2011 Game Articles
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Cranx Lose in PVLL Semifinal
Springfield topples Westfield 10-7
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 28, 2011
(Somers, CT) For the third straight year, the Westfield Cranx played in the Pioneer Valley Lacrosse League semifinals. And for the third straight year the semifinals would end up closing out the season for Team Cranx. After a quarterfinal upset win against #3 seed Simsbury, #6 seeded Westfield visited #2 seed Springfield Tastee Treat Thursday night. The result was a 10-7 loss for the Cranx, and another failed attempt at reaching the championship game.
'We just can't seem to get over that hump" said Cranxman Rich Borsari. 'We're right there, close to getting to the finals, but we always seem to come up just short."
"Yeah, it's disappointing" said teammate Joe Lancour. "But we had a good season. The league's so competitive, and we ended up being one of the better teams. We still can be proud of a pretty good year."
Springfield came out of the starting gate first, scoring the game's first two goals to go up 2-0 in the opening quarter. Westfield got on the board when John Funaro tallied off a feed from Tim Gaylord, which was followed up a minute later by a Matt Perry goal assisted by Tyler Corcoran to knot the game at 2-2 midway through the period. Tastee Treat closed out the quarter scoring once more to make it 3-2 heading into the second.
Both defenses would dominate play in the second quarter as both teams had a difficult time putting together efficient offensive opportunities. With defenseman Nick Allegretti out of the Cranx lineup with a broken toe, Jack Richardson and Nick McMahon picked up the slack as replacements. Mike Burque also contributed with four clears.
Tastee Treat was able to tack on one more goal while Team Cranx was hel scoreless, bringing the halftime score to 4-2 in Springfield's favor.
"We were still in a decent position at that point" said Perry. "We just needed to minimize our mistakes, control possession better, and shoot better." But against an excellent team like Springfield, that would be easier said than done. Tastee Treat scored first in the second half while Westfield's offense continued to struggle. Gaylord and Perry would both score in the third quarter, but each one was matched by a Tastee Treat goal, making the score 7-4 going into the final period.
Jack Richardson Jim Crean Tyler Corcoran
Westfield (9-5) would get as close as 7-5 when Corcoran scored off a Funaro pass two minutes into the fourth quarter. But each time the Cranx would score, Tastee Treat answered with a goal of their own. Gaylord scored his second goal of the game and John Silhavy deposited a feed from Anthony Dimaio to make it 9-7 with 2:50 to play. An insurance goal at the two minute mark by Springfield (11-1-2) solidified the win, putting an end to the Cranx season.
In the other semifinal game, #5 Wilbraham beat #1 Glastonbury 15-2.
"It's a disappointing end to the season" said Dimaio. "But we'll be back at it next season. We'll make some key acquisitions, increase our payroll, and come back bigger and better. Maybe I'll get a new tattoo that says "Cranx in 2012" . Then we have no choice but to win it all."
Westfield 2 0 2 3
Springfield 3 1 3 3
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Perry 2, Gaylord 2, Funaro, Corcoran, Silhavy
Assists: Gaylord, Corcoran, Funaro, Dimaio
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 11
CRANX CORNER
THE CRANX ENDED THE SEASON WITH A RECORD OF 9-5....FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON, THE CRANX LED THE LEAGUE IN FEWEST GOALS ALLOWED PER GAME (6.0)....NICK ALLEGRETTI BROKE HIS TOE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF HIS KITCHEN....MATT PERRY HAS VOICED THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAVING THE TEAM TO PLAY ELSEWHERE NEXT SEASON PENDING AMENITIES IN HIS CONTRACT....SEVERAL CRANXMEN WILL BE PLAYING IN NEXT WEEKEND'S LAKE PLACID TOURNAMENT....PICTURES ARE COURTESY OF JOE NASSAR. THE CRANX WOULD LIKE TO THANK JOE FOR HIS GREAT PICS ALL SEASON LONG....A COLLAGE OF PICS BY GEORGE SKOVERA ARE IN THIS WEEK'S THE REMINDER NEWSPAPER INCLUDING DAN BALBONI POSING....THE 2012 BOMBER/CRANX ALUMNI GAME WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 17th. PLEASE JOIN THE EMAIL LIST AND FOLLOW WESTFIELDCRANX.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.
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Cranx Beat Simsbury 8-7 For Playoff Win
Next stop: PVLL Semifinals
Left: Matt Hoffman makes a save Right: Tim Gaylord crashes the net (photos courtesy of George Skovera)
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 21, 2011
(Simsbury, CT) The late Hall of Fame basketball coach Al McGuire coined a phrase during his 1977 national championship run with Marquette University: "Survive and advance". It didn't have to be pretty, it didn't have to be easy, but however you survived to play another day, that was all that mattered. And that was his and his Golden Eagles' mindset from the start of the tournament up until they cut down the nets.
