muscle in on the right, he faced an even bigger wall. Still, the attacker got a shot off, but Ruby had no holes at the seven minute mark.

Now Somers had trouble getting the ball up field. The Tuskers turned it over, and after another Ruby save, a timeout poised the Violante to give his team the lead for good. He got around the defense on the left and fired past O’Callaghan with 5:25 remaining in the half.

Of course, John Jay saw no reason to buck the trend and began when Cody Jones got a strip on the Somers transition. Tesi got the scoop and found Jack Casey all alone with Ruby. “I was like they’re going to get a free one,” recalled Picco.

Ruby was in no mood for charity, though. The goalie straightened up and got the deflection at 2:14. Then Kennedy provided the transition all by himself. He lofted all the way upfield, and one more pass set DiPasquale up in front of the goal.

Not good enough, O’Callaghan flashed his catcher, and the great save gave the goalie no pause. He quickly got the ball ahead, and Ruby was soon on the docket. Casey the victim again, he was all by himself on the left and tried to sneak the ball between the goalie’s legs.

Ruby wasn’t having it, and the Tusker was just getting started. On return to play, Stewart wrapped around, Ruby got the save, and he was also there for Casey’s rebound.

Now, the offense made the Wolves really pay. Iglesias muscled his way on the left, and with no one to stop him, the middie scored with just 3.5 left in the half.

Intermission, the Tuskers discussed, “different schemes,” according to Violante, and Beresford made sure the chatter wasn’t idle by winning the first draw.

A tough wraparound by Jimenez resulted but O’Callaghan was still between the pipes and had the denial. Of course, Ruby wasn’t impressed, and ate up McMahon’s short hop.

9:50 left in the third, Ruby’s duties don’t just include being a brick wall. “We know he’s going to get it ahead and put us on the fast break,” said Violante.

Up the field, Somers set up, and Violante made good for his goalie. He got the rebound on a O’Callaghan save and extended the lead to 6-3.

At 9:33, another draw win by Beresford had Violante gladly doing a double take. “Just like last year with Matt Mayfield,” said the junior, “he wins every face-off.”

In control, Iglesias received on the right, and his sidearm made it four goals in a row. The whistle did give John Jay the next draw and the Wolves took advantage. Stewart forced his way in on the right and narrowed the margin to three at 8:05.

Traded turnovers maintained the status quo and so did Ruby when Hughes swung around from behind. The goalie cut the angle, and the Wolf saw only red on the body save.

Somers eventually picked up the ball, and Jimenez went solo on the right. He put a spin move on his defender and made enough space to beat O’Callaghan.

8-4, and John Jay got no break in the middle. Another draw win for Beresford, Picco could definitely sympathize. “He’s so quick off the whistle, I go against him in practice,” said the junior. “He beats me every time.”

On attack, Somers still had to beat O’Callaghan. He was able to short-hop another save. However, the Tusker retained possession, and Violante wouldn’t be denied on the left. He rushed through the Jay defense and shot high to beat O’Callaghan for a 9-4 lead at 9:54.

Somers was able to take the five goal lead into the fourth, and Somers continued with more of the same. Beresford wins and Ruby saves ate up clock and left plenty of room for victory.

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