St. Joe's Prep shuts down Carroll

The win was so thorough that St. Joseph's Prep lacrosse coach Eric Gregg didn't even bother huddling his team for a postgame chat.

Just a "see you tomorrow at practice." There really wasn't anything to say.

For the Hawks, Wednesday's 15-4 road victory over Archbishop Carroll in the Catholic League was another installment in the team's feast-or-famine type of season.

The Prep (10-5 overall, 8-1 league) has scheduled tough, and lost handily to teams that most observers would expect (Haverford School, Episcopal Academy, and league foe La Salle, all ranked in the state's top five by PhillyLacrosse.com). Outside of that, the Hawks have been busy battering other PCL rivals.

Through Tuesday, the Prep had racked up seven league victories against opponents with a combined 23-40 record, outscoring PCL foes not named La Salle by an average of 13.7 goals.

Carroll (3-9, 3-5), though missing five starters because of injury, played the role Wednesday. The Patriots didn't register a shot until the third quarter and scored only after Gregg emptied his bench.

For a team that last year won the PCL title and reached the PIAA championship game, it's a wonder how such blowouts help it improve.

It's the "mental challenge," Gregg said. "We're physically gifted; athletically we're gifted. . . . But mentally, [it's about] playing the right game, playing the right way - guys not taking shortcuts, guys executing the fundamentals.

"For our guys, it's about not playing down to the level of our opponent."

Against Carroll, the Hawks dominated possession with discipline and physical play. The day was highlighted by a seven-goal second quarter.

Junior attackman Anthony Marini, a Notre Dame recruit, led the way with five goals. Junior Joe Walsh added two scores and three assists.

Starting goalie A.J. Simon didn't face a shot before Gregg lifted him midway through the third with a 12-0 lead. The Hawks outshot the Pats, 49-10, and if not for Carroll goalie Adam Baer's 20 saves, the goal differential could have been loftier.

"Today was a good win. It doesn't matter who the opponent is," Marini said. "A win's a win. At the end of the day, we have a lot of work to do."

The key, Gregg said, is to focus on the details: hustle, building depth, working on technique and schemes. Though the Hawks last year broke La Salle's seven-year stranglehold on the league trophy, many in this season's rotation seldom played in 2011.

"We don't have the mental aptitude yet," Gregg said. "We don't have the guys right now that have the experience and understand what it's like to play this schedule."

Gregg concedes that the Hawks might be a year away from duplicating last year's success. Marini's outlook is more immediate.

"We have one goal right now and that's to get to the Catholic League championship and beat La Salle," he said. ". . . These teams are still bringing it, and we have to bring it, too. If we want to get where we want to go, we've got to get past them first."

St. Joseph's Prep   4 7 1 3 – 15

Archbishop Carroll   0 0 2 2 – 4

Goals: SJP-Anthony Marini 5, Joe Walsh 2, Bill Savage 2, Scott Scheuerle 2, Connor McLaughlin, Jack Adons 2, Tyler Cligget; AC-Ben Larerio 2, Shane Yaller, Greg Rice.

Saves: SJP-A.J. Simon 0, Pat King 3; AC-Adam Baer 20.