ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Rocky River opened postseason play with a 17-0 victory over Oregon Clay on Monday evening.
The Pirates got goals from 13 players in clocking their most goals in a single game since May 13, 2017 (18 vs. Walsh). The shutout marked River's second of the season, and now the Maroon & White move on in the
Region 5 bracket of the 2021 D-II Ohio Boys' Lacrosse Tournament.
The one-sided affair saw the No. 1 seed in Region 5 outshoot the 19th-seeded Eagles, 50-7. Rocky River (13-4) reeled in nine goals in the opening quarter, four in the second, two in the third, and two in the fourth. Senior attackman Hayden Weaver scored three goals as part of a four-point evening. Weaver had two goals and an assist in the first period alone.
The Pirates also got multiple scores -- two goals each -- from senior John Matis and freshman Brody Hahn. Mack Massad, Aidan McDonald, Tamer Salama, Wes Bennett, Will Bennett, Nathan Robertson, Matthew George, Andrew Lang, Packy Connelly, and Tyler Fortune rounded out the busy scoring column on the stat sheet. Reece Rochester (24 minutes, one save) and Carter Smith (24 minutes, one save) split the contest in a lonely Pirate cage. Kai Delventhal registered eight ground balls and one caused turnover. Aidan McDonald added four ground balls and two spills. Massad (8-0 on faceoffs) and Matthew McDonald (9-2) led an 18-2 night in the faceoff department.
By virtue of the program's first playoff win since May 21, 2018 (Toledo St. Francis), the Pirates will now face a familiar foe in the next round. River will host the Bay Rockets Thursday at 6 p.m.
CANNON FIRE ...
POSITIVE THINKING: In a 5-4 loss at Columbus Watterson on April 24, Rocky River was a minus-8 in turnover margin. The miscue minus marked River's second in as many games. With their plus-7 on Monday (nine turnovers to Clay's 16), the Pirates have now been a plus in turnover margin in seven straight games since. Rocky River went into Monday's game averaging 16.7 miscues per contest; opponents were averaging 19.7.
SPILLS & THRILLS: Much of the spillage benefiting River in recent weeks has been caused by the Pirate ride. In the seven games leading up to Monday's playoff affair, the Maroon & White had held foes to a 62.7% (74-of-118) success rate on clearing attempts. Over that same span, River went 108-of-131 (82.4%). On Monday, the Pirates held the Eagles to just seven clears on 14 attempts.