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Gainesville Oak Hall Serves Notice with Win over Fleming Island

Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in .
Photo by Ray DiMonda. Fleming Island’s Jack Hawley (#16), shown here in action earlier this season, scored two goals and had two assists Friday night. Someone might want to check the stick of Gainesville Oak Hall’s Jacob Hicks.  The way the sophomore scooped up faceoffs at Fleming Island Friday night, he may be playing with a vacuum attachment. Hicks gained control for the visitors on 17 of 20 ball drops to lead the Eagles to a 10-8 victory over the Golden Eagles.  Thanks to the sophomore’s dominance at the dot, the Eagles outshot Fleming Island 42-22. “That was definitely one of the factors,” Fleming Island coach John Hawley said of the faceoff disparity. Senior middie Chris Anderson took advantage of the opportunities provided by Hicks, scoring a team-high three goals. Seven different Eagles found the net, as Oak Hall, which improved to 9-1, patiently spread the ball around. Were it not for a number of difficult saves by Golden Eagles goalies Ryan Kelly and Jason Kunath, the game could have been lopsided.  Both seniors were superb, combining for 17 saves. Kunath was particularly sharp, with two close-range denials among his 10 saves, finishing with a .667 save percentage. Oak Hall seized control of a tight game in the first four minutes of the third quarter, firing off nine shots and scoring three goals before the Golden Eagles could launch their first shot.  Hicks started the run with a goal off of a lengthy battle for the half-opening faceoff.  The scoring spree, coming after Eagles attack Alex Constantinidis notched a goal with just 25 seconds left in the first half, turned a 4-4 tie into an 8-4 Oak Hall lead. “They are an excellent team,” said Fleming Island coach John Hawley of Oak Hall.  “They are well coached, very disciplined, and do not make a lot of mistakes.” Fleming Island fought back gamely, drawing within 9-7 on a pretty assist by middie Sam Barrington, who found fellow senior Danny Schreiber cutting in front of the goal for an easy underhanded putaway.  But Oak Hall goalie Matt Davis came up with a critical save with 3:56 remaining on Devan Marquis’ laser from the right side of the box to preserve the two-goal advantage, and from that point the Eagles were able to run out the clock. Patrick Schreiber had his second consecutive hat trick, while Jack Hawley added two goals and two assists for the hosts.  The loss was the Golden Eagles’ fourth by two goals or fewer, sending them into Spring Break with a 5-6 record.  They will not take the field again until a March 22 date at Jacksonville Bolles. Junior attack Doug Blair had two goals for Oak Hall, which hosts rival Gainesville Buchholz in their next game Thursday, March 17.