Salesianum School downs Caesar Rodney, 14-9, for 4th straight Delaware state championship

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/4/18
Staff Report

Salesianum School scored five unanswered goals to start the fourth quarter and defeated Caesar Rodney, 14-9, tonight to claim its fourth straight Delaware state championship at Caravel Academy.

The Sals (16-3) have won seven of the past eight state titles and nine of the last 12.

The Riders (16-3) trailed, 8-6, at halftime and pulled within 8-7 and then 9-8 before the end of the third period before Salesianum’s Brett Hobbs (two goals, two assists) scored to key the 5-0 spurt.

Cooper Urban had five goals for Sallies while Pat Drake had three goals and an assist and Brad Santore added two goals and three assists. Logan falconetti had two goals and an assist and Brady Emmi had 9 saves in goal while Matt Riley and Matteo Gariffo were strong at the faceoff X.

No Delaware team had ever won four straight championships.

Salesianum School wins its fourth straight Delaware state championship

“It’s an amazing feeling being a part of such a tight group of guys all going after the same end goal,” Emmi said. “We wanted to make history.”

“We expect that everybody (in the state) is out to get us and we used that as motivation,” said Sals coach Bobby Healy. “The guys get fired up (about that).

“This four-peat has never been done in the state of Delaware. An awesome job by our seniors – it’s not easy to do.”

Healy said the Salesianum schedule – which included games with Hill Academy (a win against a split squad that included some of its Team 1 players), Malvern Prep and Garden City – helped prepare the team for big games.

“They’re athletic; but our schedule prepared us for the battle,” Healy said, “We made a couple plays and got some groundballs and and turned them into goals.”

Added Emmi: “We have been in battles all year and our schedule prepared us to leave it all out on the field and not get tunnel vision.

“We know that every game is our opponents’ Super Bowl and that they will bring everything they have, and then some. We take it as motivation and it just adds to the fire. We have a motto that we aren’t a stepping stone for any team and keep our standard of play no matter the opponent.”

Emmi said the Salesianum program sustains itself through its success. “Our program gets a steady stream of local talent because they know what we do at Salesianum,” he said. “We compete and challenge ourselves with the best competition in and out of the country.”

Jared Wagenhoffer led the Riders with three goals while Noah Longest and Joshua Cosden each had two. Demetrius Stevenson and James Cava had one apiece while junior goalie Jacob Stant was strong in the goal with 10 saves.

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