The Connection

Great Falls — The Langley Saxons edged closer to securing the Liberty District top spot for the boys lacrosse district playoffs next week with a 9-6 home win over the Stone Bridge Bulldogs on Wednesday, April 25.

A victory on Friday against their next opponent – the Thomas Jefferson Colonials (7-2 overall, 4-1 in Liberty District) – would assure the Saxons (10-2, 5-0) no worse than a tie for first place in the district, with the added benefit of having already defeated the Bulldogs (6-5, 4-1), the only Liberty team that would then remain with fewer than two losses in district play this season. Langley concludes its regular season schedule with a home game on Monday against the South Lakes Seahawks (6-4, 3-2).

Stone Bridge junior sharpshooter Dylan Maltz checked in with three goals on Wednesday, and saw his Bulldogs mount an inspired effort through the central part of the night’s hostilities, but those were not enough to overcome Langley mastery during the front and back-ends of the contest. Freshman attacker Gus Capace delivered two goals, the first of which sparked a productive second quarter uprising by Stone Bridge that senior middie Matthew Vincent escalated with his solo strike.

Senior Mike Adams was the headline goal scorer for Langley, the attacker firing in three late in the game, with the final two providing the margin that assured his troops would cross the finish line without having to engage in panic defending to the final horn. Senior attacker Sean Ahearn supplied a pair of second half goals to go with five assists throughout the game while senior Hunter Bentz and junior Luke Salzer at middie position, senior attacker Josh Sibio and sophomore attack/middie J. T. Meyer added one goal apiece to their season scoring accounts.

THE SAXONS found the perfect start right from the opening face-off, claiming the game’s first three goals and thoroughly dominating possession throughout the first period. The Bulldogs were not impressed, however, and proceeded to grab the next four goals and a 4-3 lead by halftime. The combatants traded goals during a turbulent second half that eventually gave way to a Langley four-goal surge in the final quarter to settle matters.

Andrew Spivey guarded the Saxon net, making a total of 15 saves in a busy night of work for the senior while his counterpart at the other end, senior Jesse Southward, was credited with seven stops. The hosts supervised the face-off circle, winning 13 of 16 center-spot starts, the vast majority taken by Langley senior middie Spencer Gorham.

Game Note: With his two goals and five assists, senior Sean Ahearn has now accumulated a total of 217 points (118 goals and 99 assists) during his four-season career as a varsity team Saxon, pushing one point beyond an unofficial total for former Langley attacker Robbie Maclay (154 goals and 62 assists in 2003 through 2006).