Caps off vacation week with three straight lopsided wins to go to 6-1
PJ IANNUZZI, a junior (#2), chases a bouncing ball during Wakefield’s win over Salem. Iannuzzi contributed with a couple of goals in Wakefield’s win overs Newburyport and Danvers. The Warriors are now 6-1 overall. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Published in the April 25, 2016 edition.
By DAN BYRNE
WAKEFIELD — It was a busy week during April Vacation for the varsity boys’ lacrosse team at Wakefield Memorial High School. The team took on three non-league opponents with some spectacular results. The latest was a lopsided 19-1 rout of Danvers on Friday afternoon at Landrigan Field.
The Warriors are now 6-1 overall on the Season
Last Monday, the team took down Salem in a no-contest blowout by a 19-1 final score.
Brandon Grinnell and Austin Collard led the way for the Warriors with four goals apiece. Pat Leary and Andrew Deleary both had three goals and Ben Yandell and Braedan Langlois had two goals. Dylan Frank had 1 goal to round out the 19 goals put up by the Warriors.
On Wednesday the Warriors hit the road and headed over to Newburyport for the second of three games during the vacation week. Though it was more of a contest than the others, in terms of final score, the Warriors prevailed relatively easily with a 19-7 victory.
Wakefield managed to put three goals up in the opening quarter, then five each in the second and third quarters, before finishing it off with a six-goal fourth quarter.
Grinnell scored six goals and had four assists to rack up 10 points in a monster game for the senior captain. Fellow captain Yandell had four goals and two assists, while Deleary and Collard had three goals each. PJ Iannuzzi, Leary and Frank had a single goal for Wakefield in the win.
The Warriors capped off a spectacular week with the 19-1 drubbing of Danvers on the home turf at Landrigan Field. It was an all-around performance, the type Coach Lavalle was hoping he’d see his team put forth against the likes of the Falcons.
The Warriors got goals from nine different players, including four more from Grinnell giving him a total of 14 goals last week. He also chipped in with five assists.
Leary, Collard and Deleary had three goals each against Danvers, while Yandell bagged two of his own.
Iannuzzi, Frank, Langlois and Bobby Keegan had solo goal performances on Friday against Danvers.
What stood out for Coach Lavalle on Friday wasn’t just the offensive production but the defensive domination.
Wakefield controlled nearly every loose ball and was dominant in the face-off circle. Danvers struggled to even get the ball, and when it did, it was hard for it to keep possession.
Wakefield goalie Ryan Chambers had just one ball slip by him on Friday, though he was hardly tested, as the Falcons managed just three shots in four quarters, with Chambers making easy work of the other two shots.
“These last two games were a defensive showcase,” Lavalle said, commenting on the stalwart defensive efforts his team has put forth. “Real standouts on the D-side include Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Collins brothers, Ty and Nolan, (and) Ned Buckley is a vocal leader as a senior. Overall, guys really couldn’t carry on us.
“Everybody was scoring against Salem and Newburyport,” the coach said of the offense. “Unfortunately, for the Salem and Newburyport games we put together three good quarters. When we faced Danvers we put in four good quarters. We’re still getting better every day. That’s the idea behind practice.”
It’s a busy week once again for lacrosse games, as the boys’ team has two more scheduled this coming week.
On Tuesday the Warriors are at home against Stoneham, then they head out on the road Friday to face Wilmington.
—–
Goals for games on April 18, 19, and 22
(first game-second game-third game — total)
Leary 3-1-3 — 7
Yandell 2-4-2 — 8
Grinnell 4-6-4 — 14
Iannuzzi 0-1-1 — 2
Collard 4-3-3 — 10
Deleary 3-3-3 — 9
Frank 1-1-1 — 3
Keegan 0-0-1 — 1
Langlois 2-0-1 — 3
