Special to The Citizen
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Auburn midfielder Sean Hogan, right, congratulates midfielder Bob Brannigan after he put the Maroons up 10-9 over Central Square in the Section III, Class A quarterfinals on Friday night. After Central Square tied the game at 10, Brannigan would score the winning goal with 26.3 seconds left in the game.
Auburn midfielder Sean Hogan, right, congratulates midfielder Bob Brannigan after he put the Maroons up 10-9 over Central Square in the Section III, Class A quarterfinals on Friday night. After Central Square tied the game at 10, Brannigan would score the winning goal with 26.3 seconds left in the game.
AUBURN - In the span of a single quarter, the Auburn boys lacrosse team watched a near-perfect season almost slip away.
It took just 3:34 for the Maroons to get it back.
After allowing No. 7 Central Square to score six unanswered goals, Bob Brannigan scored the winning goal on an assist from Connor Entenmann as No. 2 Auburn won 11-10 in Friday's Section III, Class A quarterfinal game.
The Maroons (16-3) will play No. 6 (12-7) Baldwinsville at Coyne Field at Syracuse University Tuesday.
“It was amazing,” Brannigan said. “I was in the right place at the right time and I just listened to my coach and finished it the way they wanted me too.”
Auburn simply dominated Central Square (11-8) in the first half and took a 7-3 lead into intermission, but the Red Hawks made several adjustments at the half and found the seams in the Maroons' defense.
Auburn also started turning the ball over and committing penalties, which resulted in three goals for Central Square.
“We were in the penalty box a lot but we took control of the game at the times we needed it,” Brannigan said.
It was after the Red Hawks took a 9-8 lead, their first of the game, that the Maroons swung momentum back in their favor.
Chadderdon quickly tied it up again at 9-9, sparking the Auburn bench. The Red Hawks won the ensuing draw but Chris Clifford intercepted a pass to regain possession for the Maroons. Matt Hoey dove to get closest to the ball on an errant shot, which gave Brannigan an opportunity for his first go-ahead goal.
“Players play and teams win,” said Auburn coach Steve Crosby. “We've said it over and over this season. There were so many examples of all of these guys stepping up at crucial times and getting us the ball back on a key ride, key possession, key stop, key clear.”
When Connor Murphy scored his fourth goal for the Red Hawks to knot it at 10 and the Maroons lost the ball, Auburn kept on fighting.
On perhaps what was most the important play of the game, Andrew Chadderdon chased down Central Square midfielder Nick Moran for several yards, not giving up until he knocked the ball loose.
While Moran looked for a penalty, Chadderdon scooped up the ball. The sophomore was promptly leveled by Tim Prichard, giving Auburn possession and Brannigan a shot to bounce the winning goal past net-minder Kyle Dinet.
“There was a trip and no call made,” said disappointed Central Square coach Tom LeFave. “Then our defenseman came to go get the ball and committed a slash which was called. Obviously that put them in a man-up situation that gave them the scoring opportunity.”
While the Maroons celebrated, it was a completely different scene on the Red Hawk sideline. LeFave let his players, many with heads down and in tears, sit quietly for several minutes before he spoke.
“We were a bunch of nobodies and now we are one of the most feared programs in Section III,” he said. “Nobody [wanted] to play us now.”
That may have also rang true for Auburn.
The Red Hawks, who had their only winning season in school history this year, defeated the Maroons in overtime less than two weeks ago and played them to within a goal in the season's first meeting.
“The thing I'm most proud of is the way our kids handled things,” Crosby said. “When the game was on the line they stepped up and did the things they had to do.”
Auburn was led by Entenmann, who had six goals and two assists, followed by Brannigan with four goals and three assists. Chadderdon added a goal, while Mike Fandrich and Sean Hogan each pitched in with two assists.
Kevin Dyer stopped seven shots in the net. The Maroons led in shots, 26-22, but trailed in ground balls, 31-24 and face-offs 14-7.
