by Lem Satterfield
The stage is set for what should be an excellent MIAA B Conference Division II game on Tuesday fearturing the Friends Quakers at the Boys’ Latin Lakers after each overcame deficits in games on Thursday to continue their respective winning streaks.
The Quakers (7-2 league, 8-2-1 overall) overcame a two-goal halftime deficit for a 3-2 victory over visiting Glenelg Country School (7-3, 10-3l), ending the Dragons’ three-game winning streak and remaining unbeaten at 6-0-1 in their past seven games.
In that game, Ryan DeSmit sandwhiched two second half goals around his assist on a third by Justin Prushansky.
The Lakers (10-1, 10-3), meanwhile, overcame an early 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 halftime lead at St. Vincent Pallotti (4-5, 5-8).
The score stood for the victory, but only after the Lakers’ 6-foot-2, first-year goal-keeper, Eric Smith, made his 10th of 11 saves, reaching high to deflect a penalty kick by the Panthers’ Matt Gannon with six minutes left to play.
“This kid had a rocket of a shot. It was coming in fast, but I got my hand up there quick enough and I was able to knock it away,” said Smith, a senior.
“We’ll take any win. A ‘W’ is a ‘W,'” Smith said. “I believe that we’re in a rhythm right now, and that our chemistry is at a high point. “
The Lakers won for the 10th straight time against the B Conference since their season-opening, 3-1, loss to defending champion Severn in a rematch of last year’s final.
During that time, the Lakers have allowed only eight goals during league play, having handed Friends its last loss, 2-1, on Sept. 14.
Including non-league contests, the Lakers have won nine of their past 10 games. That run includes an eight-game winning streak during which the Lakers have out-scored the opposition by a combined, 22-7, with four of their five shut outs.
But the Quakers’ unbeaten run is equally impressive.
It includes a 6-0 shutout of Division I leader Annapolis Area Christian; a 2-1 victory over Severn, which is presently in second place in Division I; a tie with Archbishop Spalding of the A Conference, which also has tied A Conference leader, McDonogh; and the win over Glenelg to avenge an earlier, 3-1 loss.
Coupled with Park (4-4, 7-5), which has blanked defending champ, Severn, 2-0, Lakers coach Don Rickels considers division II “to be a tight race that may be too close to call right now.
“The top three teams from each division make the playoffs,” said Rickels, whose Lakers play host to Park on Thursday. “When all is said and done, one of four teams — us, Friends, Glenelg Country or Park — is going to be on the outside, looking in.”
Both the Quakers and the Dragons are doing their best not to be that team, judgind from their efforts on Thursday.
The Dragons led, 2-0, at halftime on two goals by Conner McAullife.
The first, at 13:35, was assisted by his twin, Kelson McAullife, on a through ball touched past keeper Marshall Daly (eight saves) to the far post.
Conner McAulife converted his second goal from 12 yards at 17:22, beating two defenders with a spin move.
The Quakers answered, however, in the second half with DeSmit scoring at 45:37 to make it, 2-1. DeSmit fed Justin Prushansky at 67:12 to tie the game. Finally, DeSmit’s game-winner sealed it for the Quakers with two minutes to play.
DeSmit converted from 22 yards to bring the Quakers within, 2-1, placing the ball low and to the corner. Later, DeSmit crossed a ball to an awaiting Prushansky, who fired it home from eight yards out.
DeSmit’s game-winner was the result of a scramble next to the goal post, after which his lofted ball reached its mark past a couple of out-stretched defenders.
“Each goalie played well, reacting to shots, crosses, through balls. They each had a couple of one-on-one saves,” said Friends’ coach Doug DeSmit, noting four key stops by Dragons’ keeper Collin Lyons.
“The first half, [his Quakers] had several early chances which were thwarted by the well organized [Dragons’] defense,” said DeSmit. “[The Quakers] carried the majority of possession time in the second half and were rewarded with ten shots. Finishing three was enough to win.”
At St. Vincent Pallotti, the visiting Lakers, trailed, 1-0, after an early goal by Russ Lanham of the Panthers (4-5, 5-8).
But the Lakers responded quickly.
First, junior midfielder Christian Walsh fed Matt Andes for the tying goal, and then, Andes found Walsh for what amounted to the game-winner.
The Lakers couldn’t claim victory, however, until the final whistle — long after Smith had thwarted Gannon.
“From our goalie to our defense, we’ve toughened up and gotten used to each other back there,” said Lakers’ defender Thomas Thibeault, whose backfieldmates include freshman Trevor Kiddy, juniors Conner Frank and Brad Boyer, and senior Chris Suzdak.
Rickels credits junior Kevin Foreman for his play in the middle, saying, “he’s all of 5-foot-4, but he plays like he’s about 6-6.” Moving Foreman to the midfield following a 1-4 record in the preseason “really got us clicking,” coach Rickels said.
The Lakers won or shared the B Conference title three of the past five seasons, being champs from 2002 through 2004, sharing the crown with Severn in 2003.
In 2005, the Lakers lost their semifinal in double-overtime to eventual champ, St. Mary’s. Last season, the Lakers lost the title game against Severn.
Senior forwards Andes (six goals, four assists) and DJ Rickels (five goals, three assists) are the top scorers for the Lakers, who face Glenelg Country School on Oct. 22. The Lakers edged the Dragons, 4-3, earlier this season.
“Mentally, it’s tough to always be the hunted,” said coach Rickels. “When you’re on top, you can never take a day off. Everyone’s always after you. You’ve got to bring your best every day, be up for every single game, and that’s mentally a tough thing, but the kids are doing it.”
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