By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Very few lacrosse rivalries in the state of Massachusetts share the same type of mutual animus that Needham and Wellesley have for one another
On Thursday, the Rockets (8-4, 7-0) hosted the Raiders (7-3, 4-2) for a pivotal mid-season showdown. Behind a six-goal performance by junior attack-man and BU commit Jason Child, as well as hat tricks by Danny McEvoy and Michael Calcagni, Needham was able to outlast and pull away from the Michael Bomes-led Raiders for a 14-8 victory as the Rockets remained unbeaten in conference action.
“This was a big win for us,” said Needham head coach Dave Wainwright following the victory. “We were really excited about the outcome considering it’s a rivalry game and how much it means in the standings.”
It took nearly an entire quarter, but Child got the scoring started with a finish at the crease on his left hand with 2:52 remaining in the opening frame to draw first blood for Needham. Just 40 seconds later with 2:12 to play, Child struck again with a goal off of transition to double Needham’s lead to 2-0. Bomes responded for Wellesley by launching home a right-handed cannon with 11 seconds to play to cut the deficit to 2-1 at the end of one quarter.
Carl Callahan knotted the game at two for Wellesley just 1:53 into the second quarter with a right-handed shot up high from about 10 yards away. Child completed the hat trick and gave Needham back the lead for good with 6:26 to play by driving from behind the cage and finishing with a right-handed jump shot down low. Calcagni doubled Needham’s lead to two goals at 4-2 with a left-handed rip off of a feed from McEvoy on the man-up with 5:45 remaining. Calcagni made it a 5-2 game with a finish at the crease following a steal and sweet feed by senior captain John Andre. A big sprawling save by Wellesley goaltender Teddy Darcey, followed by a right leg save by Needham goaltender Andrew McNally on a fast break in the final minute, kept the game 5-2 in favor of Needham at halftime.
Hugh Callahan cut the deficit to 5-3 for Wellesley with 7:44 to play in the third quarter with a right-handed missile. However, Child responded right back for Needham with a finish at the crease following a steal and feed by McEvoy with 5:56 to play. Child’s fifth of the contest via a right-handed crank on the man-up gave Needham a four-goal lead at 7-3 before a left-handed rip by McEvoy made it an 8-3 game with 4:24 left.
Wellesley’s leading scorer from 2017, Hugh Callahan, put an end to the 4-0 run by the Rockets by going airborne and finishing a shot down low at the crease with 2:15 to play to cut the deficit to 8-4. With 29 seconds to play in the quarter, Michael Bomes fired home his second of the game from about 15 yards away off the pipe and in to make it 8-5 at the end of three.
McEvoy extended Needham’s lead back to four goals on the man-up with a little left-handed dunk shot at the crease just 1:17 into the fourth. McEvoy then completed the hat trick on the man-up just 59 seconds later with 9:44 to play to make it a 10-5 game. Calcagni then completed a hat trick of his own after finishing a play at the doorstep to make it 11-5 in favor of Needham.
A fourth of the game from McEvoy extended Needham’s lead to 12-5 before Calcagni finished a left-handed bouncer off of transition to make it 13-5 with 5:55 to play. Bomes responded for Wellesley with a dodge and finish down low before Hugh Callahan fired home a bounce shot off the ensuing faceoff to make it a 13-7 game. Bomes made a pair of defenders miss off of a dodge from X and finished down low to cut the deficit to 13-8 with 1:50 to play, but Child’s sixth of the day on an empty-netter during the game’s final minute sealed the deal for Needham. The Rockets emerged with the 14-8 victory.
Wainwright gave praise to Child following the future Terrier’s big performance on Thursday against his arch-rivals.
“Jason is an identified threat,” said Wainwright. “Obviously, they tried to shut him off and we were able to work some things for him to get loose, and he was able to find a way to use those methods to get the ball. No matter what they tried, he was able to adapt and overcome. I’m very excited to see him come out with this sort of performance because in some ways, he hasn’t really been challenged yet this season and this will be big moving forward.”
Wainwright also talked about how Wellesley’s focus on Child allowed big performances from other impact players, Calcagni and McEvoy.
“Because they were focusing on Jason [Child] a lot, they maybe weren’t able to slide as well or play their normal rotational defense,” said Wainwright. “That opened up a lot of opportunities for us to find that plus-one and get that easy look. The guys buried some key shots today and that really made the difference.”
Another Rocket to receive recognition from his coach was goaltender Andrew McNally, who finished with 13 saves in the winning effort.
“He’s been a good goalie for us all season long,” said Wainwright. “He’s really kept us in big games. Andrew’s been a dynamic and well-seasoned veteran goalie. Couldn’t ask for more.”
At the time of print, Needham will look to stick to its winning script when the Rockets travel to face catholic conference power St. John’s Prep on May 12 while Wellesley will attempt to get back on track against Framingham on May 10.
For funny and incisive sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter at @fLAno0, or read his blog at www.flannylive.wordpress.com.
