By Paul Vozzella
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Even the Tri-Valley League’s best competition was not enough to overcome the Warriors as boys lacrosse traveled to Westwood and left with an 18-11 win and 6-1 record.
Just two games prior, Medfield lost in a close game against Marshfield. Of course, this time around the Warriors found themselves on the right side of the back-and-forth game, pulling away in the second half.
“We played a much cleaner game,” said head coach John Isaf. “...fewer penalties, fewer turnovers, better shooting. Obviously Westwood's a league rival, so the guys brought it tonight.”
The first half proved to be a battle as Westwood had a noticeable fire lit under it. Medfield found itself in a quick two goal deficit under three minutes into the game. Before things got out of hand, a newcomer took matters into his own hands. Freshman Maverick MacPherson put Medfield on the board to bring the score to a 2-1 deficit.
Westwood and Medfield traded a couple more goals for the rest of the first quarter, ending at 4-2.
As the second frame moved along, momentum started to shift in favor of the Warriors. Captains Ben Lusby and Jack Sampson provided the spark necessary to take over the game with goals to tie Westwood.
Although Westwood would go on to score the game’s next goal, that would be the last lead it held. Senior Jack Commane tied the game back up and top scoring option junior Braeden Sutton gave the Warriors a lead by pushing a loose ball past the goalie before he was able to cover it.
Captain Ian Reddy scored his first goal of the game prior to a Westwood attackman sneaking in a goal, catching the Warriors’ defense off-guard while he was adjacent to the net.
Westwood scored the first goal of the second half but it was Medfield who would take complete control of the contest.
“I think better choices on offense in terms of shooting,” said Isaf on what made the difference in the second half. “We were a little bit more patient, got better shots and [John Olenik] gave us the ball a lot.”
The improved shot selection led to 11 back-half goals. Sutton scored the first two – the second of which came after evading two defenders and shooting as he was falling to his chest. With the scores, the Warriors were detectably amped up.
Sampson was next to contribute with a goal and Lusby followed suit after Olenik won a faceoff, charged towards the goal, drawing the defense’s attention and passed the ball back to the wide open captain for another score.
Freshman Eddie Breslin assisted on another Commane goal to round out the third quarter scoring while senior goalie John Sanderson allowed no more goals following the one to start the quarter.
Breslin, Reddy, Commane and Sutton all put points up on the scoreboard in the fourth period en route to victory.