The Westfield Cranx quarterfinal playoff game wasn't easy, and at times certainly wasn't pretty, but the team managed to employ just enough survival skills to advance to the PVLL semifinals next Tuesday. The #6 seeded Cranx toppled #3 seed Simsbury Rip It 8-7 Thursday night and will next play #2 Springfield Tastee Treat at the Firehouse Field in Somers, CT.
Tyler Corcoran scored what ended up being the game winner at 7:10 left in the final period to break a 7-7 tie. The Cranx defense, led by Bryan Duggan, Mike Piccin, and Rich Borsari, did the rest of the dirty work in front of goalie Matt Hoffman, to thwart several more scoring chances for Rip It. Hoffman, who finished with 15 saves, was again terrific in goal, making excellent saves time and again, including three in the last three minutes. Rip It had three possessions in the final two minutes because of bad play and turnovers by Team Cranx, but Westfield managed to weather the storm. Or more accurately, the 100-degree heat index.
"Could it have been any hotter out there?" asked a drenched Matt Perry after the game. "I was sweating more than a fat girl at a disco."
The heat didn't keep Perry from making what was possibly the play of the game. The 5' 4" attackman lept and made like Stretch Armstrong, intercepting a goalie pass that was heading twelve feet over his head. After corralling in the ball, Perry raced to the net and fired in a goal just before halftime.
It started out slow for Westfield. Simsbury opened up the scoring early, scoring twice for a 2-0 lead. But the Cranx began a run soon afterward. Tim Gaylord found J.T. Hoyt in transition who fired in a goal from ten yards out. Paul Gallagher followed that up with an unassisted goal of his own to tie the game at 2-2. Gaylord notched a goal himself late in the quarter, and Westfield took a 3-2 into the second quarter.
And Westfield's run didn't stop there. A second goal by Gaylord on a power play midway through the second was followed by a rocket shot tally by Dan Balboni two minutes later for the Cranx fifth unanswered goal, making it 5-2. Simsbury stopped the bleeding with the game's next goal, before Perry's acrobatics made the game 6-3 with :20 remaining in the half. A lost face-off and a defensive mishap on Westfield's part allowed Rip It to score just before the halftime whistle blew, and at the break Team Cranx were on top 6-4.
Both teams scored once in the third quarter. Anthony Dimaio's sweeping shot and goal kept Westfield's lead at two, 7-5. The fourth quarter ended up a game of good defensive play and offensive struggles by both teams. Rip It managed to score twice to tie up the game at 7-7 with over ten minutes left in the game. At the eight-minute mark, a Simsbury penalty gave the Cranx a man-up opportunity. Corcoran's quick dodge and deposit put Westfield ahead, and Hoffman and the defensive unit held on the rest of the way for victory.
Chris Roberts & Jim Crean (Skovera photo)
"It was a gritty win for us" said Cranx midfielder Joe Martin. "They were who we thought they were, so we knew it would be a battle. Tuesday's game (a 12-10 loss to Rip It) was a good, close game. We knew this would be the same way. Fortunately we got the win."
In other quarterfinal action, #1 Glastonbury beat #8 Hartford Herb's 10-6, #5 Wilbraham beat #4 Shocker 13-9, and Tastee Treat beat #7 Newington Hogs 15-6. Wilbraham will now meet Glastonbury and the Cranx will play Tastee Treat in the PVLL semifinals.
Westfield 3 3 1 1
Simsbury 2 2 1 2
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Gaylord 2, Hoyt, Gallagher, Balboni, Perry, Dimaio, Corcoran
Assists: Gaylord
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 15
CRANX CORNER
THE CRANX HAVE REACHED THE PVLL SEMIFINALS FOR THREE STRAIGHT YEARS, LOSING EACH TIME... THE CRANX LOST TO RIP-IT IN THE SEMIS LAST YEAR...WESTFIELD HAS NEVER PLAYED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME...PHOTOS HERE ARE COURTESY OF PHOTOGRAPHER GEORGE SKOVERA. A SPREAD CAN BE FOUND IN AN UPCOMING THE REMINDER NEWSPAPER EDITION.
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Cranx Fizzle Out, Lose to Simsbury Rip It 12-10
Loss hurts Westfield's playoff standing; Quarterfinal rematch vs. Simsbury
Paul Gallagher taking on the Rip-It defense
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 19, 2011
(Simsbury, CT) The Westfield Cranx had a tough road trip. Controlling their own playoff destiny, the Cranx goal was to land a #2 or #3 seed for Thursday's upcoming playoffs by winning two or three of their final three games. Instead, Westfield won only once, and now will be playing a fourth straight road game as a #6 seed in the eight-team PVLL playoffs.
After a one goal loss and a one goal victory last week, Team Cranx visited Simsbury Rip It for its final regular season game. With identical 8-3 records going in, the winner would earn a #3 seed and home field advantage to begin the post season.
It was another tight game from start to finish, with four ties and four lead changes throughout. In the end, it was Simsbury who came out on top, beating the Cranx 12-10.
