Lake Highland Prep Over Lake Brantley 13-5
Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Thanks to Roger Farwell and Ginger Carter for providing photos for this article!
It was a match up of two of Central Florida’s premier programs. Both of these teams are top shelf, no doubt about it. Last night, it was two elite level teams at vastly different points in their seasons.
To quote Lake Highland Prep head coach, Chris Spaulding, “I think in the beginning of the year we were bad. By the time we started playing those teams from the MIAA we were playing at a high level and got to the point where we are good.” I’m not sure I would have said they were a “bad” team, but I agree that they were not playing to their potential early in the season. But he completely understated just how good they are playing right now. They looked great.
On the other side of the field, Lake Brantley had started the season on a roll winning six straight games by large margins before getting upset by Seminole. They then reeled off six more impressive victories by an average margin of over 9 goals per game. Things began to take a turn for Lake Brantley when there star middie, Tim Gehlbach (North Carolina), fell awkwardly on his shoulder early in the Oviedo game on Wednesday. Subsequent tests showed that he will miss at least six weeks, most likely done for the season. Then, they experienced a coaching change when Head Coach Brian Theiss had to begin a one year suspension related to ineligible players participating in games. Brantley is a long way from being down and out for the count. They have a very capable coaching staff and Duane Crowley has stepped up and taken the reigns for the reminder and is supported by assistant coach Shawn Perkins, it was certainly a tough 48 hours for this program. (The guys clearly have the full support of the players and parents at Lake Brantley.) And then Lake Highland Prep came marching in.
Max Parker, who would go onto win 16 of his 17 face off attempts on the evening, took the opening face down the field where Lake Highland would posses for the first four minutes of the game and score two goals in that time. Reid Thedford scored the first goal of the game and that young man is playing as well as anyone in the state right now. He scored four against Boys Latin and he scored five last night. He makes it look easy. Trey Page, a rising talent who is getting quite a bit of playing time at the midfield for LHP scored the second.
Lake Brantley didn’t get any real opportunities for the first six minutes of the game until an EMO gave them possession and a chance to get something going. But an unforced error squandered their chance. Give aways would be the bug that would keep biting them all evening. With 4:17 remaining in the first Thedford would score his second goal on his second shot of the game giving LHP a 3 goal lead. A minute later, however, Brantley looked like the Brantley we expect. Will McKenna out ran two Highlanders to pick up a “hustle” ground ball and got the transition going and a great looking sophomore, Austin Guerrina, finished to get the Patriots on the board. He got a shot past the Sophomore, Austin Farwell, who was making his first start in the goal for the injured Sawicki who should return to action on Monday.
Guerrina did it again with just over two minutes remaining in the first when he sent a low, blistering shot past Farwell low and away. The Patriots got going and did what they do better than any team I have ever seen. The scored multiple goals just before the end of the quarter. With :47 left Jared Bernhardt picked off an errant pass from the young Farwell and got the ball down to Ryan Crowley. Crowley did the rest and tied it up. Then AJ Monte gave the lead to Lake Brantley when he scored with :11 left on the clock. You cannot rest on the Lake Brantley Patriots. Period. They can put up goals in a hurry. The first nine minutes of the game it looked like Lake Highland might run away with it but suddenly, as the horn sounded the end of the quarter, it’s Brantley on top.
Max Parker went back to work to start the second quarter. There is no substitute in this game for possessions and he gave them to Lake Highland all night. This time it was Thedford who capitalized and got his hat trick just one minute into the second quarter. He scored again on transition with 4:36 remaining in the first half to give LHP the lead 5-4. Through out the second quarter both teams were riding exceptionally well. Both goalies were having a hard time finding open targets on the clears. Finally, Sam Webster (who had taken over the goal tending duties to begin the second quarter) hit a lightning fast Griff Caligiuri who carried over the midfield line to find Jonathan Clayton open on the crease to make it 6-4. Moments later Kyle Richbourg took the ball from Parker who was pushing the tempo off the face off and finished to make it 7-4.
