KUA defeats Tabor in season finale, 12-11

The Seawolves and Wildcats met at Exeter Academy in their season finales.  Despite a final momentum shift, KUA hung on to win 12-11.  KUA got off to a quick start with two goals on their first two possessions.  Kyle Curry scored his first of five goals a minute and a half into the game off an assist from Ben Hayden, followed a minute later by KUA’s second goal when Justin Wright finished a Cody Danforth feed to give KUA a 2-0 lead.   Tabor picked up their play and scored the next four goals to end the first quarter with a 4-2 lead. Curry cut the Tabor lead to 4-3 when he scored his second goal three minutes into the second quarter.  KUA could not get the momentum to shift and Tabor scored moments later to put the game at 5-3.  Justin Wright scored off a Ben Hayden feed followed by a goal by sophomore Chris Morse to equal the score a 5-5 and send both teams to the half tied.  Both teams traded goals to start the third quarter. At 7:07, KUA’s Curry scored his fourth goal of the afternoon to put KUA up 7-6.  Wright increased KUA’s lead to 8-6 off a feed from Danforth, before Tabor was able to stop the Wildcat run and cut the lead to 8-7. The Wildcats’ Danforth exploded for two more goals in the final minutes of the third quarter to give KUA what they believed to be a commanding 10-7 lead. Tabor immediately slashed the lead to 10-8 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Curry scored his fourth goal, this time off an assist from Kontos, to give KUA an 11-8 lead. Kontos then scored his own goal to increase the lead to 12-8.  Tabor turned it on, however, and scored three unanswered goals in the following four minutes to cut the lead to 12-11. With 3 minutes remaining on the clock and the Seawolves swarming, Kontos won the ensuing face-off (14/22) and the KUA offense began to stall.  Tabor’s defense was able to knock the ball on the ground twice, creating possession and scoring opportunities at the other end of the field.  KUA’s defense and long poles came up big, however, and fought back to preserve the lead, and the win. Jake Gray had nine saves on the afternoon in the KUA net. Ben Wyskiel, playing in his last KUA game, was sensational defending and clearing for the Bison. Defensemen John Planer and Juan Breton were stellar on defense, forcing bad passes and keeping their men from drawing slides.  KUA finishes the season with a 12-3 record, the Lakes Region Championship, as well as the NNELL title. GREAT SEASON! Now you can rest.