J.T. Hoyt and Tim Gaylord each had two goals and an assist to lead Westfield on the offensive end. Goalie Matt Hoffman, who stopped 11 shots, and defensemen Rich Borsari and Nick McMahon turned in stellar performances on the defensive side.
"We had plenty of chances and plenty of shots on the offensive end" said Chris Roberts. "But we missed the cage way too much and threw away too many passes. We have to play a lot better and a lot smarter on Thursday."
As it turns out, Westfield (8-4) will play Simsbury again Thursday night, as Rip It claimed the #3 seed with a 9-3 final regular season record. The Cranx lost to Simsbury in last year's semifinal,11-8. The game will be played at the Henry James Middle School in Simsbury.
Westfield 1 3 3 3
Simsbury 1 4 3 4
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Gaylord 2, Hoyt 2, Funaro 2, Lancour, Corcoran, Perry, Liptak
Assists: Gaylord, Hoyt, Corcoran, Liptak, Gallagher
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 11
PVLL PLAYOFF BRACKET
#8 Hartford Herbs (5-7) vs #1 Glastonbury (10-2)
#7 Newington Hogs (7-5) vs #2 Springfield Tastee Treat (9-1-2)
#6 Westfield Cranx (8-4) vs #3 Simsbury Rip It (9-3)
#5 Wilbraham Zebras (8-3-1) vs #4 Shocker (7-3)
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Cranx Outlast Herbs 7-6
Perry again carries Westfield
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 14, 2011
(Bloomfield, CT) For the second straight game, Matt Perry scored four goals and Andy Liptak netted two for the Westfield Cranx. Only this time, the Cranx came away with a one goal win after having lossed a one goal game the previous time out.
Westfield traveled to Bloomfield, Connecticut Thursday night after suffering an 8-7 loss to Newington on Tuesday. With important seeding ramifications on the line, Team Cranx managed to pull out a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Hartford Herbs on the backs of Perry and their always-solid defensive unit. With the win, Westfield's record climbs to 8-3, good for third place in the PVLL along with Simsbury Rip It. The regular season concludes next Tuesday when the Cranx visit Rip It.
Hartford (4-7) began the scoring inside the first two minutes of the game, but Westfield struck back later in the first quarter with goals by who else--Perry and Liptak. Perry scored twice and Liptak added another as the Cranx took a 3-1 lead into the second quarter. Herbs stopped the bleeding temporarily with a goal to open the second quarter scoring, but that was answered by another Perry tally, an acrobatic move and dodge from behind the cage, ending with a dive and full extension shot for goal, making it 4-2.
Defensive play and rough-housing dominated much of the quarter and most of the game, with flags and bodies falling all over the field. The Cranx defense, led by Mike Piccin, Bryan Duggan, and Nick Allegretti, kept a potent Herbs offense at bay most of the game.
"We had a few mishaps" said Duggan. "But for the most part we did a pretty good job within our slide package. Pic and Nick each had a bunch of take-aways doubling, so our timing was good. Richie (Borsari) did his usual good job getting the ball upfield when we got possession."
Herbs scored the last goal of the second quarter, and at halftime, Westfield held to a 4-3 lead.
"We knew it was gonna be a tough game to win. We knew it would be close." said goalie Matt Hoffman, who finished with 12 saves. "Fortunately in the end we made just a few more plays than they did."
A penalty-filled second half dominated, with four committed by each team. Perry fired in a man-up goal off a John Funaro assist in the third quarter, which was answered by a man-up goal by Hartford to make the score 5-4 in Westfield's favor. At the 4:10 mark, both teams incurred penalties, making for a five-on-five offensive possession for the Cranx. Content to run out their own team's penalty while Hartford's infraction was longer, Liptak was given the responsibility to maintain possession. Hartford however, overplayed Lippy, which is usually a mistake for any team. The midfield speedster turned on the jets, blew by his defender, and ended up firing a shot past the Herbs goalie to give Westfield a 6-4 lead.
Defensive dynamics: Nick Allegretti, Jack Richardson, Mike Piccin
Defense continued to dictate play in the fourth quarter, and with Herbs controlling most of the period's time of possession, Hoffman (pictured top left) and company continued to excel. Hoff made five terrific saves, while the Cranx offense struggled, committing turnover after turnover. Herbs scored midway through the quarter to cut the Westfield lead to 6-5.
With six minutes remaining in the game, Funaro (pictured top right) inbounded a quick restart by the midfield sideline after wrestling the ball from interfering spectator Joe Nassar. Seeing the Herbs goaltender was far from his crease area, Funaro launched a fifty yard shot that found the back of the net, giving the Cranx a 7-5 lead. But Hartford scored on their next possession, bringing Westfield's lead back to one at 7-6.
The Cranx defense once again stepped up their play, thwarting another penalty advantage for Hartford, and making several stops in the remaining minutes of play, giving Team Cranx a much needed 7-6 victory.
"Fun's goal ended up being the game winner" said Piccin afterward. "So I personally gave him the game ball. A 30-mile an hour shot made by an old man is deserving of the game ball."
