WRIGHT TWP. — The Scranton Prep offense struggled for a long time during Friday night’s game against Crestwood.
However, they found their rhythm and managed to stay undefeated in the end.
The Cavaliers were losing 5-2 at the start of the fourth quarter, but then scored three consecutive goals to force overtime. Liam Barrett’s game-winning goal secured a 6-5 victory for Prep.
During the last minutes of the extended period, the Cavaliers capitalized on a Crestwood mistake and passed the ball to Barrett, who found an opening and scored the winning goal against Comets goalkeeper Ethan Zabroski.
Barrett acknowledged the importance of their defense, expressing gratitude for their support and the improvement in the offense's performance. He emphasized the crucial role of their defense in the game.
Both teams, known for their high scoring, relied on outstanding defensive displays during the match, with Crestwood having the upper hand for most of the game.
By the end of the third quarter, the Comets had only conceded one goal and kept Scranton Prep from scoring for a long period of time.
It wasn't until 10:44 left to play that Will McPartland finally scored. Shortly after, Barrett and McPartland added two more goals within just 25 seconds.
The momentum shifted as Prep leveled the score, while the Comets struggled to find the net.
Coach Keith Toolan acknowledged that the team initially overthought their approach but managed to revert to their successful tactics, leading to improved performance.
Crestwood’s dominance in the middle of the game was largely due to Logan Rolles' strong performance in faceoffs and a standout display from Jack Augustine.
Augustine secured four of his team’s five goals, taking the Comets from a 2-1 deficit to a 5-2 lead by the end of the third quarter. Ty McConnell scored Crestwood’s first goal and also assisted in one of Augustine’s goals.
However, the Cavalier defense adapted to Augustine's playing style, preventing him from executing his usual tactics and effectively neutralized Crestwood’s other scorers throughout the game.
Aiden Jordan made 14 saves for Scranton Prep, matching Zabroski's 14 saves for the Comets.
“It was a battle between two strong defenses,” Crestwood coach Brian Zabroski commented. “Both teams pushed each other to their limits.”
In addition to Barrett and McPartland's two goals each, Prep also saw Mackey Lynett and Quinn Lynett contributing one goal each. This win improved the Cavaliers' overall record to 11-0, with an 8-0 standing in WVC.
After this loss, Crestwood holds a 4-2 record in conference play, both losses being against undefeated teams following their defeat to Delaware Valley on April 5. The team will play against Abington Heights on Monday evening.
