Plymouth boys lacrosse holds on for win over Laconia (video)

LACONIA - With the fourth quarter about to start, it felt like the Plymouth Regional High School boys lacrosse team was about to take control of what turned into a 7-6 win Wednesday over Laconia.

The Sachems drew two penalties for slashing with 27 seconds left in the third, and after holding the ball to end the quarter, the Bobcats were about to have more than 30 seconds up two players, trying to build on a two-goal lead.

Instead, Plymouth turned the ball over 11 seconds into the quarter, and after outrunning a double team to kill off the penalties, Laconia's Eli Nadeau scored just as the manup time expired to make it a one-goal game.

Less than three minutes later, Brady Stevens ripped a shot from the restraining line that beat Plymouth goalie Cullen McNair to tie the game at 5 with 8:31 to play.

Nadeau won the ensuing faceoff and Laconia got another great look, but this time McNair made the save and controlled the groundball. Plymouth (6-0) went the other way and Luke Legacy scored with 7:08 remaining to put the Bobcats back on top. It was Legacy's fourth goal of the game.

"We are fortunate that we have some guys who we think can do some good things with the ball, or without the ball, on the offensive end," Plymouth coach Glenn Mausolf said. "Luke is a four-year guy, plays hard, does a lot of the small-detail things well. He’s certainly not a bad option."

The Sachems (4-2) controlled the faceoff again, but this time, turned it over, leading to a goal by Peyton Long to give the Bobcats a 7-5 lead with 4:41 remaining.

"There are some plays we left on the field," Laconia coach Steve McDonough said. "I’m a little frustrated in our decision making in the clear. We had a two-minute manup where we threw the ball out of bounds, which hurts us. The effort is there, the energy is there, the heart is there. That’s something we never have to worry about. They were the better team than us."

Laconia kept it interesting down the stretch and a goal by Nadeau - his fourth of the day - made it a one-goal game with 34 seconds remaining. The senior won another faceoff and the Sachems worked to find an open look, but the Bobcats' defense wouldn't give them one.

Plymouth was called for an illegal body check with three seconds remaining, giving Laconia one more chance, but Nadeau's shot never made it through to McNair and the game ended.

"Defense doesn’t always grab the headlines or the fancy stats, but it’s been our rock this entire season," Mausolf said. "If somehow a team gets through, they’ve got to contend with Colin McNair. He’s done an outstanding job for us."

Long finished with two goals and an assist for Plymouth and Taylor Rousseau also scored while Brodhi Rousseau had an assist. McNair finished with seven saves.

Nadeau also had an assist for Laconia while Cam Lacroix added a goal. Stephen Mingo-Timmins recorded nine saves.

Plymouth led 1-0 at the end of one, after Laconia tied it at 2 in the second, the Bobcats responded to take a 4-2 lead into halftime. Each team added a goal in the third quarter, with Nadeau scoring with 1:02 remaining in the frame to cut the Bobcats' lead to 5-3.

The Sachems won the ensuing faceoff after that score, but like he would do later in the fourth quarter, McNair came up with a save, and moments later, Laconia went two men down.

"I think any time you get Plymouth and Laconia on a lacrosse field, it’s going to be a battle," McDonough said. "We have the utmost respect for Coach Mausolf and what the Bobcats do year in and year out. They’re class acts and it’s always a good game."