Finn Lavelle scores late as Kellenberg defeats Stepinac in lacrosse rematch
Finn Lavelle of Kellenberg, left, gets congratulated by teammate Jamison Heneghan after a scoring a goal to extend the Firebirds' lead over Stepinac to 3-1 in the first quarter of a CHSAA boys lacrosse game at Kellenberg on Thursday. Credit: James Escher
Kellenberg forced one last Stepinac turnover in a one-goal game. Time ran out seconds later. And the Firebirds raced over to celebrate with goalie Tommy O’Sullivan like they had just won the state CHSAA Class AA boys lacrosse championship.
This actually was a rematch Thursday of last May’s championship game on this same Firebirds field, a game won by Stepinac.
This time, Kellenberg won, edging the Crusaders from White Plains 10-9.
“Very satisfying,” O’Sullivan said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play in that game (last year), but we played hard. Most of these guys played and it’s exciting to play with them again and beat them.”
O’Sullivan was the second-stringer when the Firebirds fell 13-10 in the final.
The senior was a difference maker as the starter, posting 20 saves to help them even their record at 2-2. He owns double-digit saves in every game.
“He really kept us in there,” coach Kevin Fechtmann said. “He did everything he could today . . . The sky’s the limit with him.”
Kellenberg has a spot already reserved in the state semis as the lone AA team in the NSCHSAA.
“This is a team that I don’t know if they know their own potential yet,” Fechtmann said. “We see spurts of it where they can play to that potential and then sometimes we have to figure things out on the fly.”
O’Sullivan said their morale “is definitely much higher” this year. Matt Butler, a Stepinac assistant last season and now its coach, thinks they just look better overall.
“They don’t have the individual superstar if that makes sense,” Butler said. " . . . But they play much more as a team.”
Like Jack Geoghan and Eoin Power, Finn Lavelle scored twice for the Firebirds. The freshman attackman delivered a spectacular behind-the-back goal in the first quarter.
And then with Kellenberg, clinging to a 9-8 edge in the fourth, Lavelle faked a shot before unleashing for a man-up goal with 4:23 left.
It was the winner because Nash Mayclim scored his fourth for Stepinac (1-3) with 1:07 remaining.
“It was a big game,” Lavelle said. “Big rivalry.”
Kellenberg led 4-1 after one quarter, 5-2 at halftime and 7-3 in the third.
“It’s disappointing that we came out so slow,” Butler said.
But they came on and shrunk the advantage to 8-7 after three.
“The reason we survived is just these guys are resilient,” Fechtmann said. “They don’t want to give up.”
