Cougars reach Group II semis with win
By: Bob Nuse
With just about everybody back from a team that went 17-5 and won a game in the state tournament a year ago, the Montgomery High boys’ lacrosse team had high hopes for this season.
But there was still that question of who was going to fill the hole at goalkeeper, the one spot in the lineup without a returning starter.
Apparently, it was nothing to worry about. Junior Joe DiGangi has stepped in and filled the void nicely for the Cougars, who took the latest step in surpassing the accomplishments of last year’s team with a 12-7 win over Mendham on Friday.
With the win, the Cougars advanced to the third round of the Group II state tournament, where they will play at second-seeded West Essex. Having already won a Somerset County Tournament title and needing just one more win to add a Bianchi Division title, Montgomery seems headed in the right direction.
"I’m fortunate to have some good athletes," said Montgomery coach Tim Sullivan, whose team improved to 16-3 with the win. "I felt like (Mendham) was wearing down a little because it was a hot day, but we were able to move people in and out and keep going strong. We’re fortunate that we have a school and a community that really supports lacrosse.
"I thought our attack came up big. And today our defense and goalie play was very good. Joe made some nice point-blank saves. Joe and the defense have really started to mesh. Joe has stepped in and played real well. Our goalie was the only starter we lost from last year."
For DiGangi, the move into the starting lineup has been a smooth one. For him, it’s a chance to get back on the field with the guys he grew up playing the game with.
"I’ve been learning as I go and I’m still learning," said DiGangi, who made nine saves in the win over Mendham. "We’ve all been playing together for so many years, now we’re all together at the varsity level for the first time and it’s a lot of fun. Now it’s like it was when we were together in eighth grade.
"I think our defense has really clicked. We all hang out together and spend time together. We played together all summer and we’ve been learning a new system. We’re a pretty young team, but we all have faith in each other. When you are out on the field you know the other guys have your back."
The offense had DiGangi’s back when a pair of quick goals gave Mendham a 3-1 lead midway through the first quarter. But Montgomery went on a 7-1 run over the next 30 minutes, taking an 8-4 lead into the fourth quarter. The lead grew to 10-4 before Mendham scored, only to have the Cougars answer right back.
"The midfield and defense really picked it up," DiGangi said. "Ryan Butler and Justin DeLuca bring it every game on defense. Steve Demarco and Sean Hover can run up and down the field in the midfield all day. Today we came up with the ground balls. And we have the offense with guys like Jim (Yetter), Mike (Yetter) and Tim (Santye)."
Santye paced the offense against Mendham, scoring four goals and adding a pair of assists. Jim Yetter had three goals and two assists, while Mike Yetter added a pair of goals. Demarco, Mike Melrose and Steve Watson also scored for the Cougars.
"This was the first time we’ve played a full third quarter," said Sullivan, who loved the way his team made a 6-4 halftime lead become 8-4 after the third quarter. "That has been a downfall for us all year. Teams would always take it to us in the third quarter and we would get frustrated and make mistakes.
"We just have such a good mix of guys on the team. All of these seniors do the little things that make the rest of the kids better. This team does everything together, all 24 of them. I think that has a lot to do with why we play so well together as a team. They really trust each other and I think they feed off of each other."
The win on Friday put Montgomery in the Group II semifinals for the first time. If they find a way to get past West Essex, there could be a rematch awaiting them with defending state champion Delbarton, the team that knocked Montgomery out of the tournament a year ago.
"We just want to keep it going and take one game at a time," said DiGangi. "We’re not looking ahead to any game. Most of these teams are new to us, so we have to be ready to play each game."
Somewhere along the line, Montgomery also has to make up a game with Hopewell Valley. If the Cougars win that, they’ll capture the Bianchi Division championship in their first year in the division, one year after winning the Curcio Division title.
"We’re just taking them as they come right now," Sullivan said. "The longer we have to push back the Hopewell game, the better it means we’re doing in the state tournament. A lot of these teams we’re playing are new to us. We had never played Mendham before. My father (Tim) went up and watched then and gave me a great scouting report. I’ll get a chance to see West Essex before we play them. That’s all we’re focused on right now."