Auburn will have to play well against Baldwinsville, if it wants to advance to the Class A title game. The Bees defeated the Maroons 12-7 on April 22 and beat No. 3 Cicero-North Syracuse 10-8 to advance to the semis.
“It's very tight out there right now,” Crosby said. “You've got to be playing your best lacrosse and you need people to step up and execute as our guys did time and again tonight.”
Maroons 11
Red Hawks 10
It took just 3:34 for the Maroons to get it back.
After allowing No. 7 Central Square to score six unanswered goals, Bob Brannigan scored the winning goal on an assist from Connor Entenmann as No. 2 Auburn won 11-10 in Friday's Section III, Class A quarterfinal game.
The Maroons (16-3) will play No. 6 (12-7) Baldwinsville at Coyne Field at Syracuse University Tuesday.
“It was amazing,” Brannigan said. “I was in the right place at the right time and I just listened to my coach and finished it the way they wanted me too.”
Auburn simply dominated Central Square (11-8) in the first half and took a 7-3 lead into intermission, but the Red Hawks made several adjustments at the half and found the seams in the Maroons' defense.
Auburn also started turning the ball over and committing penalties, which resulted in three goals for Central Square.
“We were in the penalty box a lot but we took control of the game at the times we needed it,” Brannigan said.
It was after the Red Hawks took a 9-8 lead, their first of the game, that the Maroons swung momentum back in their favor.
Chadderdon quickly tied it up again at 9-9, sparking the Auburn bench. The Red Hawks won the ensuing draw but Chris Clifford intercepted a pass to regain possession for the Maroons. Matt Hoey dove to get closest to the ball on an errant shot, which gave Brannigan an opportunity for his first go-ahead goal.
“Players play and teams win,” said Auburn coach Steve Crosby. “We've said it over and over this season. There were so many examples of all of these guys stepping up at crucial times and getting us the ball back on a key ride, key possession, key stop, key clear.”
When Connor Murphy scored his fourth goal for the Red Hawks to knot it at 10 and the Maroons lost the ball, Auburn kept on fighting.
On perhaps what was most the important play of the game, Andrew Chadderdon chased down Central Square midfielder Nick Moran for several yards, not giving up until he knocked the ball loose.
While Moran looked for a penalty, Chadderdon scooped up the ball. The sophomore was promptly leveled by Tim Prichard, giving Auburn possession and Brannigan a shot to bounce the winning goal past net-minder Kyle Dinet.
“There was a trip and no call made,” said disappointed Central Square coach Tom LeFave. “Then our defenseman came to go get the ball and committed a slash which was called. Obviously that put them in a man-up situation that gave them the scoring opportunity.”
While the Maroons celebrated, it was a completely different scene on the Red Hawk sideline. LeFave let his players, many with heads down and in tears, sit quietly for several minutes before he spoke.
“We were a bunch of nobodies and now we are one of the most feared programs in Section III,” he said. “Nobody [wanted] to play us now.”
That may have also rang true for Auburn.
The Red Hawks, who had their only winning season in school history this year, defeated the Maroons in overtime less than two weeks ago and played them to within a goal in the season's first meeting.
“The thing I'm most proud of is the way our kids handled things,” Crosby said. “When the game was on the line they stepped up and did the things they had to do.”
Auburn was led by Entenmann, who had six goals and two assists, followed by Brannigan with four goals and three assists. Chadderdon added a goal, while Mike Fandrich and Sean Hogan each pitched in with two assists.
Kevin Dyer stopped seven shots in the net. The Maroons led in shots, 26-22, but trailed in ground balls, 31-24 and face-offs 14-7.
Auburn will have to play well against Baldwinsville, if it wants to advance to the Class A title game. The Bees defeated the Maroons 12-7 on April 22 and beat No. 3 Cicero-North Syracuse 10-8 to advance to the semis.
“It's very tight out there right now,” Crosby said. “You've got to be playing your best lacrosse and you need people to step up and execute as our guys did time and again tonight.”
Maroons 11
Red Hawks 10
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