The Cranx last regular season game will be played at Simsbury High School against Simsbury Rip It. The first round of the PVLL playoffs commences the following Thursday.
Westfield 2 2 2 1
Hartford 1 2 1 2
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Perry 4, Liptak 2, Funaro
Assists: Funaro, Gaylord
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Cranx Lose To Newington 8-7
PVLL playoff race heats up
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 12, 2011
(Newington, CT.) Down 6-4 after three quarters, The Westfield Cranx fought back in the fourth, tied the game and took the lead. But the Newington Hogs weren't about to quit either. With the Cranx up 7-6, the Hogs tied the game with under two minutes to go, and scored a go-ahead goal with just ten seconds left to go up 8-7.
Cranxman Joe Martin won the ensuing face-off to give Westfield one last chance at tying the game and sending it into overtime. But Matt Perry (pictured left) was unable to get a shot off after Martin passed him the ball. The result: Team Cranx dropped from a second place standing to a 7-3 record and a share of third place with the Hogs, Shocker, and Simsbury Rip It. With two games remaining in the regular season for Westfield, against Herb's (4-6) and Rip It, ten of the thirteen PVLL teams will be fighting for playoff spots and/or jockeying for seeding position.
Andy Liptak scored in the fourth quarter against Newington to cut the deficit to 6-5. He followed that up with his second goal of the game with 7:20 left to knot it up at 6-6. Three minutes later, Matt Perry would challenge two Hogs defensemen, and somehow manage to twist, turn, deek, and bedazzle his way to the goal and somehow manage to put one past the Hogs goaltender (below). Perry's fourth goal of the game gave Westfield the lead 7-6. But that lead wasn't able to hold up in the end.
"We had our chances throughout the game" said Cranx goalie Matt Hoffman, who played a magnificent 15-save game. "We didn't capitalize like we should have. Now, we just have to re-focus for our next game."
photos courtesy of Joe Nassar
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Cranx Win Fourth Straight
East Longmeadow shut out 12-0
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
July 7, 2011
(Westfield) The Westfield Cranx are hoping they're peaking at the right time. With their last three regular season games to be played on the road, Team Cranx is looking to continue the winning ways they've had at home.
Westfield's defense again shone Thursday night, pitching its second shutout of the season en route to a 12-0 victory over the East Longmeadow Killer Bees. The victory was the Cranx fourth straight home win in as many games and the sixth win of their last seven. Next up are three tough opponents, all of which will be a difficult test for Westfield (7-2).
"Next week is going to test our metal" said Defenseman Rich Borsari, who scored a highlight-reel goal against the Killer Bees. "Playing the Hogs (6-3) and then Herb's (4-5) won't be easy. Our defense will be tested, no doubt, but I think we'll be ready. Whenever you have Hoff (goalie Matt Hoffman) behind you, you always have a good chance."
Hoffman anchored the defense against East Longmeadow with 11 saves, while Matt Perry's five goals and Joe Martin's (pictured left) five assists led the way on the offensive end. Dan Balboni added a pair of goals for Team Cranx.
Westfield is currently in sole possession of third place in the PVLL with two losses. Right behind them are four teams with three losses each. "So we can't afford a slip-up" said Balboni. "Any losses will hurt our playoff chanches. We've all agreed on things for next week to keep our focus, like a ten o'clock curfew, abstinence from alcohol, and no girlfriend distractions. Like Mickey said in Rocky...'Women weaken legs' . So, we should be ready and fired up to go."
East Longmeadow 0 0 0 0
Westfield 2 5 4 1
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Perry 5, Balboni 2, Hoyt, Funaro, Liptak, Silhavy, Borsari
Assists: Martin 5, Funaro, Allegretti
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 11
Kevin Clark enjoying the game Roberts & Moore boys up to no good Paul Jones & Cav look on
CRANX CORNER
A CROWD OF 46 ATTENDED THE GAME INCLUDING CRANX ALUMNI MARK CAVALLON, PAUL JONES, KEVIN CLARK, AND GEOFF MOORE..... MIKE PICCIN DNP FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT GAME WITH AN UNDISCLOSED INJURY..... PICTURES COURTESY OF JOE NASSAR..... THANKS TO STEVEN MILLIKAN FOR STATISTIZING THE GAME.
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Cranx Dominate Somers 16-1
Somers 0 0 1 0
Westfield 2 5 4 5
Westfield Scoring/Saves
Goals: Funaro 3, Perry 2, Balboni 2, Roberts 2 ,Martin, Gaylord, Liptak, Millikan, Silvahy, Hoffman, Gallagher
Assists: Gaylord 2, Martin, Funaro, Liptak, Hoffman, Corcoran, Balboni
Goalie Saves: Burque 5, Hoffman 1
Burkee awaits some action Funaro & Perry discussing photosynthesis Robo waving to his fans
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Cranx beat Glastonbury 10-5
Hoyt's hat trick leads team effort
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 30, 2011
(Westfield) The Westfield Cranx improved their record to 5-2 Thursday night with a 10-5 victory over previously unbeaten Glastonbury. The win puts the Cranx in third place, tied with the Newington Hogs. Wilbraham also has five wins and two losses, and has a tie as well.
