MIDDLETOWN — Shenendehowa junior Mason Carroll wasn’t about to let Section 9 champion Monroe-Woodbury harbor any comeback thoughts in Wednesday’s Class A boys’ state regional game at Faller Field in Middletown.
After the Plainsmen jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, Monroe-Woodbury cut it to 7-2 with two goals in the final 15.5 seconds of the quarter and players from the Orange County school celebrated as they raced to the sidelines at the end of the quarter.
Carroll quickly restored order for Shenendehowa with three goals in the opening four minutes of the second quarter and the Plainsmen cruised to a 22-6 victory.
Carroll, who finished with seven goals, said quick ball movement was the key to the Plainsmen putting the Crusaders away.
“We moved the ball fast and everybody got a touch,” Carroll said. “We wanted to close out the game.”
Shenendehowa coach Jason Gifford said he was happy with his team’s performance overall. He thought it was important that the Plainsmen made a quick response to the brief flurry by the Crusaders (8-5).
“You want to make sure that you’re answering your opponent’s goals,” Gifford said. “And then we went on a run of our own.”
Carroll’s three quick goals gave the Plainsmen a 10-3 lead with 8:20 left in the second quarter.
After Monroe-Woodbury’s Ryan Behringer cut it to 10-4, Braden Fahey scored from 20 yards out to give the Plainsmen an 11-4 lead. Carroll converted a beautiful feed from Nathan Wolfe and then Wolfe scored from close range to close out the half to give Shenendehowa a 13-4 lead.
Shenendehowa outscored the Crusaders 5-1 in the third quarter to make it 18-5. The rest of the game went quick with running time for the fourth quarter.
With its victory, Shenendehowa (16-3) advanced to face the Section 1 champion at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mahopac High. Scarsdale and Mamaroneck met for the Section 1 title at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Scarsdale ended Shenendehowa’s season last year in the regional final. Though the Plainsmen had no idea who their opponent would be on Saturday when they left for the bus ride home, Carroll said the team has been itching for redemption.
“Ever since last year in the regional game when we lost to them, we expected to be exactly where we are right now,” Carroll said. “We’ve been playing really good, so we’re really excited to go up to Mahopac and play whoever it is.”
Shenendehowa 7-6-5-4-22
Monroe-Woodbury 2-2-1-1-6
Shenendehowa scoring: Carroll 7-0, Hicks 4-3, LoPresti 2-1, Wolfe 2-5, Fahey 2-2, Gleason 1-0, Linn 1-0, Stockwell 1-1, Zaniello 1-0, Bullock 1-0. Monroe-Woodbury scoring: Fitzgibbon 3-0, Behringer 1-0, Gallagher 1-0, Weeks 1-0.
Goalies: Monroe-Woodbury, Trinkle 9 saves. Shenendehowa, Standaert 8 saves.
Categories: -Sports-, Clifton Park and Halfmoon, High School Sports, Sports
