GAME PHOTOS: http://bit.ly/2JWlZnA
With a large crowd and chanting student sections, the rivalry matchup April 13 between Chagrin Falls and University School was a great sign of the growth of the sport of lacrosse.
Chagrin and University game went down to the final seven seconds with University coming back to capture the 11-10 win.
“We didn’t stick to the game plan, we didn’t execute whatw we set out to do,” said second-year head coach Paul Corto. “We played undisciplined and turned the ball over too much, when you turn the ball over that much your going to lose.”
It makred the fifth straight loss to University for the Tigers, including the last two postseasons.
“We’re certainly not going to let one loss define our season,” Corto said. “Tonight was a tough loss and will get better because off it. We have our eyes on the end of the year and we’re going to get better each day.”
Chagrin Falls led at halftime 5-2 thanks to three goals from University of Notre Dame-bound Mark McGinley.
Despite two early goals by the Preppers to cut the lead the Tigers got goals from Kaeden Kalinyak and McGinley to extend the lead to 7-4 with four minutes left in the third quarter.
That is when the wheels fell off for Chagrin and University scored five unanswered goals to take a 9-7 lead with nine minutes left to play in the game.
The game would then be decided in the final two minutes with Kalinyak and junior Alex Morris scored consecutive goals to tie the game up at 10 with 26 seconds left in the game.
The Preppers would then get the game winner from George Brinn with seven seconds left, Brinn led the Preppers on the night with four goals.
McGinley finished last season with 64 goals and 27 assists. He led the Tigers on the night with five goals and two assists. Morris finished with two goals and two assists. Kalinyak had two goals on the night. Kalinyak added 47 goals last season for the Tigers, making him and McGinley a dynamic scoring punch for Chagrin.
As usual the Tigers have a loaded schedule after starting the season off 3-0 with wins over Hoban and 16 win team from 2017 in Hoover, outscoring those three opponents, 34-12.
The schedule is highlighted with upcoming matchups against Rocky River, Revere, Hudson, Kenston, and Toledo St. Francis.
“We don’t build the schedule to go undefeated,” Corto joked. “We play the highest level of competition we can. We will continue to challenge ourselves. So when we play games like tonight we will have more composure and handle the pressure of a big game.”
This schedule should bear fruit for the Tigers come May and should be the envy of any coach seeding them in the coming weeks for the tournament.
This current senior class of 10 has been part of 42 wins the last four years including a state runner-up during their freshman year. McGinley, Kalinyak, Aiden Stephens, and Cade Salyers combined for over 150 goals last season and will be expected again to carry the load this season. Like McGinley, Stephens will continue his career at Salisbury, while Salyers will play at John Carroll.
“We have built the program to a point where we feel that’s the end goal (state championship),” Corto said. “We set the bar and expectations year in and year out, we expect to be playing on the final Saturday in June.”
