Justin Ivey, Co-Editor
Lacrosse is Awesome©
On Friday night, the Georgia Swarm (8-6) hosted the Calgary Roughnecks (5-7) in front of a raucous crowd. With the new playoff format and the season winding down, both teams still have a shot at the post season, but we have reached the point where every game seems to matter a little more. Andrew Kew (3G, 3A), Georgia’s leading scorer in this game, and a balanced attack allowed the Swarm to play much of this game with the lead. The Roughnecks were 48 seconds from a one goal victory after taking their first lead with 4:27 remaining in the game on Tyler Pace’s (5G, 1A) fifth goal of the evening, but ultimately Georgia escaped with a big home win in overtime. Final Score: Calgary-12, Georgia-13.
The Swarm jumped out to an early lead with three unanswered goals that came in a flurry. After a few empty possessions to start the game, Zach Miller (3G, 1A) scored with a bounce shot from outside that got by Christian Del Bianco (45SV) 2:24 in. Georgia won the ensuing faceoff, and then the scrum for the loose ball after a shot forced by the shot clock. In the unsettled chaos, Lyle Thompson (2G, 2A) found Seth Oakes (2G, 3A) wide open in the middle for another score just 24 seconds after the first. 34 seconds after that, Jeff Henrick (1A) found Brendan Bomberry (2G, 3A) streaking in transition and Bomberry easily found the net. With 11:28 remaining, the Swarm led 3-0. The Calgary struggles finally came to an end with 8:55 remaining. Pace received a pinpoint pass in the middle of the zone from Jesse King (1G, 4A) before turning and scoring on Swarm goaltender Brett Dobson (39SV). They cut the deficit to just one when Thomas Hogarth (1G) scored with 6 minutes remaining in the opening quarter. At the end of the first quarter, Georgia led Calgary 3-2.
Georgia took the momentum back at the start of the second quarter. Again, the quarter started with a few empty possessions, and this time Oakes scored the opener 2:32 in. Just under two minutes later, Kew notched his second of the game to increase the lead to three. King stopped the onslaught momentarily with a hard-earned goal. After a tough offensive possession, King stuck his stick up in front of the Georgia defender looking to clear the ball and caught the clear pass immediately with one hand outstretched. Quickly he fired it into the net for an unassisted score. Unfortunately, it did not spark a run. With 7:41 remaining, Kew polished off his first half hat trick and 30 seconds later Jordan MacIntoch (1G, 2A) increased the lead to its largest at four. The Roughnecks buttoned down and outscored the Swarm 3-1 for the remainder of the quarter. It all started with a Tanner Cook (2G, 1A) powerplay quick stick goal with 5:15 remaining. Miller answered for Georgia, finding the net with 3:09 left, before Cook scored his second of the quarter with 1:22 remaining. Georgia won the ensuing faceoff but couldn’t capitalize. Pace took the handoff pass from Eli Salama (1G, 1A) as he came off the bench and just fired at the net with 44 seconds remaining, scoring surprisingly to many of the players on the floor. At the half, Georgia led Calgary 8-6.
Defense was the name of the game coming out of the locker rooms. Salama brought Calgary within one of Georgia with an unassisted goal in transition just 47 seconds in and then scoring paused until there was under ten minutes remaining. Thompson dodged to the crease around a low screen but went behind the net as he read the defense. In spectacular fashion, and while still on the run, he jumped across and reached up and around to the far side of net, scoring with 9:51 left from behind the net. Neither defense would allow a ball to cross the line for the remainder of the quarter. At the end of the third, Georgia led Calgary 9-7.
Bomberry extended the Swarm lead to three again with a powerplay goal 1:07 in, but Calgary would own the beginning of the fourth. Pace scored his hat trick goal with a sidearm snipe from outside and 12:59 on the clock. Less than a minute later, Josh Currier (1G) scored a transition goal as the Swarm were caught off guard getting into position and suddenly, they were only down one. Who else but Thompson to pad the lead for Georgia. With 10:14 remaining, he scored with his patented step back underhand rip for his second goal of the game. The Roughnecks stayed determined and opportunistic. With 7:43 left, Pace fired in a bounce shot on a second effort in the offensive zone. Just over two minutes later, Del Bianco found a streaking Shane Simpson (1G) ahead of the defense in transition. Simpson’s 13th goal of the season tied the game with 5:24 left. Calgary was assessed a penalty soon after, but Del Bianco and Pace were feeling it. Again, Del Bianco threw an on target clear pass but this time to Pace. Pace caught it almost at goal line extended before running across the middle of the zone and scoring on a behind the back beauty. With 4:27 remaining, Calgary had fought back to take their first lead of the game. After leading for near the entire game, Georgia suddenly was playing from behind. After a couple minutes of tense lacrosse, Georgia possessed the ball in their offensive zone and a minute remaining. A deflected shot, an errant pass, a missed catch, a trifecta of bad luck before Kew picked up the loose ball and fired it sidearm at the net for a long-range goal to tie the game with 48 seconds remaining. Neither team could close the lid before regulation ended. At the end of the fourth quarter, Georgia and Calgary were tied 12-12.
Overtime lasted a little longer than I think was expected by many fans. Both defenses stonewalled the other team for the beginning of the extra frame, and Calgary thought they had the win when Cook dove to the net and scored 2:17 in. Upon review, the ball actually bounced off the goalie, back to Cook’s helmet and then across the line and unfortunately, Cook’s foot had already touched inside the crease. Play on. On a Georgia second effort opportunity in the offensive zone just over a minute later, Bomberry passed cross turf to Shayne Jackson (). Jackson released the ball towards the net, and whether he meant it to or not, the ball found the stick of Miller behind the net. Miller caught it and in one motion dipped around the far side of the net, dunking the ball for the game winning goal 3:55 into play. Final Score: Calgary-12, Georgia-13
Up Next:
The Calgary Roughnecks (5-7) host the San Diego Seals (8-4) on Friday, March 15 at 9:00 PM EST.
The Georgia Swarm (8-6) host the Philadelphia Wings (4-6) on Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 PM EST.