2 weeks Ago By Sam Fremin
MOUNTAIN TOP — Tensions were always going to run hot in the rematch of last year’s District 2 semifinal. Abington Heights’ bid for vengeance will have to wait though, as Crestwood took Monday’s Wyoming Valley Conference contest in a 12-7 home victory. “We definitely knew they were coming in, trying to take the win over and everything,” Crestwood senior Caleb Eisenhauer said.
“Today, we took it up a notch.” After Gavin Anders scored two first-quarter goals to give Abington Heights and early lead, Crestwood wrenched back control of the game. Eisenhauer, in particular, was instrumental in setting up the home team’s success.
Eisenhauer scored his team’s first two goals in a 57-second span, tying the game with 5:01 left in the quarter. His first goal came on a chaotic ricochet in front of the goal, joined shortly after by a second strike, assisted by Kevin Schlude. With 2:29 remaining in the first quarter, Gianni Piccolotti scored Crestwood’s go-ahead goal off an assist from Eisenhauer.
Crestwood took the lead and would not relinquish it for the remainder of the night. “Abington Heights, we look at them as our peer. We’re hopefully playing at the same level,” Crestwood head coach Brian Zabroski said.
“Their goalie played great. He was really challenging our guys to make sure they put shots on in a different place than they usually put in. Between their goalie and their face-off guy, I think those were the two challenges that were as good as I thought.
“It was not my win. I didn’t put in some super strategy. It was just good fundamental lacrosse.
” Fifty-nine seconds into the second quarter, Eisenhauer scored his third goal and Crestwood extended its lead to 4-2. Four unanswered goals followed for Crestwood, with Piccolotti and Jack Augustine claiming two each. Eventually, Rodman Azar scored off an assist by Anders with 1:59 left in the first half, ending a nearly 18-minute scoring drought for Abington Heights.
Evan Davis tacked on another Abington Heights goal 18 seconds later, ushering in an 8-4 halftime scoreboard. “(Looking ahead,) we told them to stay motivated and to have perseverance and fight through adversity,” Abington Heights head coach Andrew Billen said. “Lacrosse is a game of runs.
Eventually the tide will turn, but sometimes we have an issue trying to keep that momentum going or gain it back when we lose it.” Kevin Schlude scored two goals for Crestwood in the third, before Abington Heights’ Gavin Lindsay netted a goal to make it 10-5 by the end of the quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter, Crestwood sophomore faceoff specialist Logan Lawson picked up his 200th career faceoff win.
As a freshman, Lawson worked alongside then-teammate and current Elizabethtown freshman Logan Rolles to improve his faceoff repertoire. The duo frequently arrived to practice 45 minutes early, entering as many repetitions as possible. “It was a great feeling.
I’ve been trying to do that forever,” Lawson said. “(Rolles) got 600 by the end of his career, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to try.” Lawson has continued to improve his faceoff game, working with teammates prior to practices this season as well — this time as a veteran.
“Logan is a very humble, hard worker. He’s one that you wish you had five of on the field,” Zabroski said. “He’s a good practice player, works hard at his skill.
It’s a craft to go out there and do that.” Additional goals from Azar and Davis in the fourth quarter already weren’t enough to close Abington Heights’ gap, but Augustine and Piccolotti each scored one more time for Crestwood, ensuring the game remained out of reach. Last year’s 9-8 district semifinal between Crestwood and Abington Heights was a topic of discussion on both sidelines prior to the opening whistle.
Abington Heights sought to avenge its past loss, while Crestwood intended to continue its winning streak in the teams’ clash of the Comets. “When you know you’re going to go against a team that we had two good games last year, you’ve just got to get the kids focused on playing their game,” Zabroski said. “Don’t get sucked into trying to play a different game than you’ve been playing and trying to practice all season.
I think everybody focused on the little things, the fundamentals.” Crestwood improved to 8-5 on the season, while Abington Heights dropped to 10-2. “We’re going to remember tonight, and we’re going to learn from it,” Billen said.
“We’re going to go lick our wounds, and we’re going to tighten some things up. “I’m sure we’ll meet them down the road again, and we’ll see what happens. In the playoffs, it could be a different story.
” Though Monday brought a lot to celebrate, Crestwood is focused on the upcoming home stretch of league games. The sting of last season’s district championship loss still lingers for the Comets, but wins against top tier programs like Abington Heights may create an opportunity for positive momentum to snowball. “We’ve had a tough stretch to date, where I don’t see these guys getting complacent,” Zabroski said.
We’ve lost some games that we know we gave away, so I don’t at all think we’re going to be complacent. “They’re not standing over their skis right now. They’re definitely a team that’s looking to grow.
” CRE — Goals: Piccolotti 4, Eisenhauer 3, Augustine 3, Schlude 2; Assists: Eisenhauer 1; Saves: Zabroski 8; AH — Goals: Anders 2, Davis 2, Azar 2, Lindsay 1; Assists: Anders 1, Azar 1, Davis 1; Saves: Naholnik 17..