Westfield's offense caught fire early, with rookie Eddie Burke finding the back of the net off a Matt Perry assist less than two minutes into the game. Stellar defensive play led by Mike Piccin and Jack Richardson allowed Team Cranx a significant time of possession advantage, allowing for goalie Matt Hoffman not needing to make any first quarter saves. Tim Gaylord struck for back-to-back unassisted goals, and assisted on one of J.T. Hoyt's back-to-back goals, and after one period, Westfield was up 5-0.
The Cranx continued to play terrific defense in the second quarter, while the offense tacked on two more goals to increase their lead to 7-0. J.T. Hoyt's third straight goal, and one by Perry closed out the period and brought the game into halftime.
"The defense pushed in transition and our offense played smart" said utility midfielder and attackman Anthony Dimaio. "J.T. had the game of his life, and Lippy (Andy Liptak) and Timmy did their thing from up top." Gaylord's assessment of the game was more succinct: "Big win for the Cranx."
Glastonbury broke into the scoring column first in the second half to make the score 7-1. Two more goals apiece by each team in the third quarter kept Westfield's lead to six at 9-3. Longpole midfielder Ethan Nassar tickled the twine and Joe Lancour scored off a Hoyt assist.
Hoffman saw more action in the fourth period, making six saves to bring his game total to twelve. Defenseman Piccin, who involuntarily made three saves of his own, commented on the game afterward: "Ouch" said Piccin. His dog, Matt, helped Piccin in his post game recovery, licking his master's wounds while Samuel Adams helped with his internal injuries.
Glastonbury (6-1) cut the lead to 9-5 midway through the fourth quarter, before Liptak scored the final goal of the game at the 4:10 mark, making the result 10-5.
On deck for the Cranx next week are home games against Somers (0-7) and East Longmeadow (3-4).
Glastonbury 0 0 3 2
Westfield 5 2 2 1
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Hoyt 3, Gaylord 2, Burke, Perry, Nassar, Lancour, Liptak
Assists: Perry, Gaylord, Hoyt
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 12
Dan Balboni on the move Mike Piccin & best friend
CRANX CORNER
CRANX ALUMNI KEVIN CLARK AND DAVE METCALF WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE GAME.....THE CRANX ARE TOPS IN THE LEAGUE WITH A 5.8 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE.....WESTFIELD'S RECORD IS 10-0 AGAINST UPCOMING OPPONENTS SOMERS AND EAST LONGMEADOW THE LAST SIX YEARS.....THANKS TO CATHY FOR STATISTIZING THE GAME.....PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF RON CRAIG. MORE CAN BE FOUND IN THE PHOTO ALBUMS SECTION.....MORE PICS FROM JOE NASSAR FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO GAMES ARE POSTED.
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Cranx Destroy Tolland 17-3
Powerhouse Glastonbury up next
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 28, 2011
(Westfield) Five seconds is all it took the Westfield Cranx to establish the tone for Thursday night's victory over the Tolland Boondock Saints, and that was to score early and often.
Joe Martin took the opening face-off, scooped it up, and fed Matt Perry in the crease who put the ball in the back of the net five seconds after the whistle started the game. Perry scored twice more in the opening quarter, and with the score 4-0 with three quarters to go, the rout was on. The Cranx added seven more goals in the second quarter, including a pair by J.T. Hoyt (pictured left), while holding the Boondock Saints scoreless, making for a halftime score of 11-0.
"I was hoping to watch a competitive game" said spectator and Cranx alumnus Anthony Spagnoli of Boston. "But I picked the wrong game to come see. Tolland was totally overmatched and was hit head on by the Cranx express. They walked off the field with tracks stains on their jerseys."
Westfield continued to dominate time of possession in the second half, and would go on to win the game easily 17-3. Other two goal scorers for Team Cranx were Matt Gaylord, Ben McCarthy, and Matt Hoffman, who switched from goalie to attack in the second half.
Mike Burque replaced Hoffman in goal and made several terrific saves, finishing with nine total on the night. Martin and Matt LaCroix both dominated face-off X, winning 20 of 24 draws.
Westfield's record now stands at 4-2, with a home game Thursday against first place and undefeated Glastonbury (6-0). The Cranx are hoping to avoid a week similar to last week. After destroying Franklin County 15-0 last Tuesday, Team Cranx lost to Tastee Treat two days later, 12-8.
"We have to step it up against Glastonbury" said defenseman Jim Crean. "Winning big against the weak teams means nothing if we can't beat the better teams in the league. We don't want a replay of last week." Glastonbury beat Somers 16-3 Tuesday.
