Two teams looking to get back on the road to the upper tier. One mostly young and one not so much.  Two public schools that have to compete in the same district with a dominant private school. And the game played out just like you’d expect when those factors are combined with up and down seasons. And a very quiet attendance . . . which is a shame.  Somewhere the last two years I’ve seen a trend that I don’t like.  Students not showing up to cheer their classmates on.  It was easy to do so in 2014, when Boca was an FHSAA quarterfinalist and Wellington was a one-goal District playoff loser to Oxbridge.  But being a fan is not a part-time, conditional thing.  It’s because you are a fan of the name on the front of the uniform. Logan Maklan and Shane Doyle deserves as many rooting for them as Parker Giarratana and Harrison Rodormer did.  Drew Daniels and Anthony Jiovenetta deserve as much cheering as Jason D’Aoust and Patrick Oporto did.  Students at both schools . . . and at other schools too, show your support for your classmates.  And if the Lacrosse team kids are not reciprocating, let me know and I’ll beat them up in print too.  Last night I was at American Heritage-Boca for the Boys game and they stayed for a half as the Girls played a nationally ranked Bishop Ireton. It didn’t occur to me to not go to a sporting event in high school, I wish today we’d rediscover that desire to support each other.  It was a social event for many of us, even those of us who had no chance of making a team.  Put the phones down for a few minutes and get engaged in something a little more real than Candy Crush or Call of Duty or whatever you are paying attention to. You might even like it. Your schoolmates who work their tails off to represent you certainly will appreciate it.   The game was kind of herky-jerky, if that still is a phrase people recognize. One team dominated faceoffs and the other killed a lot of penalties successfully.  One team turned it over a little more, both teams shot similar percentages, and voila, a one-goal game. The fourth quarter was not one to teach kids with.  Although the teams traded four goals they also combined for 21 turnovers in that quarter alone and it became more of a game of survival than anything else.  Tempers flared a little in that quarter and a few kids took a few liberties they shouldn’t have but thankfully it didn’t get out of hand. The scoring was in mini-runs of 2 goals each for most of the game and in the end it came down to one last play, when the Boca defender was able to block off one final lengthy attempt to tie.  One good thing about the game was that 10 of the 13 goals were assisted and that was a positive for both teams.  The goalies, Shane Doyle and Taylor Brandine, had excellent games as most of their saves were from down low.  Wellington’s Jiovenetta was dominant at faceoffs and Boca’s defense was tough on Man Down. Two teams looking to get back on the road to upper tier. More work needs to be done. It would be nice if that work is seen and appreciated.   Boca opened the scoring at 11:04 as Maklan finished off the fast break, taking the Mason Wiedersum feed from up top, all alone on the crease, for the easy put away for 1-0 but Wellington tied it back up at 9:22 as Daniels scored unassisted as he dodged from the left wing to the middle and his right-hand bounce shot hit the top right corner.  Boca took back the lead at 4:15 as Maklan and Wiedersum again connected, with Maklan taking the right behind feed in front for the high shot and at 1:46 they stretched it to 3-1 as Maklan again found himself alone on the crease as Christian Eisenmann found him from up top to end the quarter at 3-1. 33 seconds into the second it was 3-2 as Hunter Haynes (battling the flu and limited in minutes, which was too bad because I liked what I saw) took the Garret Woolwine feed on the right wing from up top, and his left hand bullet hit the top corner.  Maklan then scored his fourth of the half at 5:37, as Tommy Barba’s up top feed found Maklan in the low middle.  Boca’s Marc Musa then made it 5-2 at the half with 2:12 left as he face dodged off a fast break down the right wing and he finished near the cage with the left hand to the top left corner. Wellington took advantage of an early EMO to make it 5-3 at 10:57 as Daniels took the Woolwine feed from top right on the top left and his step down beat Doyle to the top right corner.  They further cut it to 5-4 at 6:48 with a Man-down goal as Noah Fouts took the Andrew Crosby feed, also all alone on the crease and the game went to the fourth at 5-4. Turnovers in the fourth kept the flow uneven but finally, at 6:13, Boca made it 6-4 on EMO, as Ryan Eisenmann cut out from left GLE and took the left wing pass from Wiedersum for the right hand short side shot.  When Zack Fabel took the Wiedersum right GLE feed on the right wing for the bounce shot that made it 7-4 with 4:25 left it looked like Boca had finally taken control, but nothing came easy in this game.  Teddy Miloch cut it to two at 2:55 off the Woolwine feed from up top, on the left wing for the shot low and then one final gasp worked as Fouts got control of a loose ball after a lengthy fling and potted it with 3 seconds left.  Wellington got possession after a faceoff violation but the last second fling was blocked out front and Boca held on for the win. Boca Raton faces two tough final games next week in Benjamin and Oxbridge, while Wellington is back in action tonight, facing Cardinal Newman.   Team Statistics   Faceoffs:  Wellington 12-3 Shots:  Wellington 26-25 Shots on Goal:  Wellington 18-15 Turnovers:  Wellington 25-21 Penalties:  I don’t think I have this accurately   Individual Statistics   BR Logan Maklan  4G Mason Wiedersum  4A Marc Musa, Ryan Eisenmann and Zach Fabel with 1G each Tommy Barba and Christian Eisenmann with 1A each Shane Doyle with 12 saves   Wellington Drew Daniels and Noah Fouts with 2G each Hunter Haynes and Teddy Miloch with 1G each Garret Woolwine  3A Andrew Crosby  1A Taylor Brandine with 8 saves   Thanks to Coach Holly and Coach Hernandez for talking to me before and after the game.