Ahead 5-0, Winchester Falls To Reading In North Final

WOBURN -- After losing to Winchester during the regular season, the last thing Reading coach Charlie Hardy wanted to see Friday night was a 5-0 deficit after nine minutes of play in the Division 2 North lacrosse final.

But Sachems goals by Jack Rockhold, Grant Murray, Ryan McCarthy, Stephen Osborne, and Jake Mabardy produced that score, and when Reading's Dom Masucci hit the post with 1:35 to go in the first quarter it didn't look like the Rockets night.

It all changed quickly.

Reading outscored the Sachems, 10-2, over the final 38 minutes to win the North title, 10-7, at Woburn High school. Reading (14-7) advances to the state semifinals to play South champion Scituate (16-6) at Peabody High Tuesday.

"We weren't ready,"said Hardy of his team's start. "We just didn't talk and communicate on defense. They got three fast-break goals, which we haven't given up much all year. And all of sudden they're way out in front. But we knew we could come back. We knew we had the offense to come back."

That offense was led by junior Mike Tobin and senior Jack Geiger. Down 5-0, Tobin scored Reading's first goal with 1:20 to play in the quarter. Geiger then scored with 55 seconds left and the score after the first 12 minutes was a manageable 5-2.

Winchester (16-4) pushed the margin to 6-2 on Murray's second goal but it was also the Sachems' last goal until there was 11 seconds left in the game. Tobin cut it to 6-3 at 9:02, 6-4 at 6:21, and 6-5 with 1:40 left in the second, a score that stood up at the half.

In the third quarter, Reading tied it at 6-6 on Geiger's second goal, assisted by Tobin, then Geiger scored again as time expired in the quarter with Reading now ahead 7-6.

"It shows the character that we have on this team and quality of players," said Hardy of the comeback. "Mike [Tobin] and Jack [Geiger] are just awesome, and they're two of the best midfielders in the state."

Reading's momentum continued in the fourth. Jack Stanton scored to make it 8-6 and Colin Comerford's goal with 5:04 to play made it 9-6 Reading. Stanton scored again with 3:27 to go and the Sachems were done, except for Harry Carpini's goal with 11 seconds remaining.

"The games are 48 minutes long," said Winchester coach John Pirani. "They're not 12 minutes long. It's as simple as that. They're a very, very good team with two or three very, very good players and we game-planned for them. They're going to get their numbers. But frankly, seven goals doesn't beat them. It just won't."

Photo by Bob Holmes