Cruikshank’s goal lifts Concordia Prep over St. John’s Catholic Prep in double OT for the C Conference lacrosse title
Outstanding play by both teams’ goalies highlights entertaining battle between top seeds
by Nelson Coffin
Even though St. John’s Catholic Prep sophomore goalie Landon Kunkle was in the midst of a sensational 17-save performance, Concordia Prep senior attackman Joshua Cruikshank did not hesitate to try his luck again against the Viking sophomore star in the C Conference championship lacrosse game on Thursday at USA Lacrosse’s Tierney Stadium in Sparks.
Cruikshank caught a pass just as two defenders converged on him before he slipped away toward the goal and snapped off a one-hopper into the net to end the battle with two minutes, 19 seconds left in the second overtime.
The thrilling 11-10 verdict gave Concordia Prep (13-2) its first title since three-peating from 2009-2011 when the school was named Baltimore Lutheran.
“We had a couple of man-up plays that didn’t work in the beginning,” Cruikshank said after netting his second goal of the game. “But we kept running it and running it. I just made a cut on the inside and Colton (Seifert) was throwing it around and I caught it and finished it.”
The Vikings, who lost for the first time this season after racking up 13 straight wins, failed to cash in on a couple of extra-man opportunities in the first overtime and held a 6-3 advantage early in the third quarter.
Even so, St. John’s needed a clutch goal from sophomore attackman Drake McGrath with 44 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.
There were four lead changes and five ties in the second half, bringing back memories of the initial meeting between the two powerhouses two months ago in Frederick when the Vikings prevailed, 20-19.
As good as Kunkle was between the pipes for the Vikings, his Concordia Prep junior counterpart, Logan Tawney, was also excellent in overtime. He finished with a dozen saves.
“Hats off to our goalie,” Concordia Prep coach Stephen Berger said. “He made some incredible saves in overtime.”
He also praised Kunkle for his fine work.
“Their goalie was making incredible saves and they were playing tight defense,” Berger said. “And we were a little tight at times. Once we started to loosen up, we started to find some connections.”
“We couldn’t have finished without him,” Cruikshank said, alluding to Tawney. “He was a game-saver, for sure.”
Nor could the Saints have done it without junior longstick Noah Hauf, who had four goals and an assist while also playing stout defense and working the wings on face-offs.
Hauf scored after making a steal to tie the score at 6-6 late in the third quarter and dived near the crease to squeeze a shot past Kunkle midway through the final period to put his team ahead, 9-8.
St. John’s senior midfielder Alex Piraino matched Hauf’s goal output, scoring his fourth goal on a wicked right-handed shot to knot the score at 9-9, only to watch Hauf help the Saints to inch ahead again by a goal after a beautiful stick fake and finish.
“At the end of the day, that kid just loves the game of lacrosse,” Berger said about Hauf. “He could play any position for us. He’s an amazing cover guy. He’s just an all-around athlete.”
Junior attackman Joe Novak produced three goals and an assist for St. John’s, which also received a boost from senior attackman Gavin Prunty’s two-goal, two-assist effort.
Junior attackman Wyatt Shamer pitched in a pair of goals for the Saints while freshman midfielder Aiden Ernst, sophomore midfielder Caleb Cruikshank and Seifert had single goals.
“I believed the whole time,” Berger said. “The reality is, you have to make the next play. Ultimately, it came down to that next play — and they made it.”