State Champs Meet at Somers

See Photos at end of article

Don Green and Jordan Hirsch played lacrosse together at Hen Hud and Nazareth University. Each also has a state coaching championship trophy to their credit. In New York and New Jersey, the old mates still talk and a reunion became more than just conversation. “Reaching out,” he thought it would be fun for him to come home and play,” said Hirsch, and on April 9, Shawnee made the trip to Somers.

The game did not disappoint and stood tied 7-7 late in the third. But even though, the visitors scored the final four goals, Dylan Jimenez reveled in the opportunity. “Tough team, I’m just honored to play a nationally ranked team,” said the senior.

Over the bridge, Shawnee got off the bus with their foot on the gas. Winning the draw, they were in deep with two point blank shots, but Hudson Ruby was pretty pumped too with a pair of saves.

Eighty seconds in, Somers responded with two turnovers, and there was no rest for Ruby. Oliver Jung raced right down the middle and put a short bounce on goal.

A deflection was good enough, but Shawnee didn’t give in. The visitors worked the ball around, and the last touch to Tommy McAneney, it was tee time for the attacker. He swung away from the left, and Shawnee led 1-0.

At 7:50, Somers made the least of the draw win with another turnover, and Hirsch didn’t miss the lack of urgency. “We came out a little lackadaisical,” the coach admitted.

So the Renegades quickly made the elephants pay. Tyler Rotkowitz wrapped around and hit a sky hook off one foot for a two goal lead with 7:05 left in the first.

Fortunately, Ruby stood tall and kept Shawnee contained. After Michael Bartasius juked his way into a one v one, Ruby got the deflection and cover at 5:45.

The offense then took the cue, and Dylan Jimenez chalked up from the end zone. He spun his way out front, and with 5:08 remaining in the first, the Tusker swung across his body to cut the lead in half.

Two in a row was not to be. A big scramble put Shawnee on the attack again, and Rotkowitz made Somers double take. He swung forward, and his jump hook goal was almost identical.

In at 4:32, a penalty on the draw primed Somers to answer back. Another turnover said otherwise, and it was up to Ruby again. Rotkowitz came into open space in front, and Ruby deflected the bee-bee at 4:04.

An errant shot gave the ball back to Somers, and after trading turnovers, Tristan Iglesias showed that his big frame had more than muscle. Meandering to the goal line with 90 seconds to go, he suddenly cut back, and his underhand goal had Bret Kennedy reiterating his teammate’s double threat. “A really good spin move,” said the middie. “It’s hard to bottle him up and contain him.”

For the moment, Shawnee wasn’t so impressed. Rotkowitz got the ball over the middle and closed the quarter scoring with 23 seconds left.

4-2, Shawnee didn’t lose a step to start the second. Grayson Santucci won the draw, the offense moved the ball around, and McAneney scored from the right only 19 seconds in.

There the score stayed until Ruby started things for Somers. He stood face to face with E.J. Martino on the right and got the stop. Up the field and on the left, Xander DiPasquale hit a trailing Harry Brelesky streaking the middle. He passed right to Jayden Newman, and his sidearm got Somers within two at 5:41.

Unfortunately, Shawnee’s two big guns answered back. Rotkowitz assisted McAneney at 1:35, and 45 seconds later, McAneney assisted Rotkowitz to close the half with a 7-3 lead.

A bad finish, the boys didn’t let it go at intermission. “We talked about shutting certain people out offensively and cutting out lanes,” said Jimenez.

Rotkowitz and McAneney probably the targets, the denial lasted almost 12 full minutes. In the interim, the Somers offensive was open for business.

Of course, it started with a save by Ruby, and up the field, Jimenez gave voice on the offensive side. He swung to the middle, passed back to DiPasquale on the right, and beat the Shawnee goalie.

7-4 at 9:20, Somers didn’t relent, and Iglesias deferred on the finesse. He started on the right at the 30 and just ran over the Shawnee defense.

Within two, the bruising was all too familiar to Kennedy. “I’ve got to guard him in practice everyday,” the defenseman sighed.

Iglesias wasn’t done putting on the hurt either. After the double team turned triple, the attacker crashed and eluded into space, and the diligence that got Somers within one didn’t go unnoticed by Hirsch. “Tristan puts in a lot of work, and it’s showing,” he said.

5:40 left in the third and the Somers defense stepped up by forcing a shot clock violation. The clang of the crossbar finally denied Iglesias at 3:55, but now Shawnee was generous with the ball.

An overthrown pass had Kennedy with the pickup, and his rush opened Jimenez on the right. The rebound kicked high, Kennedy went up to get it and came down with the tying goal at 3:20.

Even so, Shawnee had will too. Running into a double team, McAneney remained upright, and after gathering himself, his shot beat Ruby high with 15 seconds left in the third.

Onto the fourth, the teams went back and forth until McAneney had enough. Draped by DiPasquale in the middle, the Renegade kept dancing until he got enough space to unleash for a 9-7 lead.

At 5:43, Shawnee won the draw, and Rotkowitz wrapped around again for a three goal lead. Mason McGovern added the back breaker at 4:57, but despite the slow start that contributed to the loss, Hirsch still had praise for his team’s second half response. “It shows that we have something to us,” he concluded.

Click Image Somers Photos and then scroll pass for Shawnee Photos

Click Image for Shawnee Photos