Wicks' Game-Winner Lifts Hoosac Valley Past Lenox
CHESHIRE, Mass. – Adan Wicks scored midway through the fourth quarter to break a 9-9 tie, and the Hoosac Valley boys lacrosse team Wednesday went on to an 11-9, come-from-behind win over Lenox.
Wicks took a pass from Kamarion Kastner on the left side and ripped an overhand shot into the top corner of the goal to give the Hurricanes their first lead of the game.
“[Kastner] told me that if I just cut middle, the pass would be there,” Wicks said. “I caught it, spun, scored.
“I had to get it in there for the team to get the lead. And then we just went on from there.”
Just more than a minute later, Wicks scored his third goal of the game off a feed from Wesley Emerson to make it a two-goal cushion with 3 minutes, 57 seconds remaining.
Lenox (10-3) drew a one-minute penalty with 3:29 on the clock, and the Hurricanes were able to keep possession in the Millionaires’ end for the next two minutes.
With about 40 seconds remaining, Lenox was able to generate some pressure on Hoosac Valley’s goal, but Max Griffin came up with a huge save with 28 seconds on the clock to keep it a two-goal lead in the closing seconds.
“Max has improved exponentially for us this season,” Hoosac Valley coach Jacob Anderson-Hall said. “Last year, he was a good goalie for us. This year, he’s a great goalie for us.
“He’s helped us win a few games in the past couple of games. He’s the reason why we’ve won these close games. He’s been nails.”
Griffin made 10 saves Tuesday as the Hurricanes (9-4) won for the fourth time in five games, following up on a 6-5 win on Monday at Chicopee Comprehensive.
The teams traded goals in a low-scoring first quarter that ended in a 2-2 tie, but Lenox got some separation in the second quarter, ending the half on a 3-0 run capped by Kitson Stover’s goal with 7 seconds on the clock to send the Millionaires into the break up, 6-3.
“I told individual players that great players make great plays,” Anderson-Hall said of his half-time talk. “At the end, they started to play great. That’s what helps you win these close games.”
Kadan Tatro, Brayden Villnave and Wicks scored in the first five minutes of the third quarter to tie the game, 6-6.
Lenox answered with back-to-back goals, but Tatro (four goals, two assists) scored again in the last minute of the third to send Hoosac Valley into the fourth quarter down a goal at 8-7.
Owen Taylor scored with an assist from Tatro on the man-up in the first minute of the fourth quarter to tie it.
Penalties were a problem for Lenox all afternoon, especially in the second half, when the Hurricanes were able to take advantage of a couple of chances.
“We can’t play when we’re in penalty the whole entire time,” Lenox coach Brett Larmon said. “It’s frustrating. We were up, and it’s our typical third quarter fall apart.
“It was a good game. I’m sure we'll see them in Western Mass. We’ve just got to regroup.”
Shaler Larmon (one goal, four assists) gave Lenox its last lead of the game with 9:49 left to play.
Three minutes later, Tatro got the equalizer in transition, setting the stage for Wicks’ game-winner.
Paul Naventi scored four goals and assisted on another to lead Lenox’s offense.
Kastner had two goals and two assists for the Hurricanes.
Anderson-Hall said there was a big difference between Wednesday’s win and an 11-5 loss to the Millionaires at BCC back on April 23.
“Effort, intensity,” he said. “They looked like they wanted to win this game. In the first half, they came out a little slow. But the second half, that was a really fun team to coach.
“They really wanted to win that game.”
Larmon was not surprised to get that kind of fight from the Hurricanes.
“Every time we come up here, it’s like this,” he said. “Last year, it was the same way. We beat them [12-0] down in Pittsfield, and we came up here and won in overtime.
“I don’t know if it’s a mental thing for us or what. But we’re just not good on this field. I don’t know what it is. … The good news is hopefully we’ll be home in Western Mass.”
Lenox is home for its next game on Friday when it hosts West Springfield.
Hoosac Valley is home on Friday against McCann Tech.