Author’s Note:  I’m hoping to get a couple of more pictures in of the game and will add them if I do.

  If I start this article with the Team Statistics you’d never guess this was a completely one-sided game . . . But here they are: Faceoffs:  Benjamin 17-7 Shots:  SA  25-24 Shots on Goal:  SA 19-18 Turnovers:  Benjamin 14-10 Penalties:  4 each So much for numbers. Well, maybe not . . . here’s some more . . . 16-7, 11-8, 14-3, 8-7, 11-5, 13-7, 16-6 and now 15-6 Since Benjamin entered Varsity status these two powerhouses have played 8 times, and those are the scores, with SA winning all 8. Only one of those games came down to the final possession. And it wasn’t last night’s. The #2 spot in the Poll has been kryptonite at times . . . will it be different for the Scots?   The first period was 1-0 SA until the 3:55 mark, when the Scots scored 4 times in the next 2:22. And while looking backwards, you could say the game was over at the point.  Even though SA only outscored Benjamin 3-2 in the second there was no real point in the half when I felt Benjamin was ready to go on a run. You could tell in one easy way. The crowd. Benjamin travels well, their fans show up.  And are usually very vocal. But they weren’t given anything to be vocal about Friday night.  Meanwhile the SA crowd, which lately has been more sedate, showed more passion.  Almost a throwback to the past, when games at home were more intense.  Maybe Friday Night Lights action is better for the crowd than a mid-week game . . . And as the game stretched out it didn’t get any better for Benjamin. They’d better regroup quickly.  Next Friday will not be agreeable if this performance repeats itself.   The reason the statistics don’t tell the story is that SA’s offense was far more efficient than Benjamin’s.  SA’s shots come from much closer to the goal.  And when they didn’t they still found the net.  SA’s defense took Benjamin’s top players out of the game with well-timed double teams.  Benjamin’s defense was not able to reciprocate.  Michael Lizzio continued his climb up the ladder with 4 goals, none more indicative than his short-hand goal in the 2nd period, breaking down the defense from far up the left wing, before getting to the low middle for a backbreaker after Benjamin had finally got on the board.  Probably the most important play of the game. Carl Klepper has also added to his game with the ability to draw and feed, instead of being more of the target.  Matt Adams gives tall defenders fits. And most importantly last night, the secondary scoring is kicking in.  In the Jupiter game it was solely Adams, Lizzio and Klepper that put up points.  In this one, Harrison Roth, Jackson Kennedy and Nick Yi combined for 6 goals/1 assist and that was a hallmark of past SA teams. As we come down to the playoffs, we are looking at something that has probably never happened before in the state of Florida . . . The likelihood that the state’s #1 and #2 ranked teams will play in the FIRST ROUND of the playoffs.  Yeah, that’s a hint at the poll to come this week . . . Must-see lacrosse. #TAFTAG!   1st Quarter 1-0 SA at 8:42 – Lizzio down the right alley and between the legs 2-0 SA at 3:55 – Klepper dodges right wing to the middle with the bounce shot 3-0 SA at 3:07 – Roth up top to the left alley for the bounce shot 4-0 SA at 2:12 – Lizzio on the left wing dodging and re-dodging to the middle with the shot to the top right 5-0 SA at 1:33 – Klepper cutting in from the right crease to take Lizzio’s left alley feed for the in-close shot   2nd Quarter 5-1 BE at 11:26 – on EMO as Blake Chami fired from in close (sorry missed the assist if there was one) 6-1 SA at 9:10 – the Lizzio short-hand goal mentioned above 7-1 SA at 7:22 – Gryphon Gurin drifting in from up top and finding the low right corner 7-2 BE at 1:24 – Chase Farris finishing off the fast break on the left crease from Trevor Natalie’s right wing feed 8-2 SA at 0:39 – Kennedy taking the Roth feed in the middle from up top and hitting the low right   3rd Quarter 9-2 SA at 9:49 – Adams finding Klepper from behind on the right alley for the behind the back finish 10-2 SA at 8:47 – Lizzio down the right alleydodging to the low middle 11-2 SA at 2:37 – Adams finding Kennedy all alone in front from behind   4th Quarter 12-2 SA at 10:03 – Yi finishing off a hidden ball play on EMO on the right wing 13-2 SA at 8:35 – Alec Hackman down the right alley, finishing top short side 14-2 SA at 7:07 – Klepper on right wing finding Yi up top for the step down 14-3 BE at 6:20 – Natalie driving from right GLE to the front, finishing while falling down 14-4 BE at 5:30 – AJ Levitt finishing from left top from Stevie Nicklaus on the lower left wing 15-4 SA at 4:24 – Klepper behind the net finding Yi all alone in front 15-5 BE at 2:51 – Jack Shepard picking up the loose ball all alone up front for the bounce shot 15-6 BE at 1:39 – Levitt all alone on the low right on EMO, off the Will Nicklaus up top feed   Districts start this week.  I’ll be at SA on Tuesday for the semis . . . SA-Boca and SJP II-AH-Boca.  On Thursday it will likely be Seth Austin at SA for that final and I’m going to play a hunch and go to STA if it is them hosting AH-Plantation.  And of course we get the likely Jupiter-Benjamin final on Friday.  With an added bonus that Jupiter hosts BOTH Boys and Girls finals that day!  Thank you FHSAA for starting to schedule Boys and Girls games on different days, or at the same place, so parents don’t have to choose between sons and daughters!  Way to go! #TAFTAG! – Take A Friend To A Game!   Individual Statistics   SA Michael Lizzio  4G/1A Carl Klepper  3G/2A Nick Yi – 3G Jackson Kennedy  2G Harrison Roth  1G/1A Alec Hackman and Gryphon Guron with 1G each Michael Adams  2A Justin Lugo and Jake Knowles combined for 12 saves   Benjamin AJ Levitt  2G Trevor Natalie  1G/1A Blake Chami. Chase Farriss and Jack Shepard with 1G each Will Nicklaus and Stevie Nicklaus with 1A each Bryce Kendrigan with 4 saves   Thanks to Coach Seaman and Coach Lowe for talking to me before and after the game