6:00PM  Consolation Game - Riptide versus Stealth

7:15PM  Championship Game - Dragons vs Machine

It was the Machine over the Dragons in the High School Fall Ball Championship Game under the lights Sunday night at the Palo Alto High School Lacrosse Field.  It was a suitable ending to the best season ever for Team NorCal Fall Ball.  

The Machine went ahead early on goals by Jack Boncher and Jake Roberts.  Spirited Dragons defense spearheaded by Charlie Bracke put the Dragons on offense with momentum but Machine Goalie Tyler Furrier steadily held off the shots, including one impossible save from the doorstep.  Even Man Down Furrier and the Machine were able to hold the Dragons off and turned the tables, finding Quintin Dwight for a driving goal to go up 3-0.

Another Dragon possession, another Furrier save, this time the Machine sent it up to Macguire Ferrell for a strong big body drive to the cage and a goal.  More action and a Machine Man Up with solid scoring pressure and a nifty save by Dragons goalie Tom McCrea.  This looked like the moment that would turn it for the Riptide, but the ball trickled out the back of the stick on the clearing pass and Colin Murray of the Machine nabbed it and punched it in for a doorstep goal.

Merlyn Boljonis finally cracked the scoring seal at 3 minutes for the Dragons with a goal from a nice Eli Serepca assist, and the Riptide pressed the advantage in pressure that led to a Man Up opportunity, but the Machine defense held.  The teams went in to halftime with a score of 5-1 Machine.

The second half began with the Goalies in the spotlight, both making stubborn saves and intensity building as both teams scrapped for the ball on the deck.  As so often happens in a stand that turns in to the chaos of a ground ball, ball possession is victory -- the ball came up Machine and Jake Roberts converted for an outside shot goal to put the Machine on the board first in the half.

The formula repeated -- Dragons faceoff win, Furrier save, and the Machine offense found Jack Boncher for another goal.  Merlyn Boljonis answered for the Dragons, and Dragon Jack Galbraith followed up with a low bouncer goal to bring the game to 7-3.  Now it was getting interesting as the Dragons were chipping away at the lead with plenty of time to go.

The extra effort of players pushing their athleticism and skills led to some penalties on both sides.  It was the Machine who struck next on an outside shot from Jack Boncher, but a solid ride from the Dragons turned a Machine clear into a Dragon goal as Grant Dincel sent the rock to Eli Serepca for a finish.  Both teams threatened to score in the final minutes but the game played out to an 8-4 final and a Machine Championship as the parents stormed the field, wanting to reclaim their Sunday nights.  

Algonquin Wins Inaugural Team NorCal All Star Game 11-9

The first ever Team NorCal HS Fall Ball All-Star Game warmed the crisp November night air from the opening whistle Sunday at Palo Alto High School’s lacrosse field.  In a nod to the Six Nations and traditional Native American roots of lacrosse, the teams were divided into Iroquois and Algonquin, and “the Creator” was most certainly entertained and pleased as the inaugural game lived up to the hype and anticipation.  The boys played a fast paced contest with both teams intent on winning the day in the truest traditional spirit of friendly and intense competition.  Everything was left on the field. 

The display of extraordinary Lax IQ and skill showed from the opening faceoff, as both teams came fast out of the gate.  The first 8 minutes were a tight fought battle that remained scoreless, until Paly’s own “Lord” Aidan Gans “All Hail” rocketed a blistering outside shot into the top corner with a Los Gatos HS Jack Boncher assist to pull the Iroquois ahead 1-0.  

The Iroquois, coached by Team NorCal Founding Alumni Jonny Glazier from Palo Alto HS and Northwestern University and PJ Titterton from Menlo Atherton HS and Chapman University, continued building momentum and offensive pressure, forcing an Algonquin penalty. The Man Down defense held, though,  and the Algonquin put some pressure of their own on the Iroquois goal.  A very good shot saved by Iroquois goalie Berkeley HS Japthy Wells, followed by another point blank “how-did-he-do-that” save, and a third momentum crushing stop at the cage by Wells.  With so much “hot potato” mojo and energy on the ball you could just tell someone was about to score and, sure enough, the Iroquois made a quick clear and answered the Algonquin onslaught with a Jack Boncher goal.  The quarter played out to a 2-0 completion, with some murmuring that the Algonquin looked ready to unravel early.

The sense on the Algonquin sideline was instead one of purpose and quiet confidence.  Algonquin coaches Greg Hollingshead and Alex Horovitz saw the concern, but the team did not seem too worried; they just knew they needed a goal to crack things open, and crack things open they did with a nice St Francis connection of Jack Galbraith assist to Eli Serepca on the first possession of the quarter.  The Iroquois countered nearly immediately as Aidan Gans ripped his second outside shot goal for Top Chedd and a 3-1 Iroquois lead.

Algonquin got an Extra Man Offense opportunity and were once again stymied with a point blank save by Japthy Wells, who looked ready to hold off the entire Algonquin, single-handedly if necessary.  That moment led to some back and forth ball until Iroquois settled with possession and Serra’s Elliott Adams powered a downhill low alley dodge shot through to find the net despite the fact that Algonquin Goalie Jimmy Angelini from St Francis got his stick on it.  Algonquin responded promptly as fellow St Franciscan Josh Rowsey tagged the top shelf with a sweep across the top of the Iroquois defense.  Algonquin Jack Galbraith followed with a hard-to-track mid-to-high shot for a top shelf goal, Iroquois won the faceoff but Jon Cassin stripped it and the ball went to Algonquin Jason Horovitz who shimmied his way in a death defying feather step that turned in to a doorstep shot and pivotal goal to bring the score to a 4-4 tie.  With about 3 minutes to go in the half the teams had tripled the first quarter scoring and we were in a brand new game.