Tolland 0 0 1 2
Westfield 4 7 2 4
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Perry 3, Gaylord 2, Hoyt 2, McCarthy 2, Hoffman 2, Funaro, Borsari, Gallagher, Balboni, LaCroix, Burke
Assists: Perry 2, Martin 2, Balboni 2, Funaro, Gaylord, Piccin, Liptak, Burke
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 4, Burque 9
Dillon Lynch Jim "The Blade" Crean
CRANX CORNER
A CROWD OF 58 WATCHED THE GAME, INCLUDING CRANX ALUMNI PAUL JONES, MATT RICHARDS, ANTHONY SPAGNOLI, AND PAUL FENWICK..... FOUR CRANXMEN RECENTLY WON AWARDS AS BOMBER LAXMEN: MATT LACROIX-OFFENSIVE MVP, ETHAN NASSAR-DEFENSIVE MVP, DILLON LYNCH-COACH'S AWARD, SEAN MILLIKAN-COACH'S AWARD..... FORMER CRANX GOALTENDER AND HALL OF FAMER RICH HARRIGAN PLAYS GOAL FOR TOLLAND..... PICTURES COURTESY OF JOE NASSAR. MORE PICS IN THE 'PHOTO ALBUMS' SECTION..... THANKS TO KATHY TOBIN FOR STATISTIZING THE GAME.
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Tastee Treat beats Cranx 12-8
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 23, 2011
(Somers, Ct.) Chances are less than zero that ESPN would ever cover a Pioneer Valley Lacrosse League game. But if the network's cameras ever made the trip from Bristol to Somers, Connecticut for the Westfield Cranx/Springfield Tastee Treat matchup Thursday night, they would have had plenty of potential footage for their daily "Top Ten Plays" segment. The best, no doubt, would have been when the Tastee Treat goalie cleared the ball on foot fifty yards into Cranx territory, passed off, then continued into the offensive end to receive a pass back and then depositing a goal himself. Sharp passing, great take-away checks, and rock solid goaltending produced a wide and long highlight reel for Springfield this night.
Unfortunately for Westfield, ESPN's weekly segment "Not Top Ten Plays" would have probably included a few clips courtesy of Team Cranx. Errant shots were aplenty, bad passing was contagious, and laundry was left all over the field on occasion. To top off the many lowlights by the visitors, one of its defensive players nicely gained possession of the ball during a key moment in the third quarter and passed off to a wide open player before hustling off the field. From his sideline position, he watches the player with the ball carry it for awhile before dishing off to a teammate who scores a few seconds later. The downside of this scenario was that the goal was initiated by the Cranxman, who mistakenly passed the ball to a Tastee Treat player, which led to a Tastee Treat goal.
Westfield began the game quickly in the hole, going down 3-0, before Matt Perry's first of two goals in the first quarter made it 3-1. At halftime, the Tastee Treat lead grew to 6-2, and the Cranx would get no closer the rest of the way, losing by a final of 12-8. The Cranx defense, led by Mike Piccin, Nick Allegretti, and Bryan Duggan again played a very good game, but the quick transition offense of Tastee Treat (5-0-1) was too much to handle for Team Cranx. Rookie Tyler Corcoran was a bright spot for Westfield, scoring twice and adding two assists.
"It just seemed nothing went our way tonight" said Cranx goalie Matt Hoffman. "Even though they were real good, and we made a lot of mistakes, we still kept it respectable. But they are definitely the best team in the league."
Westfield's record now stands at 3-2. After being on the road for three straight games, the Cranx begin a four game homestand beginning with a game Tuesday against the Tolland Boondock Saints (0-5) followed by a game Thursday against another undefeated team, Glastonbury (5-0).
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Cranx Roll Over Franklin 15-0
Westfield looking ahead to Tastee Treat
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 21, 2011
(Deerfield) The Westfield Cranx improved to 3-1 Tuesday night with an easy shutout victory against Franklin County 15-0. With the win, Westfield has won two straight road games with the mission of making it three in a row Thursday night when they travel to Somers, Connecticut to face first place and undefeated Tastee Treat (4-0).
Despite the dominating victory against an over-matched Franklin team, Cranx attackman Matt Perry wasn't too impressed with the team's performance.
"We can rip from anywhere on a team that is not that good" said Perry. "But we need to possess the ball to win against the better teams." Looking ahead to the tough matchup on Thursday, Perry voiced his concerns about the offense. "This was a lopsided affair. (Still) our offense was not doing the proper things to make this team better."
Perry said for the Cranx to have a chance against Tastee Treat, their execution needs to improve and the number of turnovers (16 versus Franklin) needs to be considerably less.
Against Franklin County, a sluggish start had Westfield goalie Matt Hoffman needing to make four first quarter saves, while Team Cranx attempted 13 shots while only scoring three times. J.T. Hoyt's laser goal from fifteen yards closed out the first quarter and a 3-0 lead. That began the scoring onslaught, as the Cranx scored six goals in each of the second and third quarters, including a pair each by Joe Martin, Paul Gallagher, and John Funaro (pictured left).
