By Ken Chaisson
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
The Walpole Timberwolves boys’ lacrosse team went to battle against the King Philip (KP) Warriors on Tuesday June 3, 2025 at Walpole High School in a quarterfinal playoff tilt.
The first quarter started slowly as each team tried to solve the others’ defense. Brayden Mattera scored for Walpole less than a minute into the match. FOGO Sam Miles was winning the faceoffs. Jack Cotter then doubled the lead at 7:45. Walpole’s goalie Tim Fraser made a great save to keep KP off the scoreboard. With less than a minute to go in the stanza, KP broke the ice to halve the lead. Walpole had the majority of the possession time in the period. The quarter ended with the Timberwolves up 2-1.
In the second period, Walpole began spreading out their offense more and chose not to use their high pick strategy. Fraser made another great save which led to Jack Webb scoring at the 4:03 mark. Jake Cicci helped out his goaltender by blocking a shot with his back. The entire defense held KP scoreless in the quarter and went into halftime up 3-1.
The third quarter began asking which adjustments done at halftime would bear fruit. A nifty goalmouth pass from John Cotter to Ryan Lania extended the lead to 4-1. Zach Mattera to his brother, Brayden, resulted in a 5-1 lead. But KP wasn’t done. They scored two quick goals backboned by their goalie to make it 5-3. Walpole earned a two man advantage for 30 seconds with less than two minutes to play. Brayden Mattera pumped home a power play goal to make it 6-3 going into the fourth quarter.
It was crunch time in a close playoff game. Brayden Mattera gathered a missed shot by John Cotter to make it 7-3. KP made it 7-4. Brayden Mattera’s dazzling footwork set up Dillon Needham’s goal to give Walpole their biggest lead of the game at 9-4. KP made it 9-5 with a half a quarter to go. The final score was Walpole 10-5.
Brayden Mattera had four goals and two assists. Dillon Needham had a hat trick plus an assist. Jack Webb had a goal and two assists. Jack Cotter had a goal and an assist. Ryan Lania had a goal.
K-P had more attempted shots than Walpole but many of them missed their mark. Their strategy seemed to be to get balls near the net, anyhow, anytime. Goaltender Tim Fraser made a few spectacular saves none bigger than the kick save in the middle of the fourth period when K-P was fighting hard to get back into the game.
Much of the focus on the boys’ club this season has been on their flexible offensive approach. But in their first two playoff games it has been their defense which has stood strong.