Throughout the second quarter Lake Brantley was running a fantastic zone and it had LHP on their heels a little bit during the periods of settled offense. Lake Highland was certainly getting it done in transition, but he way Brantley could score in spurts the Highlanders were going to need to answer that zone defense in the second half to put this game away. Griff Caligiuri as making the loss of Gehlbach hurt as he was able to key on Bernhardt, the number one remaing weapon for the Brantley offense and he was getting his job done.
Joe Dobrowolski took over the goal tending duties in the second half for Lake Brantley and it didn’t take the Highlanders long to start throwing some rubber in his direction. Parker won the face to open the second half but Brantley got the ball on the ground. Reid Thedford picked it up and moved it to Caligiuri who hit Kyle Richbourg to make it 8-4 just a few seconds into the half. Less than two minutes laster Conner Aniello took a feed from Clayton to make it 9-4 as he was able to find a seam in the zone.
Lake Highland started to really ride well at this point, leaving few choices for Dobrowolski except to take it himself. He got a decent shot just wide of the goal on one trip down the field. He is a big fast kid and can handle the ball well but was being forced to take some chances. The Highlanders got the ball away once and were able to get off a high quality shot the just missed the goal before he was able to make it back into the crease. With 1:32 left in the third Thedford netted his fifth of the game to make it 10-4 after a quarter that was all Lake Highland.
2:09 into the fourth quarter Richbourg took a feed from Tiger Graham to make it 11-4 and it was clear that Lake Highland had solved the zone. Patiently working the ball around an open offensive set and making opportune cuts off the wings. As time was running down Lake Brantley tried to take advantage of their speed and really started pushing the transition. Lake Highland responded in kind and we were treated to some highly athletic and fast “run-n-gun” for a larger portion of the fourth. We saw some decent shooting from d-poles on both teams and good goal tending as well with quick outlet passes. It was Aniello who finally put a stop to it taking a feed from Richbourg to make it 12-4.
With only :33 left in the game Peter Yip netted a trademark “short time” LB goal to make it 12-5 but Jake Zerivitz answered right back for the Highlanders off of yet another Max Parker face off win to bring the final to 13-4.
A few of my take aways from this game;
Lake Brantley is not going to go away. They are intensely fast and athletic and have no neutral gear on their motor. They battle for every single ground ball for all 48 minutes. They are very well coached and will find their offense without Gehlbach. They are a very talented group.
Lake Highland is scary. They are playing excellent at every single facet of the game and they are still getting better. The big question mark for Lake Highland coming into the season was the re-tooled attack unit. They were shaky at the beginning of the season but they are playing well now. Kyle Richbourg was playing through some injuries early in the year Coach Spaulding made a decision to sit him for a couple of weeks and it is paying off now. He looked healthy and sharp last night against a good defense.
Griff Caligiuri is a stud. He stands out on a deep defensive unit and can contribute well on the transition offense. The uncommitted junior should be getting quite a bit of interest from coaches at the next level.
Lake Highland’s short stick middie defense is the best I have seen this season. And their best defensive middie, Don Eidson, didn’t even play last night.
Max Parker is quicker, faster, and in better shape than we have ever seen him.
The only thing that counts in the FHSAA is who is playing the best at the end of the season. Lake Highland is playing their best lacrosse right now and has the numbers and depth to keep getting better. Lake Brantley has a few days to prepare for Lake Mary in another tough match up. If they can get some offense going against a tough Lake Mary defense they should be in good shape to finish strong this season.
Next up for the 9-3 Highlanders is a surprising 6-2 Seminole HS before they head out to take on St. Andrews. Seminole has found themselves in this “trap” position before. LHP better not doze off on those guys!
