Messalonskee junior Dan Gusmanov, left, and Colin Kinney go for the ball during a Class B playoff game against Camden Hills on Saturday at Thomas College.
WATERVILLE — It took the Messalonskee High School boys lacrosse team 31 seconds to get on the board in Saturday’s Class B quarterfinal against Camden Hills. A minute, seven seconds later, the Eagles scored again. Forty seconds after that, they scored again. Messalonskee had a three-goal lead over the Windjammers and the Camden bus engine was still cooling.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we needed to come out on fire,” Messalonskee senior Colin Kinney said. “We have some pretty good players out here, and everyone had the same message. All the seniors came together and said get the lead and get the (win).”
Kinney scored four goals and assisted on three more, helping the Eagles cruise to a 13-5 win. No. 4 Messalonskee (8-5) will face top-seed Greely (10-3) in the semifinals Wednesday. No. 5 Camden Hills ends the season at 8-5.
Messalonskee coach Tom Sheridan said the Eagles’ fast start was similar to how they played when the opened the season with a 14-5 win at Camden Hills.
“It was like that the first time we played them this year. We got off the bus ready to go. Boom, boom, boom, right away,” Sheridan said. “Offensively, we changed our formation a little bit and opened up some space, and some good things were happening out there.”
Messalonskee had a second scoring blitz in the final minute of the first half to take a 10-1 lead into the break. Austin Pelletier, Kinney and Colton Chevarie each scored in the final minute of the first half to effectively put the game away.
“We won the possession game. I think we had the ball in the offensive end more. They’re just a lethal offensive team,” Camden Hills coach Harrison Rogers said of Messalonskee. “Some of their guys are really the toughest match-ups in the state of Maine. We really had to find that right fit against those players, and it took us a little too late, to the second half. With a few fast breaks, they can score goals in bunches.”
John Chilton scored a pair of second half goals for the Windjammers, who could never cut the deficit to less than seven goals. James Lynch started in goal for Camden Hills and made 14 saves in the first half before freshman Levi Guay played the second half, making three saves.
CJ Reardon made eight saves for Messalonskee in another solid effort since taking over in goal for the Eagles late in the season. A senior, Reardon became the Eagles’ keeper after Wade Carter broke his thumb in practice.
“CJ did great jumping in. We knew we were going to need a lockdown goalie, and he did pretty well. I give a lot of credit to him. He’s worked really hard to make sure that goals aren’t going in. He’s pretty clutch,” Kinney said.
Dawson Charles scored four goals for Messalonskee, while Pelletier scored three. Thomas Greiber scored a pair of goals for the Windjammers.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
Send questions/comments to the editors.
