Wildcats Sink Tabor Academy Seawolves in Season Finale, 7-6
Wildcats Sink Tabor Academy Seawolves in Season Finale, 7-6
With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Wildcat attackman Ryan Hayes (Darien, CT), recently selected as a NNELL 1st team all star, took an assist from co- captain and NNELL Player of the Year Evan Roberts (West Cornwall, VT) and buried it convincingly behind Tabor goalie Rollie St. ClaireBarrie to break the 6-6 deadlock and give Kimball Union their first win over Tabor in the last three years.
Meeting on neutral ground at beautiful Phillips Exeter Academy under clear skies and cool spring temperatures, the stage was set for the final clash of the season between two evenly matched and highly motivated teams. In a game that saw numerous shifts in momentum throughout the afternoon, Roberts won the opening face-off, scooped the ball uncontested and found Hayes on the fast break who quickly gave Kimball Union an early 1-0 lead. After the early goal, the game surged from end to end with impressive riding, clearing and transitional play. Both St. ClaireBarrie and NNELL 1st team all star Rob Bleakley (Lexington, MA) made spectacular saves that shifted the momentum from end to end. Finally at the 10:46 mark, middie David Robinson (Lexington, MA) found Tabor twine to give the Black and Orange a 2-0 lead after one. Sophomore Cody Danforth (Milton, VT) got the assist. Comfort was short lived for Kimball Union as Tabor converted twice in transition to evaporate the Wildcat lead. With momentum shifting to the Seawolves, they converted twice more to lead 4-2 near the half. With 29 seconds left, Hayes and Roberts combined once again to bring the Wildcats to within one at the half.
The third period unfolded with the same intensity as the first half as Tabor scored in transition to extend their lead to two. But the Wildcats Scott “Moe-Dot” Crawford (Mystic, CT) caught a Justin Wright (Waccabuc, NY) pass, bull dodged his man and put the Wildcats back to within one. Two and half minutes later Robinson teamed up with Hayes to end the third period at a 5-5 deadlock. With 12 minutes left in the 2007 season, everything was on the line. Tabor scored at the 6 minute mark but Ryan Henry (Norwood, MA), playing true to form with poise and discipline at the most critical moments, hit Tabor net to deadlock the game at 6 all. The all important assist came from Danforth. With both teams, resisting fatigue and leaving nothing behind in the final moments, Ryan Hayes and Evan Roberts teamed up one more time as Hayes scored what was to be the game winner at the 10 minute mark.
Overall this may well have been the best performance of the year for the Wildcat defense as Bleakley registered 10 solid saves between the pipes, some of the spectacular variety. Keeping fresh defensive legs on the field was key to some excellent team defense as Brian Orr (Medford, MA), Co-captain Trevor McGraw (Meriden, NH), Colin Young (Dedham, MA) and Matt Parker (Shelburne, VT) worked in harmony to disrupt the Seawolve offense. Heavy body checks, excellent clearing sequences with redirection, early slides and savvy ground ball work characterized the Wildcat defense in one of their finer performances. Andrew Richardson (Lancaster, MA) and Brent Bourgeois (Milton, VT), playing in tandem at midfield with longsticks, continued to ride and pressure the ball effectively.
The Wildcats end the 2007 season today with a record of 9-5 and share a Lakes Region League Tri-Championship with Holderness School and Brewster Academy.
