PV Comes from Four Down, Stuns Hen Hud

PUTNAM VALLEY—Anyone watching the Putnam Valley boys lacrosse team in the first quarter at Hen Hud Saturday would have figured the Sailors were on their way to an easy win, after building a 4-0 cushion at the end of one.

Shane Kelly had four goals, including the game-winner, in a 10-9 win over Hen Hud last week. SKIP PEARLMAN But it was a different looking PV team that came out for the second, third and fourth. The Tigers slowly and methodically came back, and eventually tied the game at 8-8 early in the fourth, setting up a dramatic finish.

The Sailors came back to tie the score at 9-9 with 5:36 remaining, but Put Valley had the last laugh, as Shane Kelly fired home the game-winner with 2:41 on the clock.

Kelly finished with four goals. Ryan Fitzgerald added two scores and one assist, Evan Kneuer had two goals, Johnny van de Veerdonk had a goal and handed out two assists, Dan O’Gorman scored once and Kevin Christopher assisted on a goal.

Kyle Fanning led the Sailors (6-7) with a hat-trick.

Brendan McCrudden stopped nine shots on goal for PV, and Bobby Sincero had 12 saves for Hen Hud.

Valley coach Brian Kuczma said his team may not have come in ready to play with the Sailors.

“Hen Hud is a strong team, and after playing a few weaker teams during the week, we didn’t come in prepared to play at a higher level,” Kuczma said. “Our first quarter was mediocre – at best. We were a half-step slow, and their transition game was unstoppable.”

But the Tigers came back with four goals in the second, and trailed 7-4 at halftime. PV went on to win the third and fourth periods – each by a 3-1 margin.

“We made some adjustments at halftime,” Kuczma said. “We forced our short sticks to play more defense, and that made a difference. We got some key stops, and got our offense more opportunities. A game like that shows the character of the team… the leadership Shane and some of the seniors showed was big. O’Gorman, Kelly and Fitzgerald all stepped up and got us going again. Hen Hud is a rival, so anytime we can beat Hen Hud, it’s a big win for us.”

PV also routed Kennedy Catholic, 14-2, the prior Tuesday at Kennedy.

O’Gorman had four goals and two assists, Fitzgerald had three scores and a pair of assists, van de Veerdonk and Kelly each went one and one, Kneuer had two assists, Ertis Muriqi had a goal, Steve York had a goal and an assist, Rob Pasquale, Marcus Givan and Stephen Velichko each had a goal, Christopher dished out three assists, and Logan Bagarozy and Jeff Lutz each had one assist.

McCrudden stopped 10 shots for the Tigers, and Sean Esposito made 24 saves for the Gaels (2-8).

The Tigers defeated North Salem, 11-2, in a game played Thursday at Putnam Valley.

Fitzgerald had a hat-trick, Kelly had a goal and three assists, Jon Warden scored twice, O’Gorman had two goals and an assist, Christopher had two goals, van de Veerdonk dished out a pair of assists, and Givan had a goal.

McCrudden stopped 10 shots for PV.

The Tigers host Haldane today (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m., and travel to Mahopac Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.