Cougar boys lacrosse rallies past Randolph
By: Justin Feil
BASKING RIDGE It was fitting that the first Group III state championship in Montgomery High School boys’ lacrosse history would come Friday with a little of the unusual.
As usual, the Cougars got better later. As usual they were balanced in scoring and strong in goal. And as usual, they never gave up even when things didn’t look good with just 16 minutes left. Far from usual, however, is what seemed to ignite the comeback for MHS in its 10-8 win over Randolph, which had won two of the last three Group III championships.
Trailing, 6-3, with 3:54 to go in the third quarter after two goals within 10 seconds, it was starting to look like it wasn’t the Cougars’ night. Their title hopes had already been pushed back and hour and a half when the Group II final was delayed by lightning. MHS started their first Group III final by skipping a shot off the crossbar. Twice more, including once with seven seconds left in the first half, they hit posts.
"It looked like we were in some trouble, but we really pulled it together and played as a team," said MHS’ Tom Murphy. "That’s the whole basis of our game. We really just pulled through. That’s what we’ve done all season. We’re pulled through by our coaches. We were well coached. We kept our heads out there and that was key.
"I don’t know everyone else was feeling," he added, "but I was getting worried when they put three quick ones away. Before that, in the second quarter when they put four unanswered on us, I was worried. But, you don’t show it."
On the ensuing faceoff, Chris Durik was able to push the ball toward Murphy, who scooped up the ground ball and raced unimpeded for a goal just eight seconds after Ridge’s sixth goal. MHS scored another one before the quarter ended and the first five of the fourth quarter to wrap up the state crown. And it all started with Murphy’s first career goal which doubled as his first career point.
"It’s a rarity," said the senior midfielder. "I thought I was going to walk away from high school lacrosse without a single point in my varsity career and there we go in the championship game, I put one away. It comes down to hustle. It’s what we’re all doing out here. That’s what I did. No different."
Murphy’s goal was the second by a MHS longpole of the game. Jay Salasko got the Cougars off to a flying start seemingly when the junior known much more for his ability as a lockdown defender raced end to end for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead. When Murphy scored, it meant the Cougars had as many goals, two, from their longpoles as they did from their vaunted attack, two.
"I mentioned that to my coaches," said MHS head coach Tim Sullivan, whose team was scheduled to play Immaculata on Monday in the Tournament of Champions quarterfinals. "The key is getting good looks. Once I started seeing that they were getting good looks at the goal, I knew the ball would bounce our way eventually. The way Mike Yetter played today, Kevin Hover and Steve Watson, they played with a lot of heart. They gave it everything they have in the second half out there. I wish we put four quarters together, but I’m glad we were able to get those 10 goals. I was happy the way we came back and played the second half. They played great.
"Tom is one of those kids I grabbed off the soccer team four years ago," he added. "He’s been playing varsity the past three years. For a senior, in this situation, it’s a great experience. I’m really glad he enjoyed that situation."
With a win Monday, the Cougars would play top-seeded Delbarton 7 p.m. Wednesday at Kean University. MHS already has wrapped up the Bianchi Division, Somerset County and Group III championships.
"We got our conference, we got our county and now we got our state," Murphy said. "And we want to continue. We want to keep going."
To do so the Cougars will need the same all-around play it had in the second half all game. The MHS defense was able to hold a Randolph offense that had averaged 13.6 goals per game during a five-game winning streak to just eight goals, with the final two coming in the final two minutes. Salasko, Will Treichler and Ben Peskin were up to the challenge from a skilled Randolph attack led by Corey Zindel, who had three goals and two assists Friday.
"I was very, very happy with the defense," Sullivan said. "I really thought the defense played great. They really smothered guys at the crease and played real strong. The longpoles in the midfield and the longpoles down low, they all played real solidly."
The MHS defense seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, and the midfield and Durik got better and better at facing off against Randolph longpole faceoff John Lade, who is bound for Villanova.
"We had to adapt," Murphy said. "They had a great longpole who’s going DI lacrosse. He could pick up the ball. We had to adjust and work harder and work on our ground balls, something we weren’t really doing in the beginning. We fought for it."
That gave the MHS offense more opportunities, and they wore down the Randolph defense. The Cougar attack picked up steam when Kevin Watson hit Mike Yetter on a fastbreak chance to make it 6-5 after the third quarter. MHS felt then there was no denying them.
"I talked to them at halftime and told them, they’re better than they were playing," Sullivan said. "They showed it. They proved it in the second half. The atmosphere here was amazing. The kids couldn’t hear a thing on the field. They played with a lot of intensity and a lot of pride. It made a big difference in the outcome of the game. They were able to handle the pressure."
The fourth quarter began with MHS’ Kevin Hover laying out parallel to the ground to make a flying check that resulted in a Randolph turnover. MHS tied the game when Greg Ives skipped in a shot from out front with 8:48 left. The Cougars took the lead when Yetter then found a way to get off a sizzling shot from the right side with a defender draped all over him with 6:17 to go. Hover sandwiched two more goals around another from Yetter and the Cougars were 2:22 away from their first title with a 10-6 lead.
"We’ve been starting late all season and this was no different," Murphy said. "We tend to come out slow. We did the same thing we always do and eventually woke up. We did just fine.
"It was definitely a goal of ours," he said of the state title. "We were looking forward to this point all season. Last year, we were looking to do it. We didn’t; we lost to Ramapo. We were striving for this the whole time."
The Cougars have come a little farther each year. Winning the Group III crown was the next level, and beyond that is the Tournament of Champions.
"It’s nice to take that extra step," Sullivan said. "Quarterfinals, semifinals, finals and then winning the state championship this year. I’m happy as can be that we were able to take this step. I’m proud of how far the program has come. To be a state champ in eight varsity seasons is something I’m so proud of us to get here in such a short time. And the future looks bright.
"I’m proud no matter what happens, as long as they give 110 percent when the game’s being played. Whatever they do, I’m happy."
Friday, the smiles everywhere as the MHS boys’ lacrosse team captured its first state championship.

