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WALPOLE — No. 1 Walpole knew it needed a better start this time around.
It had been seven days since the Timberwolves last played No. 2 Needham. Walpole won the first matchup on the road, but the group wasn’t happy with its slow start in the game. On Tuesday at home, the Timberwolves knew they needed something different in the first half.
Powered by three first-quarter goals from Jack Webb, Walpole got its strong start and another win over the Rockets, 11-9, in the quarterfinals of the Players Cup. Walpole will play either Duxbury or North Andover in the next round.
Webb finished with a team-high four goals, while Brayden Mattera chipped in three goals and an assist.
The win keeps Walpole’s undefeated season alive at 8-0, while the Rockets dropped to 5-4.
“I like how we came out,” senior midfielder and captain Noah Mackenzie (two assists) said. “Last time we played Needham we kind of came out flat. That was a point of emphasis for us.”
Walpole scored the first four goals of the game. Webb scored three of them, while Mattera scored the other, to grab the momentum. Needham got its first goal on the board with 2:04 to go in the opening frame when Michael Roach spun toward the crease from the right wing, shot and scored from a tight angle to make it 4-1.
Needham found its footing offensively in the second quarter. Reis Conway scored in transition to open the frame and scored again later in the frame with a man-up advantage. Finn Noon also scored for Needham in the quarter.
But the Timberwolves also had a strong quarter on the attack, scoring four goals to make it, 9-5, Walpole, going into halftime.
The Timberwolves’ offense is one of the best in Division II statewide this season. The program doesn’t call many, if any, set plays on offense. Instead, letting the group’s attack read the defense and react.
“We’ve been playing since we were four years old,” Webb said about the team’s attack. “It’s been nice growing up with them in the program. You always have a feeling you can find a guy on the weak side. It’s nice growing up playing lacrosse with your boys.”
Needham won the third quarter, getting goals from Matt Ledbury and Cal Sullivan, closing the gap to 9-7. Both goals were initiated from behind the net.
Walpole got a goal before the end of the quarter from John Cotter and another early in the fourth from Dillion Needham to push its lead to four.
The Rockets scored back-to-back goals in the game’s final minutes to close the gap to two, but a Needham penalty with less than a minute to go gave the Timberwolves a man-up advantage and enough time to bleed the clock down.
The Rockets won the face-off battle early in the game and had opportunities to get ahead but couldn’t get over the hump in the fourth quarter in its settled offense.
“We are young in some areas,” Needham coach David Wainwright said. “Our lacrosse IQ is not where it has historically been for our program. We are trying to adjust on the fly, and we aren’t executing. And that’s what Walpole does. Walpole executes on its adjustments.”
Offense has mainly powered Walpole to its undefeated run to start the season. The unit brought back key players like Mattera, who scored 71 goals last year, and Ryan Lania, but the team’s defense has also played a huge role.
Through eight games, the program has only allowed double-digit goals once.
“Defensively we worked hard on slide and recover this week,” Walpole coach Greg Shea said. “When you have an offense that has been together for a bit and new pieces defensively, playing together takes time, but they’re showing spurts of it. Do we have breakdowns? Of course, but we have those all over the field. It’s about learning and getting better.”
The Timberwolves will play either Duxbury or North Andover in the next round of the Players Cup on Thursday in Needham.
Walpole coach Greg Shea what has pleasantly surprised him with this year’s team: “Coming into the season we try to manage expectations. Every year is different. Just because we were successful before doesn’t mean we always will be. Our in-between in the middle of the field, wing play, face-off play has helped us immensely. Our rides. … We take pride in that. … Those were things we worked a lot on so we could get better. … We aren’t re-inventing the wheel. We have our core principles; we just want the kids to be able to react what is given to them.”
Walpole midfielder Noah Mackenzie on the team’s defense: “I have to give a lot of credit to our defense. Last year we lost a lot of good players on defense. They’ve played their butts off. (Tim Fraser) in net. He’s been unreal. Dan Morris. Jake Cicci, Luke Weiand, they’re all playing their butts off and that’s helping us have a better team this year.”
