Cranes Win Close When it Counts
June 8, 2013
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
EAST GRAND RAPIDS – Before Saturday afternoon’s MHSAA Division 2 Final, the Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood boys lacrosse team had lost five games by one goal.
The Cranes reversed that trend in the most important game of the season, and celebrated the program’s first title since 2006 with a 10-9 win over defending champion Forest Hills Central at East Grand Rapids’ Memorial Field.
Cranbrook-Kingswood junior Matthew Giampetroni scored the game winner with 20.2 seconds left in regulation to snap a 9-9 tie.
“We’ve played a lot of one-goal games this year, so we were used to playing in these games,” Giampetroni said. “I think we learned a lot from those tough losses we had earlier in the year. We were confident.”
The Cranes suffered heartbreaking defeats against Detroit U-D Jesuit, Detroit Country Day, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Detroit Catholic Central and Clarkston.
“Losing all those one-goal games, we learned a lot, especially the overtime ones,” Cranbrook-Kingswood coach Mat Wilson said. “If it had stayed tied and went to overtime, I think from those experiences, we would’ve been in good shape.”
The Cranes got a bit of redemption against Forest Hills Central after being routed 15-5 in the final regular-season game.
The rematch played out much differently.
“We were tired that game, they took it to us early and we struggled a little bit on that day,” Giampetroni said. “That was on our minds, and we wanted to prove we could play with them. They are a strong team, and I think the best team we’ve played, but we played well today and got the win.”
Giampetroni’s goal, which trickled past goalie Kyrn Stoddard, stemmed a late Rangers’ charge.
Forest Hills Central rallied from a 9-6 deficit with fewer than seven minutes remaining in the fourth period.
A goal by Forest Hills Central’s Neil Cunnigham tied it at 9-9.
“We got it close and had some momentum, but it was squashed with that goal with 20 seconds left,” Rangers coach Tony Quinn said. “Our goalie made a nice play on it, but the momentum of the shot carried it over.”
Said Giampetroni: “I saw it go over the goal line, and I was hoping they saw what I was seeing. I was excited, but I needed to contain it because we still had 20 seconds left and we needed to finish it.”
Wilson said the parity of the division was evident in the Finals.
“We could’ve easily shown up today and they could’ve beaten us 15-5 again; they are that good,” he said. “But that’s what is cool about this year. Everybody had a chance at this thing going into it.”
Forest Hills Central (17-4) was aiming to defend its MHSAA championship from last season, when it beat Detroit Country Day 7-6 for the program’s third title.
Instead, the Rangers were handed their second loss in a Final. They finished runner-up to East Grand Rapids in 2008.
“It’s our goal every year (to win an MHSAA championship), and we tied it up with a minute to go and we had the ball,” Quinn said. “We felt like it was going to be our day, and it wasn’t. It’s hard, and it’s going to take us a while to get over it.
“Credit to Cranbrook, they played great today, and hopefully this will give us some incentive to get after it again next year.”
FHC fell behind 3-0 in the first period, but scored three straight goals in a span of two minutes to pull ahead 5-4.
Cranbrook-Kingswood answered with its own run to end the half, and the Rangers trailed 7-5.
The Rangers had an opportunity to send the game to overtime in the waning seconds, but misfired on a high shot as the clock ticked away.
“They are an explosive offensive team, and even with 10 seconds we knew we had to lock down defensively and focus,” Wilson said.
Two of Forest Hills Central’s three losses were against teams from Indiana. Its lone in-state loss before Saturday was to East Grand Rapids.
PHOTO: Cranbrook-Kingswood's Jason Miller (11) circles the goal while the Rangers give chase Saturday.
Highlight Reel: Boys Lacrosse Regionals
May 27, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
The Haslett/Williamston and Okemos boys lacrosse teams combined for 33 goals in winning Division 2 Regional Semifinals on Tuesday on the Chieftains’ home field.
Both games were produced for MHSAA.tv by School Broadcast Program member Haslett High School – and a collection of highlights from both are below. Click on the headings for each to watch.
Haslett/Williamston 13, DeWitt 11
Lemanski Spins & Scores Haslett/Williamston cut the DeWitt lead to 3-2 on this second-period goal by Grant Lemanski. The Vikings, which dropped its other two meetings to DeWitt this season by a single goal each time, rallied to win Regional Semifinal, 13-11.
Four-Goal Run for Haslett Haslett/Williamston reeled off four unanswered goals in the second quarter. Here's the fourth tally as Tucker Virkus scores off a pass from Grant Lemanski.
Salisbury Scores Off Steal DeWitt cut the Haslett-Williamston lead to 5-4 by halftime after Christopher Salisbury scored after stealing a pass.
Metevier's Second Goal Jack Metevier ties the game for DeWitt in the third quarter with his second goal of the contest.
DeWitt Goes Up By Three After Three In the closing moments of the third quarter Beau Yabs scores for DeWitt, part of a four-goal run that gave the Panthers a 9-6 lead.
Lounds At Point-Blank Range Haslett/Williamston rallied in the fourth period. Here, Eric Lounds scores for the Vikings from close range to cut the DeWitt lead to one.
Lounds For The Lead Eric Lounds scored what proved to be the game-winner for Haslett/Williamston with just under three minutes to play and the Vikings holding a man advantage.
Lounds Again! Eric Lounds caps the scoring for Haslett/Williamston with his third goal, with about 90 seconds left.
Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Okemos 20, Portage Northern 4
How Quick? How About 8 Seconds Off the game's opening draw, Okemos' Bennett Sherman gets the Chiefs on the board against Portage Northern.
Northern Gets On The Board Portage Northern gets its first goal from Matty Seiferlein, with the assist going to Chace Quezada.
Sherman Fast Break Goal Okemos goes down the field quickly to get Bennett Sherman his fourth goal of the game midway through the first period.
Northern's Chace Scores Portage Northern cuts the Okemos lead on this nice goal by Chace Quezada.
Stakey Scores For Okemos Anders Stakey gets a ground ball in front of the net and scores for Okemos late in the first period against Portage Northern.
Jamison On Second Try After his first shot was deflected away, Cole Jamison gets another chance and scores for Okemos.
Duren Scores Man Down Playing a man down in the final minute of the half, Okemos scores in transition with Joshua Duren getting the goal.
Give The Goal Scorer A Hug Portage Northern gets a nice goal from Joey Leona in the third quarter against Okemos, and the goal scorer gets a hug from the coach coming back to the bench.
Kalleward Scores Northern's Final Goal Portage Northern got its last goal of the game at the end of a man-up situation, with Camden Kalleward getting the tally.
Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.