And they were not done.  In the next 2 minutes Algonquin Jake Roberts from Mountain View HS collected on an Extra Man play to pull the Algonquin into the lead for the first time of the night.  Josh Rowsey then drove the alley to put one in and bring Algonquin ahead by 2.  Algonquin won the next faceoff but Iroquois held and got the ball to Palo Alto HS’s Quintin Dwight, who answered for the Iroquois with a drive to the goal shot that was pure desire with 45 seconds remaining in the half.  Iroquois were clearly poised to bring it to a halftime tie but Algonquin held off the fray and capitalized as Jon Cassin found Los Altos HS’s Steven Rutledge for a nice assisted Algonquin goal, bringing the half to close and a halftime score of Algonquin 7, Iroquois 5.

At halftime referees Jon Turner and Fred Tuerk noted the intense and highly competitive nature of the game.  All staff including scorekeeper and timer Chris Wilk from Bellarmine on loan from the injured reserve seized on the few moments of halftime to prepare for the final 2 quarters of play where anything could happen.

Connor Quinn from Los Altos HS won the second half faceoff, which he proceeded to dominate for the rest of the half for the Algonquin but Iroquois played some very tough defense and got the ball back to their side of the field for the first real settled offense possession of the half.  Some Iroquois pressure and an Algonquin penalty, with Iroquois ready to convert but it was the Algonquin who turned the advantage as Serra’s Quinn Fitzgerald assisted Jake Roberts for his second goal of the night, pushing the score to Algonquin 8 Iroquois 5.

Iroquois won the next faceoff and Quintin Dwight again showcased his relentless driving abilities to rip a shot in for a goal to bring the Iroquois to within 2.  Another Iroquois possession, but Algonquin held, and then the game went back to the midfield with both teams challenging each other in transition.  It was like a pencil balancing on its point, there was just no way to know which team would come out on top of that midfield forced turnover/possession game and each team was pressing harder and harder to come up with the ball.  Iroquois got the ball and managed to nearly settle the offense but misjudged a pass and Algonquin dished it up to Eli Serepca for a goal.  Still anybody’s game, but Eli Serepca on an assist from Jason Horovitz tipped it more the Algonquin way with another goal to bring the quarter to a close with a 10-6 Algonquin lead.

At the start of the fourth quarter it was just a real good quality game and still no telling who would win.  Algonquin had a lead but Iroquois had already shown they could go on a run at any time.  It was very clear in the huddles that both teams knew they had a defining quarter ahead and that both teams were in it to win it.

Algonquin came up with the ball on the fourth quarter faceoff but gave a turnover and it was Iroquois ball.  Algonquin made a strong ride but Iroquois an even stronger clear, and Aidan Gans once again found the net for the Iroquois for his third goal of the evening and a hat trick, chipping away at the Algonquin lead for a score of 10-7.

The next few minutes of the game were hotly contested with back and forth scoring chances and saves in very even play that had to tip somewhere, and did with an Algonquin Man Up opportunity with about 4 minutes remaining in the game.  But there are no sure things, and the Algonquin EMO effort went awry as Jack Boncher of the Iroquois found a way to score a man down goal and bring the score to 10-8.  Iroquois could feel the tide shifting their way and immediately struck again with a faceoff fastbreak goal, it was 10-9 with 2:30 to go -- plenty of time for either team to push ahead with the excitement of momentum going the Iroquois way.

With a lot at stake on the next faceoff, Algonquin Connor Quinn won the ball and the Algonquin brought it into the restraining box, then heard the “keep it in” call from the referees as the clock wound down to under 2 minutes.  The Iroquois knew it was now or never and started to press and double the ball, but Algonquin Josh Rowsey somehow escaped and got the ball through x to Mountain View HS freshman Bailey Lunn who drove through GLE and to the big line for a game capping goal.  Iroquois answered hard even up to the last moments of the game and as time expired the 2017 All-Star game final score was Algonquin 11 Iroquois 9.

It was by all measures a fantastic display of individual lacrosse skill combined with teamwork, bearing all the hallmarks of a spectacular All-Star game experience.  The game was decided on the little things -- a possession or decision with the ball here or there throughout the contest -- and on the big things like hustle, heart, strategy, some luck, and the hard work of the players on and off the field that allowed us to bring together the epic night.  It felt like CCS playoff lacrosse in November; everybody really wanted to win and gave their all in the effort.  And the large crowd seemed well pleased with the show.  What a great primer for the intensity the boys will bring into the playoffs of Fall Ball next weekend and the regular season soon to begin. 

Final Box Score

Algonquin

Eli Serepca 3G

Josh Rowsey 2G

Jake Roberts 2G

Jack Galbraith 1G 1A

Jason Horovitz 1G 1A

Steven Rutledge 1G

Bailey Lunn 1G

Jon Cassin 1A

Quinn Fitzgerald 1A

Iroquois

Aidan Gans 3G

Jack Boncher 2G 1A

Quinton Dwight 2G

Elliott Adams 1G

Peter Gold 1G