Max Parker, who would go onto win 16 of his 17 face off attempts on the evening, took the opening face down the field where Lake Highland would posses for the first four minutes of the game and score two goals in that time. Reid Thedford scored the first goal of the game and that young man is playing as well as anyone in the state right now. He scored four against Boys Latin and he scored five last night. He makes it look easy. Trey Page, a rising talent who is getting quite a bit of playing time at the midfield for LHP scored the second.
Lake Brantley didn’t get any real opportunities for the first six minutes of the game until an EMO gave them possession and a chance to get something going. But an unforced error squandered their chance. Give aways would be the bug that would keep biting them all evening. With 4:17 remaining in the first Thedford would score his second goal on his second shot of the game giving LHP a 3 goal lead. A minute later, however, Brantley looked like the Brantley we expect. Will McKenna out ran two Highlanders to pick up a “hustle” ground ball and got the transition going and a great looking sophomore, Austin Guerrina, finished to get the Patriots on the board. He got a shot past the Sophomore, Austin Farwell, who was making his first start in the goal for the injured Sawicki who should return to action on Monday.
Guerrina did it again with just over two minutes remaining in the first when he sent a low, blistering shot past Farwell low and away. The Patriots got going and did what they do better than any team I have ever seen. The scored multiple goals just before the end of the quarter. With :47 left Jared Bernhardt picked off an errant pass from the young Farwell and got the ball down to Ryan Crowley. Crowley did the rest and tied it up. Then AJ Monte gave the lead to Lake Brantley when he scored with :11 left on the clock. You cannot rest on the Lake Brantley Patriots. Period. They can put up goals in a hurry. The first nine minutes of the game it looked like Lake Highland might run away with it but suddenly, as the horn sounded the end of the quarter, it’s Brantley on top.
2:09 into the fourth quarter Richbourg took a feed from Tiger Graham to make it 11-4 and it was clear that Lake Highland had solved the zone. Patiently working the ball around an open offensive set and making opportune cuts off the wings. As time was running down Lake Brantley tried to take advantage of their speed and really started pushing the transition. Lake Highland responded in kind and we were treated to some highly athletic and fast “run-n-gun” for a larger portion of the fourth. We saw some decent shooting from d-poles on both teams and good goal tending as well with quick outlet passes. It was Aniello who finally put a stop to it taking a feed from Richbourg to make it 12-4.
With only :33 left in the game Peter Yip netted a trademark “short time” LB goal to make it 12-5 but Jake Zerivitz answered right back for the Highlanders off of yet another Max Parker face off win to bring the final to 13-4.
A few of my take aways from this game;
Lake Brantley is not going to go away. They are intensely fast and athletic and have no neutral gear on their motor. They battle for every single ground ball for all 48 minutes. They are very well coached and will find their offense without Gehlbach. They are a very talented group.
Lake Highland is scary. They are playing excellent at every single facet of the game and they are still getting better. The big question mark for Lake Highland coming into the season was the re-tooled attack unit. They were shaky at the beginning of the season but they are playing well now. Kyle Richbourg was playing through some injuries early in the year Coach Spaulding made a decision to sit him for a couple of weeks and it is paying off now. He looked healthy and sharp last night against a good defense.
Griff Caligiuri is a stud. He stands out on a deep defensive unit and can contribute well on the transition offense. The uncommitted junior should be getting quite a bit of interest from coaches at the next level.
Lake Highland’s short stick middie defense is the best I have seen this season. And their best defensive middie, Don Eidson, didn’t even play last night.
Max Parker is quicker, faster, and in better shape than we have ever seen him.
The only thing that counts in the FHSAA is who is playing the best at the end of the season. Lake Highland is playing their best lacrosse right now and has the numbers and depth to keep getting better. Lake Brantley has a few days to prepare for Lake Mary in another tough match up. If they can get some offense going against a tough Lake Mary defense they should be in good shape to finish strong this season.
Next up for the 9-3 Highlanders is a surprising 6-2 Seminole HS before they head out to take on St. Andrews. Seminole has found themselves in this “trap” position before. LHP better not doze off on those guys!
