Career highlight day puts Carthage in quarterfinals

CENTRAL SQUARE — Robert Grimm carried the Carthage boys lacrosse team into the state Class B quarterfinals with a career-best performance Saturday.

Grimm collected a career-high 10 goals and added two assists as the Comets pummeled Massena, 20-2, in a state first-round matchup at Central Square High School. Carthage (19-2) will face Section 4's Chenango Forks in the state quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Vestal High School.

Salmon River couldn't reverse Section 10's misfortune in the second game. The Shamrocks (16-1) gave up a five-goal lead in the fourth quarter and fell to Skaneateles, 15-14, in a state Class C first-round game.

CARTHAGE 20, MASSENA 2

When Grimm heard the announcement stating his final statistics over the public address system, he brushed off the accomplishment with a slight smile.

While he's totaled more than 200 points during the past two seasons, Grimm has never finished with 10 goals or 10 points in a game. Both feats were achieved early in the third quarter against the Red Raiders (10-12).

"The stick was throwing well," Grimm joked. "I guess I was fortunate today."

Carthage rebounded from a lackluster start thanks to Grimm's scoring frenzy in the first quarter. The Comets senior attacker outscored hapless Massena, 4-2, in the opening 12 minutes.

"I told Rob, and I saw it in his eyes, that this game like every other game was going to be won through his stick," Carthage coach Kirk Ventiquattro said. "From that point, he took over the game."

Though Tyson Oakes tallied two goals for Massena in the first quarter, the Red Raiders wouldn't score again. Grimm scored four more times with relative ease as the Comets delivered 12 consecutive goals to construct a 17-2 halftime advantage.

"It's one of those things where you don't know whether to shadow him one-on-one, or drop back and force him to make passes," Massena coach Kris Covell said. "He's a tremendous individual player, and when you have someone that diverse, it gives your team a whole new look."

Senior midfielder Ben Koster scored all three of his goals in the decisive second quarter. He also chipped in two assists. Freshman Thomas Grimm, Robert's younger brother, produced four goals and two assists.

Ventiquattro rested his starters midway through the third quarter. He said conditioning will be the major factor behind the team's performance against Chenango Forks in the quarterfinals. The Comets got plenty of practice against Massena in the sweltering heat.

But it doesn't hurt that Ventiquattro has Grimm, a player he still believes is the best in the country. He said the same thing about another former Carthage standout approximately 15 years ago.

"I used to say that about Casey Powell back in the day, and everybody thought I was a fool," Ventiquattro said. "Casey made a prophet out of me."

Grimm has followed through so far, and Ventiquattro wants him to realize that he doesn't have to carry the Comets by himself.

"Rob's a great player, and he'll put a team on his back," Ventiquattro said. "But with this team, we don't need him to do that. If Zach Mulvaney, Thomas Grimm and certainly Ben Koster bring their 'A' games, our offense is as good as anybody's in the state."

SKANEATELES 15, SALMON RIVER 14

Apparently, no lead is safe against Skaneateles.

Salmon River was aware of the Lakers' recent resiliency, but they couldn't dodge one final Skaneateles run.

Gripping on to a 14-9 advantage, the Lakers (17-5) racked up six straight goals in just over eight minutes of the fourth quarter to hand the Shamrocks their first loss of the season.

"Throughout the season, we've had a lot of one-goal games," said senior midfielder Eric Richards, who led Skaneateles with five goals. "All of our losses except for one were one-goal losses. We've been in this situation and they weren't, and we came through."

In a season filled with blowout victories, Salmon River head coach Dave White agreed that the Shamrocks rarely played under duress this year.

"I think it would've been helpful if we had more of the games that Skaneateles had," White said. "They had some games late in the season, like upsetting LaFayette to get here, that helped them. They've dealt with the pressure."

Salmon River freshman Lyle Thompson orchestrated the Shamrocks' kinetic offense with five of his game-best six assists in the first half. Ty Thompson and Hank Delisle each scored three times as Salmon River built a 9-5 edge at intermission.

Thompson scored on a pinpoint transition sequence to extend Salmon River's lead to 14-9 early in the fourth quarter. He finished with five goals.

But Skaneateles capitalized on ground balls and the Shamrocks' errant clearing passes to draw even. Richards's last goal tied it up with over three minutes remaining. Sophomore Kelly Donigan tallied the game-winner just over a minute later.

"I think the biggest factor today was fatigue," White said. "It was hot, and we're not used to playing in the heat. I think maybe I went to the well too many times."

Junior varsity call-up Trey Adams registered 18 saves for Salmon River. The ninth-grader filled in for starter Jake Lazore, who was out with an injured wrist.

GIRLS

CARTHAGE 16, UNION-ENDICOTT 4

Katie Ferris contributed a game-high six goals to help propel the Comets past the Tigers (12-7) in a state Class B quarterfinal matchup at Vestal High School.

Carthage (18-3) advanced to the state semifinals for the second consecutive year with the victory. The Comets will meet either Section 5's Brighton or Hamburg of Section 6 in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Friday at SUNY Cortland.

Katherine DeRonda supplied four goals and two assists for the Comets, and Gabrielle Kamide provided a goal and five assists.