After three quarters, 11 Cranxmen finding the back of the net, and the score 15-0, the only question remaining about the outcome of the game was whether or not Westfield could pitch a shut-out.
Mike Burque replaced Hoffman in goal for the second half and came away with five saves. The continued stellar play of the Cranx regulars on defense, bolstered by the take-away play of Nick McMahon and Ethan Nassar, kept the Franklin offense battered and weakened. Meanwhile, the Westfield offense was content on improving their possession game, resulting in the same 15-0 score when the final horn sounded.
"We remember last time we came up here" said midfielder Andy Liptak, referring to a 9-8 loss to Franklin in '09. "(Tonight) Team Cranx showed no mercy against a weak Franklin County team."
What Liptak and the rest of his team realizes is that their next opponent is anything but weak. That leaves the question of whether Team Cranx is capable of competing against the best teams in the league. That question will be answered Thursday night.
Matt Lacroix Ethan Nassar defending
Westfield 3 6 6 0
Franklin Cty 0 0 0 0
Westfield Scoring
Goals: Funaro 3, Gallagher 2, Martin 2, Lancour, Gaylord, Liptak, Perry, Burke, Hoffman, Hoyt, Corcoran
Assists: Lancour 2, Gaylord, Liptak, Perry, Funaro, Hoyt
Goalie Saves
Hoffman 5, Burque 5
CRANX CORNER
PLAYER/COACH CHRIS ROBERTS BROKE HIS WRIST LAST WEEK AGAINST SHOCKER. HIS RETURN TO THE PLAYING FIELD THIS SEASON IS QUESTIONABLE..... PICTURES COURTESY OF JOE NASSAR. MORE FOUND IN 'PHOTO ALBUMS' SECTION..... CRANX HALL OF FAMER AND SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT WILL PIERCE IS PLANNING ON ATTENDING THURSDAY'S GAME. HE HAS RESPECTFULLY DECLINED SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS..... THANKS TO KATHY TOBIN FOR KEEPING STATS DURING THE GAME.
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Hoffman, Defense Lead Cranx to Win
Gaylord notches game-winner to beat Shocker 8-7
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 16, 2011
(Somers,Ct.) If Thursday's game is any indication, then the Westfield Cranx' success this season hinges upon a collective effort of contributions from the entire roster of players. For years, the Cranx defense has been the team's strength and remains so. The offensive question mark may turn to a definitive period if the balance of scoring continues as it did on this night.
Behind goaltender Matt Hoffman's Tim Thomas-like performance and the equally stellar play of his defensemen, Westfield toppled Team Shocker 8-7. Seven players scored for the Cranx, highlighted by John Silhavy's two goals and Tim Gaylord's game winner with :06 left in the contest. But as exciting as Gaylord's heroics were, it was the defense that came up big again and again, creating turnover after turnover for Team Cranx.
"Hoffman was the cat's pajamas tonight" said midfielder Gaylord afterward. "And our defensive play and their clearing effort was outstanding. They made our jobs way easier."
Shocker scored first in the game, and after one quarter Westfield trailed 2-1. But the second quarter belonged to the Cranx. Five straight goals, including two perfectly placed bounce shots by Ben McCarthy and Joe Lancour, catapulted Westfield to a 6-2 halftime lead.
But despite the terrific play of defensemen Mike Piccin, Nick Allegretti, and Rich Borsari (pictured right), Shocker (2-2) fought back in the second half while Westfield's offense sputtered and became turnover prone. Team Shocker scored four unanswered goals to tie the game midway through the fourth quarter at 6-6. J.T. Hoyt ended the Cranx drought, taking a Nick Yacuzzi pass and firing a goal with 5:10 left. Shocker knotted the game a minute later, and with 3:55 left, the game was tied 7-7.
After another defensive stop and Hoffman's 17th save of the game, Westfield cleared and held possession for more than three minutes. Anthony Dimaio wore down his defender, carrying the ball for much of that time, before making his move. With twenty seconds left, Dimaio attacked the cage from behind, drawing the necessary attention, before feeding an open Gaylord up on top. Gaylord locked, loaded, and fired a rocket shot passed the Shocker goaltender with :06 on the gameclock. Joe Martin would lock up the ensuing face-off and Team Cranx came away with the 8-7 victory.
"It wasn't our prettiest game" said Martin. "But we grinded out a win which is what you need to do against some of the better teams in this league." Westfield (2-1) hopes to grind out another win on the road against Franklin County on Tuesday.
Westfield 1 5 0 2
Shocker 2 0 4 1
Westfield Goals: Silhavy 2, Lancour, Liptak, McCarthy, Yacuzzi, Hoyt, Gaylord
Westfield Saves: Hoffman 17
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Cranx Fall To Wilbraham 14-10
Weaknesses exposed in season opener
by Buck Naeked
WC News
June 9, 2011
After the lightning, rain, and storm moved east and past Westfield High School, the Cranx finally got their season underway Thursday night. However, what seemed to be left by the storm and the late start to the season was a lot of rust on the backs of Team Cranx. After a forfeit win versus South Hadley on Tuesday, and a delayed start to the game Thursday, the Cranxmen were more than ready to finally take the field. When they did, a few too many mental mistakes combined with some physical rustiness added up to a 14-10 loss.
