Wednesday, May 15

Coaches Cup Semifinals

(1) Barnegat 4, (5) Freehold Township 2

Sophomore Codey Shaffrey delivered two goals and sophomore goalie DJ Swierk made eight saves as the Bengals (8-9) raliled to score four unaswered goals and clip the Patriots (9-8) to advane to the Coaches Cup championship game.

Freehold Township jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead just 3:54 into the game, but the Swierk and the Bengals' defense buckled down to shut the Patriots out for the rest of the game. Barnegat tied the score 2-2 with 1.4 seconds left in the first half and took a 3-2 lead with 5:49 left in the fourth quarter. Juniors Jakob Jason and Stephen Griffin each scored once and junior midfielder Antonio Frusco was clutch with a perfect 10-for-10 day at the face-off X.

Barnegat will host sixth-seeded Brick Memorial in the Coaches Cup final on Friday at 3:45 p.m.

(6) Brick Memorial 12, (7) St. John Vianney 10

Junior attackman Austin Edwards scored four goals and sophomore attackman Nick Correia was dialed in from X with three goals and six assists to power the surging Mustangs (9-8) past the Lancers (10-7) and into the Coaches Cup title game.

Both teams came in playing their best lacrosse of the season with SJV riding a seven-game winning streak and Brick Memorial entering having won four in a row. St. John Vianney went ahead 2-0 on goals by senior Will Keegan before Brick Memorial got on the board via a goal by senior midfielder Connor Dietz.

PHOTO GALLERY

The game began to devolve from their with multiple flags, including a St. John Vianney player receiving a three-minute, non-relesable penalty and then being ejected from the game. Two parents were also ejected, according to the game's head official. Brick Memorial was able to take advantage with multiple man-up goals, including two late in the first half to take a 6-4 lead into the third quarter.

Brick Memorial pulled ahead 12-6 in the fourth quarter before Vianney mounted a late rally with four goals in a span of under two minutes. Brick Memorial junior goalie Matt Hillin made a couple of key saves down the stretch and also had a great hustle play to get to the end line first after an SJV shot, giving possession to the Mustangs with 54 seconds left in the game.

Hillin finished with 22 saves while sophomore attackman Noah Gambroney recorded two goals and one assist. Sophomore midfielder Justin Karlbon added a goal and an assist and junior midfielder Jayden Tholen scored once. The Mustangs also received a gritty effort from junior face-off specialist Frank Taylor, a first-year lacrosse player, who battled St. John Vianney sophomore standout Max Menkowitz at the face-off X. Menkowitz won 17 of 25 face-offs for the game but Taylor and the Brick Memorial wings made sure he wasn't winning many clean and sprinting into the offensive end.

Keegan had another big game with five goals and two assists, giving him 62 goals and 28 assists for 90 points this season. He is two goals away from 100 for his career. Junior Brendan Allen added a goal and an assist, and Menkowitz dished out three assists.

Brick Memorial will travel south to square off with top-seeded Barnegat in the Coaches Cup final on Friday at 3:45 p.m.