FILE PHOTO
Jack Stafford scored two goals for the Jets.
By MIKE ALONGI
REVERE — Despite giving up a goal just 10 seconds into the game, the Revere boys lacrosse team got it together quickly and took down the Lynn Jets, 18-6, in a Northeastern Conference matchup at Harry Della Russo Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Sophomore Eric Bua led the way with six goals and one assist for the Patriots, while senior Anthony DeStefano had three goals and two assists. Senior captain Ed Sullivan and sophomore Rick Briana each had two goals and two assists, sophomore Nick Sujko had two goals and sophomore Matt Stasio had one goal and one assist. Senior captain Dan Muller had one goal and senior Wes Spagnuolo had one assist.
“We played really well out there today, especially in the second half,” said Revere coach Austin Powers. “We had a bit of a slow start there, but we were able to pick it up and move the ball better, play good defense and help our goalie out.”
For the Jets, Ryan Clark had three goals and one assist, Jack Stafford had two goals and Shidley Belice had one goal. Chandler Donavan had one assist.
“We had some good stretches on offense today early on, but we just couldn’t keep stringing them together,” said Jets coach Peter Pappagianopoulos. “We’ve just got to keep working on getting better in that area.”
Lynn got on the board first, right off the opening faceoff. Belice won the draw and bolted up the field, weaved through some defenders and fired it home to give the Jets a 1-0 lead. But that only kicked Revere into high gear, as the Patriots went on to score six unanswered goals before Lynn stopped the bleeding.
It started with a goal off the ensuing faceoff. Bua won the draw and did the same thing as Belice, weaving through defenders and firing it home. He scored again less than 20 seconds later, then assisted on DeStefano’s first goal to make it 3-1. Briana, Bua and Sujko all tallied goals before the Jets got a goal from Stafford on the man-advantage with 2:28 to go in the first to make it 6-2.
“Usually when we start out slow like that it doesn’t end well for us, so this feels good,” Powers said of the early turnaround. “When we fall behind early like that it’s tough for us to come back, so those early goals to take that lead were huge.”
Clark made it 6-3 with a goal less than 30 seconds into the second, but Revere answered back with goals from Briana and DeStefano to stretch the deficit back to five goals. Clark scored again with 4:54 left to make it 8-4, but the Patriots again answered with two straight goals (from Sullivan and Bua) and took a 10-4 lead into halftime.
The second half was much of the same, with Bua scoring to make it 11-4 at the 9:45 mark, then Clark answered with his third goal of the game. But that was as close as Lynn would get, as Revere closed the third quarter on a 4-0 run to take a 10-goal lead into the final frame.
Three more Revere goals in the fourth put the game completely out of reach, and the Patriots cruised to victory.
Revere (11-2, 8-1 NEC) will now have the weekend off to prepare for a road game against Swampscott on Monday. The Big Blue are Revere’s only league loss on the season, having lost 7-6 at home back on April 13.
“It’s definitely a big game for us because it’s our only league loss and we played them really close the last time,” said Powers. “We know they’re a really good team, so we’re going to need to be ready to go.”
The Jets (3-8) play Salem on Monday at Manning Field.
