Tampa Jesuit came to play. And didn’t stop all game. In the latest chapter of Florida’s topsy-turvy season SA held off a late TJ charge to win a 10-9 game last night in Boca Raton. TJ’s star attackman Ryan Brady hit the crossbar in the last minute and another last minute stop by SA goalie Conor Poetzinger led to SA being able to run out the clock. Frankly, this was a game that Tampa Jesuit deserved to win but also a game that showed why St. Andrew’s has shown so much success over the years. SA’s veteran players found a way to pull out a game that they were outplayed in. TJ outshot SA in the game, held their own on face-offs, turned the ball over less and showed more discipline. Yet SA still found a way to win the game. Tampa Jesuit came out hyped while St. Andrew’s started sloppy. TJ scored first on a Jackson Parisey goal off a feed from Ryan Brady halfway through the first period. Ben Kennedy responded on a solo effort with the first of his two goal, one assist game. Nick Ranta put the Scots up front 30 seconds later but Brady responded with 32 seconds left in the period to make the score 2-2 after one. TJ outshot SA in the first and frankly would have had the lead except for some outstanding play by SA starter Corey Etcheverry. Etcheverry ended up saving 9 of the 13 shots on goal (69%) in the first half. The second quarter started with an Andy Wheeler goal, which was answered quickly by an alley dodge by TJ face-off specialist Noah Menendez to tie the game at 3-3. At this point SA substituted for the entire attack and midfield. Bobby Rauch scored for SA off a feed from Nate Low to take the lead back, only to be answered by Brady’s second. At that point SA returned its starters to the field and Conor Whipple tallied in the last two minutes off a Stephen Reall feed to send the teams to the locker room with SA holding the slim 5-4 lead. SA shot 14 times in the stanza and TJ goalie Cole Fox made 5 saves to keep the game close. Statistically the game was as close as the score.

Conor Poetzinger entered the game for SA in the second half at goal. In the third quarter SA turned the ball over NINE times, only took 6 shots and committed three penalties, including one two-man advantage. Brady completed his hat trick to tie the game a couple of minutes into the third on an EMO goal on one of those penalties. Whipple answered for SA off a Kennedy feed on one of SA’s only real fast break opportunities of the game. Poetzinger then made what might have been the game changing play of the game as he stoned Brady on a clear breakaway with about 5:30 to go in the quarter. And in the end, it did prove to be the margin of difference. But Tampa had an answer. Parisey scored his second with 3:25 to go on that aforementioned two man EMO to tie the game again. After the goal SA called a timeout to regroup and they were able to kill off the second man-down. Addison Lutes was able to put SA back on top off a nice feed from Jake Levine with 30 seconds left on the clock to put the score at 7-6 SA after three. TJ was not able to take the lead because they also turned the ball over in the third quarter, tallying seven of their own. Part of this was the intensity of the defenses but too many of both teams were unforced or the result of trying to do too much. The fourth quarter started with SA trying to put the game away as Kennedy added his second on a Whipple feed to make the score 8-6 on an EMO. A penalty was called on SA after the goal and TJ was given possession in lieu of the faceoff. At this point I will do something very out of character for me and question the referees. It was not clear whether the penalty to TJ was releasable or not. The penalty clock indicated the penalty on TJ was still on. Yet the TJ offense was allowed the full 6 attackers instead of a 5 on 5 (if the penalty clock was wrong I apologize profusely to the referees). TJ scored on the resultant EMO on an unassisted Stefano Mastro goal and the game was one goal again. SA struck back quickly on goals by Whipple and Grant Mahler to push the lead to 10-7 with a little under 8 minutes left. SA’s defense stiffened at that point and SA tried to run some time off the clock. But unlike so many SA games in the past this did not work as it allowed TJ to regroup, and after a few back and forth turnovers TJ broke through as Parisey scored his third on an EMO with 3:34 left. Sensing a momentum change TJ stepped up the pressure and Menendez scored unassisted with 1:38 to go to pull within one. TJ won the next face-off and called time to set up their offense. Brady isolated and was able to get off a low-to-high rocket off a curl that smacked off the crossbar. Unfortunately for TJ, Brady injured himself on the play (severe cramp thankfully as it looked to me that he might have done something more serious) and had to be carted off the field. Poetzinger then made one final save and SA was able to run out the clock. Brady and Whipple led their respective teams with 3G and 1A each. Parisey added 3G for TJ and Menedez added 2G while holding his own in the face-off battle. Kennedy added 2G and 1A for SA. Jake Levine added 2A and played an excellent all around game as he caused at least 3 turnovers on rides in the clearing game. All 3 goalies played well, and Etcheverry played spectacularly. Tampa Jesuit returns to action today when they travel up the road to Jupiter while St. Andrew’s hosts Episcopal of Jacksonville Saturday afternoon at home, before they go on spring break.