The No. 4 St. Paul's boys lacrosse team had been on an impressive five-game roll in Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference play going into Friday's big game against No. 3 Calvert Hall.
Despite all the wins, coach Rick Brocato saw something new from his Crusaders as they notched yet another win — this one by a 9-5 count against the visiting Cardinals.
"This was really what I think is our first complete game — all four quarters, from start to finish," he said.
Starting fast in both halves, the Crusaders leaned on a 16-save performance from junior goalie Alex Rode and balanced play on attack to claim the victory.
St. Paul's (12-5) improves to 6-2 in league play, sitting in third place with the chance to still move up to second place with its final regular season game set for Tuesday at Boys' Latin. If the Crusaders can beat the second-place Lakers (12-3, 7-1), they would jump ahead of them and earn a first-round bye in the postseason. No. 1 McDonogh (15-1, 8-0) clinched first place with its win over Archbishop Spalding on Friday.
Playing in a steady rain, the Crusaders got an early goal from Patrick Karey and built a 5-1 lead midway through the second quarter before the Cardinals were able to find momentum.
The visitors got goals from JT Bugliosi and Jack Kinnear to cut the deficit to 5-3 late in the half.
But with three seconds left until the break, Rode sprawled to make a diving save on a shot at the crease to keep the lead at two. The Crusaders got third-quarter goals from Keegan Pearl and Joe Pollard — each taking turns setting each other up — to claim a 7-3 lead going into the fourth. Another early fourth quarter goal from Pollard set the tone the rest of the way as the Crusaders maintained a comfortable lead in closing out the win.
"Even against Loyola [a 12-9 win on April 22], when we played so well, I thought we stopped playing a little toward the end of the game," Brocato said. "So this one I thought we stayed composed and finished the game and that is a very good team and a very well-coached team, and I just thought our guys executed our game plan really well and it's been working for us. So ... now we're in position where we can get a bye with a win on Tuesday."
Pollard finished with two goals and two assist to lead the attack, Pearl and Mitch Gordon each finishing with two goals and one assist. Rode never let the Cardinals get rolling, making timely saves throughout.
"My defense was giving me really good looks, they weren't letting them get anything inside, so they really helped me out," Rode said.
The Cardinals, who got three goals from Zach Green, are now 5-3 in league play, assured a playoff spot, but no longer in position to gain an opening-round bye. They close the regular season at home against No. 5 Loyola Blakefield on Tuesday.
Calvert Hall coach Bryan Kelly was quick to credit Rode and was confident his group will bounce back.
"I've got a great group of kids. They're good on the field and good off the field, so I'm not worried about my team at all. We'll be ready," he said. "Anything can happen in a game — it's high school lacrosse. You're never as good as you look, you're never as bad as you look, so we'll keep working and hopefully get better and peak at the right time."
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Boys lacrosse
4 St. Paul's 9, 3 Calvert Hall 5
Goals: CH – Green 3, Bugliosi, Kinnear;
SP – Pollard 2, Pearl 2, Rockhill, Karey, Gordon 2, Posner.
Assists: CH – Kinnear 2, Kelly, Mintzer;
SP – Pollard 2, Gordon, Pearl, Posner.
Saves: CH – McSorley 8;
SP – Rode 16.
Half: SP, 5-3