By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP — The Kingsway Regional High boys lacrosse team seemed to have a strong enough lead on visiting Mainland Regional on Friday night.
Kingsway’s 9-5 advantage with two minutes left in the third quarter quickly evaporated, however. Harrison LaMonaca was ripping off goal after goal for Mainland as the Mustangs started a comeback bid that ultimately fell just short. Holding onto a narrow 10-9 lead with 3:46 left in regulation, Dom Hibbs ripped the ball in for the score to put Kingsway up by two with the clock ticking.
Luke Hall responded with a goal for the Mustangs (3-1, 2-0 Cape-Atlantic American) in the closing 100 seconds, but Kingsway’s defense prevented a potential game-tying shot from going in as the Dragons held on for the 11-10 victory in non-league action.
“Today was awesome beating a team like that,” Hibbs said. “I feel like we played really well and I feel like we played to our strengths. They had some key plays, but we battled back and ultimately won it.”
“I had so much adrenaline,” he said of his ultimate game-closing goal. “It was just a big moment. It was awesome to have it happen, it was amazing.”
Hibbs, a senior who also started varsity for Kingsway’s football team, is playing a new position for the first time in his high school lacrosse career.
“Back in youth ball I was always close defense and then freshman year they moved me up to long-stick middie,” he explained. “This year, I decided to move back down to close defense to help the team and give us the best chance to win.”
Kingsway’s offense was perfectly balanced, while the defense showed up when it mattered most as the Dragons improved to 5-0. Kingsway (5-0, 1-0 South Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse League American) has outscored opponents 72-20 so far this spring.
“That was the first really close game we played all year,” coach Kevin Miller said. “I’m really proud of our guys with the way they pulled it out. Good to see them finally be tested. They have some really good players on that team, so I have a lot of respect for Mainland, but I’m really proud of our guys for pulling it out in the fourth quarter the way they did.
“We trust our guys. Especially our defense. Our defense may have some young guys down there, but they’re good and they’ve been playing with each other for a long time. They trust each other and we all trust them as coaches.”
The biggest difference between the Dragons from 2024 and the present team is the gained experience. Sophomore Owen Dougherty scored two goals in the win and already has 18 tallies this season, nearly half of his total from his rookie campaign.
“It was the toughest game on our schedule. It was big to come out here, come out with that win,” Dougherty said. “It was close in the end, but I was confident with our defense. They looked good. I’m happy to come out with the win.”
“I feel like having that last year was my year to warm up to this,” he added. “I’m feeling a lot more confident this year, taking some more shots, carrying the ball.”
When asked about what he felt the big difference is between last season and this season, Dougherty replied, “we’re all in it together. Everyone wants to play together. They want to be a team. Everyone wants to be here. We’re here to play, we’re here to win.”
GAME NOTES: Patrick Civitarese, Keegan Borkowski and Mason Bryan each scored two goals and Cole DeNick and Michael Conklin added one apiece for the Dragons. LaMonaca finished with a game-high six goals for Mainland while Ryan Scannell had a pair of assists.
WHAT’S NEXT: Mainland travels to St. Joseph Academy on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Kingsway travels to Williamstown on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Click this link to watch the new ‘Sideline Snippets’ series, where correspondent Brian Tortella hands a Go-Pro video camera stick to players after the game and they talk about the victory:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DICpOVby8Uz/?igsh=eWg4dWs3dDJqejY1
