By David A. Willauer
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/30/10
Michael Pettit scored the last of his three goals with 3 minutes, 5 seconds left in the second overtime as Tower Hill completed a stunning rally and defeated defending champion and top-seeded Salesianum School, 5-4, Saturday for the Delaware State High School Boys’ Lacrosse championship at Caravel Academy.
The Sals (14-3) were leading, 4-1 after three periods, but Pettit scored off a Blaise Taylor assist to make it 4-2 and Chas Robino (member of Duke’s Lacrosse Club, committed to Massachusetts) scored with 1:38 left in regulation to make it a one-goal game.
Jake Graham sent the game into overtime with 12 seconds left in regulation.
The game-winner was set up by a key win at the face-off X by Tower Hill’s Ripley Nielsen, who had a strong game all day at the X. Robino dodged the wing as Pettit made a pick. Robino beat his man and then fed Pettit, who was open on the right side
The third-seeded Hillers (14-3) claimed their second state crown, the first coming in 2005. Last year they were stomped by the Sals in the finals, 13-4.
The Hillers went up 1-0 on Pettit’s unassisted tally in the first period. In the second period the Sals came back and tied the game at 1-1 as William Cowan fed Dillon Walker for the score.
In the third quarter, the Sals scored three goals, two by Andrew Blundin (Duke’s LC) with assists from Dillon Walker. Andrew Salvitti then gave Salesianum a 4-1 lead.
Demi Murray made 10 saves in goal for Tower Hill while Dan Rodgers (signed with Drexel) had 11 saves for Salesianum.
Salesianum 0-1-3-0-0-0 – 4
Tower Hill 1-0-0-3-0-1- 5
Salesianum: Andrew Blundin 2 goals Dillon Walker 1 goal 2 assists Gregory Brenn 1 assist William Cowan 1 assist Andrew Salvitti 1 goal; Dan Rodgers 11 saves
Tower Hill: Michael Pettit 3 goals, Blaise Taylor 1 assist, John Graham 1 goal, Chas Robino 1 goal 1 assist; Demi Murray 10 saves