When every other game in the PVLL was cancelled due to the weather, the Wilbraham Zebras came to Westfield following their opening season loss to Simsbury Rip It 9-7. Wilbraham quickly went up 2-0 early, but that was answered late in the first quarter and early in the second as Westfield scored three straight goals of their own, one by Matt Perry and two by Andy Liptak. Heading into halftime the game remained close, as Team Cranx took a 5-4 lead into the break.
"The game wasn't going too badly for us seeing it was our first game" said defenseman Rich Borsari. "But we definitely had some mental errors on decisions made during the game. Forcing passes, too long of shifts on offense, and not enough time of possession."
The second half saw Wilbraham dominate possession time, and consequently took and retained the lead. Four straight goals put the Zebras up 8-5, and Team Cranx would get no closer the rest of the way, going down 13-8 midway through the fourth quarter. Matt Perry's fourth goal of the game made it 13-10 with 3:25 to go, but a longpole Wilbraham goal a minute later, one of seven total for the Zebras, put the game in the books.
"The middies need to step it up in transition" said middie Anthony Dimaio, referring to the seven goals by Wilbraham's longstick midfield. "Too many times we half-assed it into the hole. That's gotta' change."
Matt Hoffman, Westfield's veteran brick wall between the pipes, placed a lot of blame for the loss on himself. Holding nothing back and offering no excuses, Hoff said "I played the worst game since I can remember."
It doesn't get easier to start the season for Westfield. The Cranx will visit 2010 championship runner-up Shocker on Thursday after a bye on Tuesday. Hopefully for Team Cranx the rust that plagued them against Wilbraham won't continue through to next week.
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Cranx Gear Up For 2011 Season
by Buck Naeked
WC Times
June 5, 2011
The Westfield Cranx were supposed to open up the 2011 season Tuesday night against South Hadley, however their opponent was unable to field a team, resulting in a forfeit win for Team Cranx. Instead, the first opponent between the lines for Westfield will be Wilbraham Thursday night.
Heading into the game and into the season, there appears to be more question marks surrounding the team than there are answers. With several key players gone from last year's 10-4 semifinal squad, and several more newcomers, how successful the Cranx' campaign will be this year is anybody's guess.
"It's hard to make any predictions at this point" said Cranx coach Chris Roberts. "We have a lot of new faces to work into our system, so that will take some time. After a couple games, we'll be able to better evaluate where we are as far as talent and team chemistry. Some things look promising, but you never know until you mix it up on the field."
Westfield's defense should remain the team's strong suit. Led by veteran goaltender Matt Hoffman, the Cranx boasted arguably the best defense in the Pioneer Valley Lacrosse League last season, allowing the fewest goals (6.5) per game of all 13 PVLL teams. The trio of Nick Allegretti, Rich Borsari, and Mike Piccin return to wreck their havoc upon opposing attackmen, with Nick McMahon and Jim Crean providing muscle off the bench.
"Those guys are the backbone of our team" said Roberts. "Night in and night out, we know we can always rely on our D to get it done."
At times it was the offense that struggled in 2010. And from where the scoring will come from this season is a wait and see answer. Second-year attackman Matt Perry joined Team Cranx last season after defecting from the dysfunctional South Hadley team. The former scholastic and collegiate All-American made an immediate impact in the scoring column and is expected to do so once again.
"It's great being a Crank" said Perry. "My only regret is not joining the team sooner. No team is better at winning games and having fun. That's where I'm all at, yo'. "
Expected to help Perry put points on the board from the attack position was Tim Boersig. But Boersig, however, was sidelined with an injury playing at Virginia Military Institute and appears to be sidelined for the summer as well. Anthony Dimaio and several talented rookies will vye for playing time amongst veterans Roberts and John Funaro.
As for the midfield, on paper it appears strong and deep. But as they say in sports, the game isn't played on paper.
"It's always good to have current college players on your team" said Roberts. "They're in shape and basically they're just extending their season, so they're already firing on all cylinders." Leading the way in igniting those cylinders are RPI's Andy Liptak (pictured above), Joe Martin (WNEC) and Tim Gaylord (Virginia). These three lead a midfield with depth in numbers, but still unproven, as six of Westfield's ten rookies play the position. Face-off specialist Martin (below) returns for his fourth season with the Cranx after missing last year's campaign due to an internship. Team Cranx struggled at the face-off game last year without Martin, so improvement there should be an automatic.
Joe Martin facing-off for WNEC
"Hopefully we can put the pieces together and make a run like we did last year" said Roberts. "We've got some talent and experience, but also some deficiencies. It's all about playing to our strengths. And one thing is sure: Cranx equals strength."
Starting Thursday, Those Cranx will get their first chance to see how strong they can be.
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