ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- A 2021 graduating class strong in numbers and stronger still in the hustle and talent departments led the way in a dominant 13-3 victory over Northern Ohio Lacrosse League-foe Mentor on Tuesday night.
A determined and versatile contingent of 13 seniors -- from team manager Molly Sheridan working the camera in the press box to the waves of depth coming off the sideline to the efforts of Allie Kysela, Grace Harte, Lauren Solecki, and Blair Willse in combining for nine points -- was 100% in command of Tuesday's affair against the Cardinals. And that was appropriate enough as the game marked Senior Night for Rocky River Girls' Lacrosse.
River seniors combined for six points in game's first 10 minutes, helping the Pirates to a 5-2 lead by the 15-minute mark of the opening half. The playmaking and finishing abilities of Kysela and sophomore attacker Olivia Konopka were on full display, as the Detroit Road Buccaneers pulled off more than a couple tic-tac-toe passing plays to net goals against the Cardinals (1-3, 1-2 NOLL).
A trade of scores over the middle minutes of the first was followed by a strong defensive push by the Pirates, who were fleet of foot and quick of stick in denying would-be cutters around the River cage. The Pirates were also adept at flipping possessions over the middle 40 yards of the property. Seniors Nicole Contenza, Harte, Maya Patti, Sarah Farling, Makenzie Runyon, and Kaitlyn Carlin were in on key plays in the defensive zone and at midfield. A nifty Ella Nejad goal assisted by Konopka at the 5:12-mark was the lone score between the Pirates and Cardinals over the final 10 minutes of the first.
For the game, Rocky River (3-1, 2-1 NOLL) had nine caused turnovers, and eight different players logged those spills in the ledger.
On what was a soft March evening befitting of a football score, the Pirates went into halftime leading 7-3. Junior Roni Yonosko scored Mentor's third goal of the contest on a fine unassisted dashed toward the River net at 13:46. Yonosko's score would mark the Cardinals' final goal on the night. In fact, Mentor didn't register a shot until the second half was 10 minutes-and-40 seconds old. In the meantime, five different Pirates netted five unanswered goals to run Rocky River's lead to 12-3. The Pirates put a lid on the game's scoring with a Konopka goal assisted by Iris Polly at 11:45. Polly finished with two assists to go with a matching set of scores. Konopka filed the same line and now has 10 goals on the season.
A pair of River cage-minders also figured into that early Mentor exit from the scoring race. Junior goalkeeper Hannah Burgess carded three saves in 33 minutes; senior 'keeper Evie Kelley logged three saves in 17 minutes.
Allie Kysela scored her ninth and 10th goals of the season and also registered an assist and two ground balls. The Pirates' active leader in career goals now has 41 such scores to her credit. Fellow seniors Grace Harte (two goals), Lauren Solecki (goal, assist), and Blair Willse (two goals) all had two points in the win.
In a contest that featured top-shelf River plays when the pellet was airborne on targeted shots and crisp passes, Tuesday's victory was also one very much dug out of the ground with superb stick-work up and down the roster. Kalyn Scalabrino (four ground balls), Polly (four), Daisy Thompson (four), and Konopka (three) led the way in Rocky River posting a monster 33-17 edge in ground balls. Those efforts helped the Pirates win the turnover battle, committing 14 to the Cardinals' 24. River also won 12-of-18 draws on the night.
Tuesday's game was preceded by a senior recognition ceremony. The 13 seniors honored were Kaitlyn Carlin, Nicole Contenza, Sarah Farling, Grace Harte, Evie Kelley, Caitlyn Kelly, Allie Kysela, Eve Larsen, Maya Patti, Makenzie Runyon, Molly Sheridan, Lauren Solecki, and Blair Willse.
A baker's dozen. And on Tuesday against Mentor: a dandy dozen.
by Skip Snow
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