WOOSTER − A run needed to be made.
Down three in the middle of the fourth quarter with around six minutes to play, it was now or never for Wooster, as they trailed Gilmour Academy in May 29’s Division II regional final at home. Wooster answered.
In possession, Wooster midfielder Drew Thomas struck an outside shot that went pass the goalkeeper for goal. About three minutes later, Thomas made an outside-inside move to score a goal to cut the lead to one. Shortly after, Drew’s brother, Jack, scored a transition goal to even it all up, as the Wooster fanbase exploded.
But Gilmour Academy would strike with nine seconds left when Gavin LaPolla received the ball on a broken play on the outside and launched it past Wooster goalie Liam Ozar for the game-winner to win it 8-7 and knock out last season’s Division II state finalist.
“The defense stayed strong. They just put one in at the end with nine seconds,” said Wooster head coach Reid Delaney.
“Knowing it could be your last game when you step on the field. Giving it your all,” said Wooster senior midfielder Brooks Laughlin, on Wooster making that run late in the fourth quarter. “We knew we had to empty the tank at the end. It wasn’t looking great. The last goal we had added some kick, but it wasn’t enough. It’s part of the game.”
As the top-seed in their region going into the regional final, Wooster (14-5) had won 13 of their last 14 games after a 1-3 start and already defeated Gilmour Academy (15-1) 16-14 at home on April 11 this season. That was a pretty high-scoring match. On Thursday, it was the total opposite.
“We were missing a few guys last time. It was a fast pace game last time. It was a lot slower today,” Laughlin added.
The Lancers held a 3-2 lead at halftime, where in the first half a number of penalties were called on both sides. Although throughout, Gilmour Academy used constant body checks and their physicality on defense to push Wooster off their runs toward goal that seemed to throw the Generals off their attacking rhythm.
In Wooster’s first meeting with Gilmour Academy, the Generals scored 14 goals through the first three quarters. On Thursday, they mustered just four goals through three quarters.
Delaney said he didn’t anticipate the regional final being as low-scoring as it was this time around.
“Probably not this low,” he said. “Our gameplan was definitely to dominate the time of possession, value the ball and limit their transition goals. Unfortunately, we didn’t execute on that.”
“Yeah, they have a lot of hockey guys on that team,” Laughlin said. “They know how to be physical. You just got to keep your cool. It was tough. Catching the ball you don’t know if you’re going to get hit blindside. You drop it, you have to pick it up and keep going.”
Delaney gave a lot of credit to his defense who overall had a strong outing, especially in 6-on-6 situations and noted that “five of their eight goals were in transition” citing how sturdy the Generals defended on their half of the field.
Yet, he touched on his team playing in two tough tournament games in three days − Wooster defeated Archbishop Hoban 11-9 on Tuesday − and how physically that could have played a role in the defeat.
“Playing on Tuesday, then coming into today. We played a physical game on Tuesday, then to play another physical game today is just not ideal for the kids bodies,” Delaney said.
For a Wooster team that has made three straight regional finals, including a Division II state championship game appearance last season, Delaney said this senior class will be missed. Key senior players like Laughlin, goalie Liam Ozar, long-stick midfielder Kellen Smith, defender Max Haas, midfielders Grady Hahn and Drew Thomas, faceoff player Logan Beery and attacker Gavin Giauque make up a core that helped guide Wooster on possibly the most successful three-year run in the program’s history.
“Some of the best kids I’ve met my entire life. I’ll get pretty emotional,” Delaney said. “I’ve coached these kids since seventh grade and in their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. They’ve helped turn this program around. They’ve never had a losing season. Three straight regional finals. The senior class is special and doing it with the skill level they had, humility, kindness and passion they bring. There’s not a single negative thing I can say about any of them. I’m just grateful and blessed I could be a part of their lives the last five years.”
“Coach Delaney has done a great job, and I’m gonna miss him when I go to college,” said Laughlin. “It hasn’t hit me all the way yet. I’ve been playing with those guys for five years. I’ve been loving every second with them. I’ve grown really close to God with a lot of them. It’s gonna stink to lose them.”
jamessimpson@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wooster’s comeback halted by Gilmour Academy’s last second goal
Reporting by James Simpson II, Wooster Daily Record / The Daily Record
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