By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Publisher GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — The Absegami boys lacrosse team needs to be playing its best this week with games against Mainland Regional and Ocean City looming. The Braves worked out some of the weekend kinks in an 18-8 win over Cedar Creek on Monday, and while the score makes it look like a convincing win, the Braves know there is plenty to clean up before taking on Mainland on Wednesday. Absegami (7-1) jumped out to what looked like a commanding 8-3 lead after the first quarter, but the Pirates (0-5) battled back to cut the lead to 10-6 by halftime. The Braves responded by scoring five unanswered goals to start the second half and put the game out of reach. “We weren’t expecting it, but when they came out of the gate hungry, we knew we had to play tough,” said Absegami senior defenseman Jerry Breitzman. “At halftime, we said we had to really pull it together because the next two games coming up are against very tough opponents, and that’s going to be our season, basically. We have to get ready for that, and to do that we had to get ready (against Cedar Creek). Cedar Creek's Wade Clegg gets pressured by Absegami's Jerry Breitzman. Cedar Creek’s Wade Clegg gets pressured by Absegami’s Jerry Breitzman. The game against Cedar Creek got a little chippy at times and featured a host of personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. “It’s a rivalry, naturally, because they are in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District, and we don’t want kids to go to Cedar Creek rather than Absegami,” Sibson said. Sibson said the Braves will take the win, but they know that have some things to clean up before facing Mainland and Ocean City. “I think we are playing well, but not to our full potential. We’ve had moments when we’ve played great. I think Middle was our best game,” Sibson said. “I think we have a little more to show against a team like Mainland. We did much better in the second half than in the first (against Cedar Creek), and we have to play like that all the time. We have to win ground balls and clear the ball. We could have maintained a lot more possession today.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays [adsense]