West Genesee vs. Corcoran

West Genesse

Cometti 2-0, Cost 1-0, Desko 2-0, C. Donahue 0-2, Mazzoni 1-2
Saves: Galloway 11

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Cougars Pounce On 'Cats

The West Genesee boy’s varsity lacrosse 41 game win two year streak came crashing to a halt on Thursday night at Corcoran against the Corcoran Cougars with a 7-6 overtime loss. West Genesee (11-1) had never been beaten by the Cougars (6-5) 9-0 since the Corcoran began their program in 2000, but on this evening it was Cougar persistence, tenaciousness and hustle that beat out the Cats, “ we’re here, give us the win” style of play.

Both teams played to a draw in the first quarter as the Cats squandered several opportunities with highly ineffective shooting and the Genny defense kept Corcoran from any type of offense at all. The Cats did manage to get on the board first at 8:47 1-0 when senior middie Scott Cost zipped a right hand shot past junior goalie Joe Janis. Genny increased their lead to 2-0 with 4:57 to go on a goal by junior middie Tim Desko with an assist to junior attackman Collin Donahue as his shot deflected off Janis’s chest and in.

Just under two minutes later 2:01 it appeared the Cats might have found their stride when sophomore Luke Cometti tucked a shot in the bottom right hand corner of the Cougar cage with an assist from junior attackman Adam Mazzoni for a 3-0 lead.
Then it was Mazzoni’s turn 4-0 with just 41 seconds to go, capitalizing on a Collin Donahue feed from behind and the Cats appeared to be in the drivers seat with a three goal run in the final two minutes of the half.

The third quarter began with Cat’s sophomore middie Ryan Barber just missing as his shot deflected off the left goal post. The Cougars then took the ball and made their mark 4-1 at 7:14 when junior middie Ryan Eber’s shot bounced off the crossbar to senior attackman Kevin Curtin who redirected the shot past Genny junior goalie John Galloway. West Genny answered with an retaliatory strike 5-1 at 6:00 when Cometti took a pass from Mazzoni and netted a laser just under the crossbar while the Cougars served a man down for slashing. With the Cats sitting on a four goal lead against a 5-5 team, a team that had never beaten them it seemed only a matter of a quarter in a half before the Blue and Gold took to the bus wit their 42nd straight win, but instead of Wildcat time it was Cougar time as the nearly unthinkable began to unfold.

Corcoran began their comeback at 4:09 with Curtain’s second of the game as he beat Galloway from the left side 5-2. With just under a minute to go the Cats faced more Cougar pressure as Galloway was forced to make several saves from close range. It appeared they’d dodge the storm until they turned over the ensuing clear which Corcoran’s Joe Richman turned into a goal with just 42 seconds to go cutting into the Genny lead 5-3.

The Cats began the fourth quarter with a man up situation but again turned the ball over as Desko lost the ball in the sun. Corcoran took advantage of the turnover and a Genny slash as senior middie Ray Ryan cut the lead 5-4 with 8:39 to go.
Ryan followed up with his second of the game 5-5 7:04 to go as Curtain assisted and the upset appeared near. It was Ryan yet again with his third consecutive goal at 5:51 with Genny serving a penalty and the Cougars led 6-5. With Corcoran in the lead the Cat attack either appeared hesitant or actually began to try and run their patented offense right for the first time in the game but it was the Cougar’s junior goalie Janis who stole the show making point blank stops on Mazzoni at 1:38 then again on Cometti.

With Corcaran serving a stupid unnecessary roughness penalty nearly tied the game when Ryan barber’s shot wit 57 seconds left beat Janis, but struck the post below to his right and rolled back out in to the crease. But in the excitement Janis went out of then back into the crease resulting in a turnover . West Genny retained possession with 26 ticks to go and after frantically working the ball past a pursuing Cougar defense it was Desko who snuck a soft bouncer just under the lip of the crossbar with 8 seconds to go knotting the game at 6-6.

With sudden victory over time starring both teams down it appeared the Cats had gathered the face-off , but once again turned it over setting up the Cougars dramatic history making goal. With 3:39 remaining it was the Cougar’s best Curtain manned up against the Cats best, senior defender Jaren Woeppel. Curtain started by trotting behind the cage, strolling the end line, then he made his cut to the goal right handed, just befor breaking to the left post switched to his left hand, slipped by Woeppel and dropped a shot by Galloway and then the meele ensued and helmets, gloves and sticks flew through the air. The Cougars had done it, “ Their miracle on Carpet”, defeating the four time state champs, snapping their 41 game winning streak with an inconceivable 7-6 overtime win!

Cost nets the first goal

Cometti from Mazzoni

Desko from Donahue

Mazzoni scores