Dave Kurtz
Courtesy of Pac-10sports.com
There was fire in the sky above the Perkiomen Valley lacrosse field Wednesday afternoon.
The pyrotechnics were staged by Owen J. Roberts senior sniper Kohl Batdorf, whose laser-like shot resulted in six goals, leading the Wildcats to a convincing 16-8 victory over PV in the Pioneer Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
“We were having a tough time,” said the Hobart-bound Batdorf of the three-time defending champion Wildcats’ uneven 0-2 start in the nonleague portion of the schedule. “Today we played great together. After a shaky beginning we turned it on.”
Batdorf, who also chipped in with four assists, was at the ignition, lighting the fuse for OJR – delivering at the most critical of junctures.
PV, which had scored the first goal of the contest but was down 8-3 at intermission, opened the second half with two strikes in a 28-second span to close within 8-5 at 10:37 of the third quarter.
But Batdorf had the answer, finding the net twice during a 53-second blitz that showcased his exquisite offensive skills. For good measure, he found the range a tick before time expired at the end of the third quarter with a bullet that literally trailed sparks for a 12-6 lead.
“We knew Owen J. had a lot of firepower, a lot of good scorers,” said PV coach Andy Wagner, whose club fell to 2-1 overall. “But we couldn’t get the ball off the ground and we had a lot of breakdowns. We did not play a good defensive game.”
The telltale time-of-possession numbers were heavily in the Wildcats’ favor. OJR set up shop at the offensive end, and continually peppered PV goalie Bryce Womak shots from all directions.
“We moved the ball a little bit better,” said OJR veteran coach Jeff Neese. “But still it was a little too much from one man. We did get a little more out of our younger kids. Chris Antich and Ryan Kent scored as soon as I put them in for a shift.”
That type of production will help the Wildcats in their pursuit of a fourth straight crown. OJR got three goals and an assist from John Pennell and one goal and two helpers from Tyler Graham. All told, nine Cats found the net.
Leading PV at the offensive end were Ryan Boyd (hat trick), Dennis Flynn (2 goals, assist) and midfielder Wes Johnson (goal, 2 assists).
But Batdorf had the most lethal gun, and he wound up shooting holes in the besieged PV fortress.
“We want to get the four-peat,” said Batdorf, the 2010 PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Year. “We’re working hard at practice. The main thing for us is possessing the ball.”
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