On May 11, a warm Saturday afternoon, Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse looked to carry the momentum from their victory over Trinity-Pawling into a game against Hotchkiss. Choate was confident in facing the Hotchkiss team, which had a 3-8 record at the time. Despite the blazing sun and large crowds, Choate players were unfazed and energetic throughout the game as Choate defeated Hotchkiss, 12-4.
From the start, Choate took control of the game. Two quick goals from attackmen Kevin Lynch ’19 and Luke Tomak ’20 gave Choate an early lead. By the five-minute mark, Jake Buchanan ’19 scored a third. Choate’s defense also controlled the pace of the game and prevented Hotchkiss from scoring. During a desperate drive by one of the Hotchkiss players in an attempt to erase the lead, defenseman Cole Sprinkle ’20 stripped the ball away, giving Choate’s offense another chance to build on its lead. Goalie Patrick Yowan ’21 also blocked numerous shot attempts from Hotchkiss, including an impressive save in the late first quarter.
Just seconds into the second quarter, Choate delivered another blow to Hotchkiss as co-captains Konrad Knaus ’19 and William Ryan ’19 connected for a goal. Minutes later, Tomak skipped the ball between the Hotchkiss goalie’s legs for his second goal of the game. However, Tomak wasn’t finished and attempted another shot. The Hotchkiss goalie was
able to block the first shot, but Tomak was able to score off of the rebound.
In the second half, Choate continued to dominate. Hotchkiss struggled to cut down Choate’s lead, with multiple offensive possessions ending in turnovers and many miscommunications when passing. Drew Sokolowski ’19 scored early in the third quarter, and the goal was followed by another from Brooks Wimer ’20. As the time winded down, Tomak sealed the game off with another goal, securing Choate’s victory over Hotchkiss.
This dominating eight-goal victory was particularly impressive and possibly caused by a compelling pre-game talk. “The team played great on Saturday. The guys were ramped up and ready to go after [Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Head] Coach [Mr. Mike] Velez gave a powerful speech,” Dallyn Rai ’20 said. “We came out flying because of his speech but slowed down a few times throughout the game. Other than those few moments, we were solid.”
With two games left on the schedule, the team is on the verge of surpassing last year’s record with ten wins already under its belt, tying the 2018 team’s win total. “Looking forward, we have three tough games left,” Rai said. “One thing we need to be good at is putting together a consistent 48 minutes of strong play. If we can do that, we are confident we can win the next few games and be a contender for the Founders’ League Championship.”
