Derryfield boys lacrosse needs OT to beat Oyster River-Newmarket (video)

MANCHESTER - Given the way the afternoon had gone, Ryan Etzo planned to just run with the ball behind the cage.

But as the Derryfield School senior got closer, he saw more of an opening in the Oyster River-Newmarket boys lacrosse team's defense, and he decided to take a chance.

Etzo broke to the front of the goal, leapt into the air as he released his shot, and the ball found its way past goalie Finn Mason to give the Cougars a 4-3 win just 36 seconds into overtime against the Bobcats in a Division II matchup on Friday.

"I got a nice groundball there and I knew I had to slow it down and get a good possession going," Etzo said. "But they put a shortie on me, like all game, so I figured I should take it behind, slow it down and get a good dodge going. I saw that their defenders were spread out so I said I’m going to go for it. I’ve taken a dive shot like that before, so I just went for it."

It was the only time all day Derryfield (5-0) had the lead, as ORN limited the Cougars' opportunities by drawing out possessions on offense and playing a hybrid defense while Mason stifled Derryfield throughout the game.

The Bobcats (2-4) keeper finished with 15 saves, including several in the first half when the Cougars had quality scoring chances.

"They played really well, good solid defense," Derryfield coach Chris Hettler said. "The goalie was on fire. Our guys, we needed to shoot better, from better angles and change the plane a little more. The goalie made all the saves he needed to make."

Cole Giersch had two goals and an assist for Derryfield and Alex Murray added a goal while Chili Cabot and Chas Dran each had an assist. Jaxon Snyder made six saves, as the Cougars held the Bobcats scoreless for the game's final 21:03.

But Mason and ORN was doing the same at the other end.

"He’s flown under the radar," ORN coach Ruppy Hailey said of Mason. "I knew going in he was going to be good, but I didn’t quite know how good. He’s somebody we know we can count on and we have a ton of faith in. Ethan Todd has cranked up his game. Curtis (Leitz) came back, he jumped right in and playing really well."

The Bobcats got two goals and an assist from Sam Guilmette, who gave ORN a one-goal lead twice, including a 3-2 advantage with 8:37 left in the third quarter. Jake Fallia added a goal for ORN and Emerson Moore had an assist.

Fallia put the Bobcats on the board first with 8:15 remaining in the first quarter and Murray tied it up with 2:20 to go for the Cougars. Guilmette made it 2-1 in the final minute of the first, and it looked like the score might stay that way into halftime.

ORN was able to control possession more in the second quarter, but Giersch scored with 18.7 seconds left in the half to tie it at 2.

"Cole Giersch had a great game," Etzo said of his teammate. "Just keep shooting, I guess. Coach has been saying all game, just keep changing planes. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t."

Again, it looked like ORN would take a one-goal lead into the fourth quarter, but Giersch scored in the final minute of the third, this time with 36.9 seconds left, to tie it up at 3.

Derryfield had a chance to win at the end of regulation, as the Cougars were able to keep possession for most of the final two minutes. But a final shot attempt was stopped by Mason, sending it to overtime.

The Cougars won the faceoff to start OT, and moments later, Etzo sent his team home with a win.

"Really proud of him," Hettler said. "He played a lot and you could tell his legs were getting tired. He had some opportunities at the end of the game to finish it off, and got stripped on one and had the goalie stuffed him on another.

"He didn’t pout, he knew when he needed to make a play, he would make a play. We talked about where we could attack their defense. He saw the opening and took advantage of it."