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It had been seven days since the Timberwolves last played No. 2 Needham. Walpole won the first matchup on the road, but the group wasn’t happy with its slow start in the game. On Tuesday at home, the Timberwolves knew they needed something different in the first half.
Powered by three first-quarter goals from Jack Webb, Walpole got its strong start and another win over the Rockets, 11-9, in the quarterfinals of the Players Cup. Walpole will play either Duxbury or North Andover in the next round.
Webb finished with a team-high four goals, while Brayden Mattera chipped in three goals and an assist.
The win keeps Walpole’s undefeated season alive at 8-0, while the Rockets dropped to 5-4.
“I like how we came out,” senior midfielder and captain Noah Mackenzie (two assists) said. “Last time we played Needham we kind of came out flat. That was a point of emphasis for us.”
Walpole scored the first four goals of the game. Webb scored three of them, while Mattera scored the other, to grab the momentum. Needham got its first goal on the board with 2:04 to go in the opening frame when Michael Roach spun toward the crease from the right wing, shot and scored from a tight angle to make it 4-1.
Needham found its footing offensively in the second quarter. Reis Conway scored in transition to open the frame and scored again later in the frame with a man-up advantage. Finn Noon also scored for Needham in the quarter.
But the Timberwolves also had a strong quarter on the attack, scoring four goals to make it, 9-5, Walpole, going into halftime.
The Timberwolves’ offense is one of the best in Division II statewide this season. The program doesn’t call many, if any, set plays on offense. Instead, letting the group’s attack read the defense and react.
“We’ve been playing since we were four years old,” Webb said about the team’s attack. “It’s been nice growing up with them in the program. You always have a feeling you can find a guy on the weak side. It’s nice growing up playing lacrosse with your boys.”
Needham won the third quarter, getting goals from Matt Ledbury and Cal Sullivan, closing the gap to 9-7. Both goals were initiated from behind the net.
Walpole got a goal before the end of the quarter from John Cotter and another early in the fourth from Dillion Needham to push its lead to four.
The Rockets scored back-to-back goals in the game’s final minutes to close the gap to two, but a Needham penalty with less than a minute to go gave the Timberwolves a man-up advantage and enough time to bleed the clock down.
The Rockets won the face-off battle early in the game and had opportunities to get ahead but couldn’t get over the hump in the fourth quarter in its settled offense.
“We are young in some areas,” Needham coach David Wainwright said. “Our lacrosse IQ is not where it has historically been for our program. We are trying to adjust on the fly, and we aren’t executing. And that’s what Walpole does. Walpole executes on its adjustments.”
Offense has mainly powered Walpole to its undefeated run to start the season. The unit brought back key players like Mattera, who scored 71 goals last year, and Ryan Lania, but the team’s defense has also played a huge role.
Through eight games, the program has only allowed double-digit goals once.
“Defensively we worked hard on slide and recover this week,” Walpole coach Greg Shea said. “When you have an offense that has been together for a bit and new pieces defensively, playing together takes time, but they’re showing spurts of it. Do we have breakdowns? Of course, but we have those all over the field. It’s about learning and getting better.”
The Timberwolves will play either Duxbury or North Andover in the next round of the Players Cup on Thursday in Needham.
What else did they say?
Walpole coach Greg Shea what has pleasantly surprised him with this year’s team: “Coming into the season we try to manage expectations. Every year is different. Just because we were successful before doesn’t mean we always will be. Our in-between in the middle of the field, wing play, face-off play has helped us immensely. Our rides. … We take pride in that. … Those were things we worked a lot on so we could get better. … We aren’t re-inventing the wheel. We have our core principles; we just want the kids to be able to react what is given to them.”
Walpole midfielder Noah Mackenzie on the team’s defense: “I have to give a lot of credit to our defense. Last year we lost a lot of good players on defense. They’ve played their butts off. (Tim Fraser) in net. He’s been unreal. Dan Morris. Jake Cicci, Luke Weiand, they’re all playing their butts off and that’s helping us have a better team this year.”
Continue reading...
