GARDINER — The records were identical as the Cony and Gardiner boys lacrosse teams met for the regular-season finale Wednesday at Hoch Field, but the similarities ended there.

The host Tigers dominated from start to finish in posting a 17-4 win over Cony while playing one of their better games of the season. Gardiner led 9-3 at the half and put the outcome to rest with five straight goals in the third period.

Gardiner finishes at 5-7 and in ninth place in the Class B standings, which means the Tigers will travel to Morse next week for a preliminary-round tournament game. Cony finishes at 4-8 — in the 10th and final playoff spot — and will also hit the road for a prelim next week.

A year ago, the Tigers went unbeaten during the regular season before losing in the Class B North final. Graduation and early-season ineligibility contributed to a slow start this season.

Gardiner’s Brad Phillis, right, scrambles with Cony’s Kayne Bowden during a lacrosse match Wednesday at Hoch Field in Gardiner.

“We did graduate a lot, especially our defense,” Gardiner senior Sloan Berthiaume said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys down there right now. From the beginning of the season a lot of guys have stepped up, especially some of our poles. It’s helped out a lot.”

Connor Manter scored three goals for Gardiner, all in the first half, while Berthiaume, Kyle Johnson, Parker Hinkley and Marshall Clements scored two apiece. Branson and Nathan Phillis, Matthew Boynton and Parker Smith added single goals.

Nick Robinson scored three goals for the Rams, while Zach Whitney added one.

“They’re better with passing and getting ground balls,” Cony coach Chad Foye said. “The ball didn’t hit their stick and fall out. They caught passes and we didn’t catch as many as they did. They beat us to ground balls, they worked harder.”

Robinson opened the second half with a goal to cut the lead to 9-4 then the Tigers responded with five straight, all off nice assists, the first by Clements with an assist from behind the goal by Hinkley.

Gardiner’s Cody Rizzo blocks Cony’s Bradley Houston during a game Wednesday at Hoch Field in Gardiner.

“Marshall’s got a great shot,” Gardiner coach K.C. Johnson said. “Being a transition middie, when he gets open, he gets good looks.”

Cody Rizzo assisted on the next two goals from Hinkley and Nate Phillis before Smith and Berthiaume rounded out the third period scoring to give the Tigers a 14-4 lead.

Senior goalie Cam Gallant was a bright spot for the Rams as he made 24 saves, many of them at point-blank range.

“The ones he gave up were good shots,” Foye said. “He works hard all the time and he’s got a great attitude.”

Clements and Hinkley scored goals midway through the fourth period to make it 16-4 and send the game to running time.

“We’ve had some hiccups along the way,” Johnson said. “We’re starting to get everybody back. We’ve played competitive lacrosse. We did it against Westbrook, we did it against Windham. . . We always joke around about our lacrosse IQ but we’re still working on that.”

The numbers are strong for Cony this year and the future appears bright with a good middle school program in place.

“It’s been a learning year for us,” Foye said. “We’ve got some young guys and we’ve got quite a few guys who never played before this year. That’s how it goes.”

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