by Andrew Straub
See video highlights below
“When they’re falling for you, they’re falling for you.â€
Modest words spoken by Archbishop Curley senior Brandon Capaletti, who found the net seven times to lead the defending MIAA B conference champions to a 19-5 rout of Park School, Thursday afternoon in Brooklandville. The game was a rematch of last’s B Conference title game.
Having already tallied four goals in the first three quarters of play, Capaletti saved his best performance for the end of the game. After scoring one minute into the fourth quarter, spectators were wondering what more the attackman could possibly have left in his tank. Their question was answered some 45 seconds later, as Cappaletti dove for a pass at the left end of the crease and rifled a shot from his backside, finding an impossible angle past Bruin goalie Arthur Sonnenfeld to seal the victory for the Friars.
“He [Capaletti] had a special day. He plays within our offense and then he maximizes his ability,†said Friars head coach Josiah LaTona, who was previously winless at the Park school in his nine years as coach. “He shoots the ball in the proper spots. He takes his shots when he should. He doesn’t try to do too much. He’s a special player and were happy to have that.â€
After three first half goals each from Capaletti and senior Jeff Taylor, the Friars took a 7-3 lead into halftime. But Park scored with 5:53 remaining to cut its deficit to three goals, as the Curley sideline began to grow nervous.
“They’ve comeback against us, I don’t know how many times, and beaten us in the past. You have to be weary of that,†said LaTona. “We told them that: it’s what you do in the third quarter; its what you do in the fourth quarter that wins games’ not what happens in the first two.â€
But the Friars were able to shake the memories of past letdowns, as senior Kevin Ruth took a pass from junior Ben Kimbel, who also had a huge day with seven assists, and started a tirade of ten unanswered Curley goals.
“This is huge. Coming in here we hadn’t won here in the nine years I’ve been coach. So that was a real goal of ours today,†said LaTona. “To come out play well, execute and get a ‘W.’ I thought our kids did that.â€
Kimbel also added four goals to go along with six assists.
In goal, Mike Lioi had seven saves for the Friars and Sonnenfeld finished with 13 for Park.
Asked of his team’s 12 goal performance in the second half, Cappaletti was not surprised by his teams relentless attack and hopes this will get the notice of critics and opponents alike.
“I felt toward the beginning of the season we were underestimated a little bit. We got an honorable mention in the newspaper but, we didn’t really get ranked,†said Capaletti. “I feel like a game like this will definitely help us to get some recognition within the lacrosse community.â€
The Friars (2-0) will be looking to defend their B conference title as league competition will now begin full throttle Next, they face Saints Peters & Paul on Tuesday. Park (0-1) will also play again on Tuesday, as they visit St. Vincent Palotti.
With a target on their backs, LaTona knows his Friars cannot take any game for granted.
“Our league is tough. We can’t take anyone lightly by any means. We had a very good season last year but like I told these kids all the time. That was last year and nothing matters,†said LaTona. “Its what we do game in and game out.â€
Archbishop Curley 19, Park School 5
Goals: AC-Capaletti 7, Taylor 3, Kimmbel 3, Ruth, Lee, Cooke, Alchimowicz, Schofield; P-Matz 3, Smith, Manahon.
Assists: AC-Kimmbel 7, Capaletti 2, Ruth, Wood, Wirth, Seglinski; P-Carroll.
Saves: AC-Lioi 7; P-Sonnenfield 10.
Half: Archbishop Curley, 7-3.
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