ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (April 8, 2025) -- A powerful comeback by the visiting team lifted the Hathaway Brown Blazers over the Rocky River Pirates in Tuesday non-conference action at frozen Rocky River Stadium. The Pirates scored just one goal after the 5:02-mark of the second quarter and were defeated 11-8.
In a game that was statistically close in most respects, Hathaway Brown outshot Rocky River 55% to 44%. And the Pirates were slowed by a 52.6% (10-of-19) clearing percentage.
The first nine goals of the night were a rolling game of scoreboard leapfrog, but when Ellie Holton scored on a Clara DeWitt feed at 8:42 of the second period the Maroon & White found themselves up two (6-4) for the first time. River pushed its lead to three less-than-three minutes later on an Emma Yezbak goal.
Over the balance of the first half, the Blazer netted two goals to none for the Pirates. Senior captain Emily Morgan scored both of those goals for the Blazers. The Raiders not having an answer for the shifty Morgan would have consequences the rest of the night.
Morgan scored two more times in a decisive third quarter that saw the visitors put six shots on frame to the Pirates' two. Hathaway Brown outscored River 4-0 in the period and went into the fourth leading 10-7.
The final frame amounted to solid defense and goalkeeping on both sides. The Blazers and Buccaneers split two goals. A Grace DeWitt net-finder at 7:55 -- after a 21-minute Pirate scoring drought -- marked the final pellet getting behind a goalie. For the game, Charlotte Kleid recorded eight saves for HB; Claudia Walsh filed six stops for the Pirates.
Emily Morgan finished with six goals and two assists, to go with three ground balls, three caused turnovers, and nine draw controls. Anna Morgan added four twine-finders and one assist.
For Rocky River (5-3), Grace DeWitt finished with 4G, 3GB, 2 CT, and 4 DC. DeWitt has now tallied 20 points over River's last four games.
Hathaway Brown, which last spring lost to the Pirates 14-5 (April 11) en route to a 16-5 season and a trip to the DII final four, was able to do to the Buccaneers what no squad had done to them since 2021: send them to a second straight defeat. River also lost Saturday at Columbus Watterson; the Pirates had not lost back-to-back games since losing four in a row May 6-11, 2021.
Tuesday's setback also marked the end of a 15-game home winning streak for the Pirates, whose slate gets no easier after the tough back-to-back tests. On Friday (7:30, Rocky River Stadium), the Striped Buccaneers will host a 5-1 Columbus St. Francis squad.
by Skip Snow
# # # RR # # #