Boys Lacrosse: Another slow start doesn’t help Tuckers
KINGSMEN 13, TUCKERS 4
Progress requires patience. It’s a step by step sort of thing, as the Mattituck/Greenport/Southold boys lacrosse team knows only too well. Improvements are made piecemeal, with each day presenting another challenge and another area to work on.
The biggest task facing the Tuckers these days may be finding a way to putting an end to their slow starts in games. Slow starts, especially against stronger teams, can put them in a big hole quickly, something they can ill afford.
Finding a way to hang with Kings Park early on was on Mattituck/Greenport/Southold coach John Amato’s mind prior to Friday’s game at Mattituck High School. All one had to do was glance at the Suffolk County Division II standings to see that the Tuckers would have their hands full. Kings Park started the day in third-place in the 21-team division; the Tuckers were 14th.
Then Kings Park provided a convincing demonstration, justifying its high place. Jac Cutillo whipped in four first-quarter goals, helping the Kingsmen to a 6-0 lead. So much for the Tuckers avoiding a slow start. It was 9-0 by halftime and 10-0 before the Tuckers finally scored with 1 minute 32 seconds left in the third quarter.
By the time all the damage had been done, the talented Cutillo had six goals from seven shots and Kings Park had posted its third straight win, this one by a 13-4 score.
Scoring is clearly not a problem for Kings Park (3-2, 3-1). Anthony Gadaleta put up two goals and three assists in addition to collecting nine ground balls. Roy Decker netted three goals and Louis Lanni scored twice. Kevin P. Farrell had a game-high 10 ground balls.
Michael Greco and Harrison Bower made four saves each in the half they played in the Kings Park goal.
Tim Schmidt, Tyler Seifert, Connor Malone and Pat Robbins scored for the Tuckers (2-4, 1-3). Dylan Marlborough collected seven ground balls, all in the second half, and Alec Durkin made nine saves.
Kings Park outshot the Tuckers, 25-6, and held a 30-11 superiority in ground balls in the first half. The Tuckers picked up their play in the second half, when they held advantages in shots (12-9) and ground balls (23-14).
