SACO — The Thornton Academy boys’ lacrosse team stresses an up-tempo style, looking to put as many shots on goal as possible and not worry about giving the ball back to the opposition.
The Golden Trojans’ coaching staff found little to complain about Friday night in an 18-6 rout of Biddeford at Hill Stadium.
Thornton (7-1) unleashed 58 shots but also controlled possession and limited the Tigers (5-4) to 24 shots.
Biddeford led 3-2 before the Trojans scored the final four goals of the first quarter for a 6-3 lead. Thornton then added all eight goals of the second quarter to put the game away with a 14-3 lead at halftime.
Biddeford’s Mitchell Farley falls to the turf while battling for the ball with Thornton’s Eli Arsenault during the first period.
“I’m glad that once again, it showed that if we keep on sticking with pushing the ball and playing a high-intensity offense, that goals will come in bunches,” Thornton Coach Ryan Hersey said. “It’s a strategy Bates (College) is using and other colleges are using – push the ball and get as many shots on goal as possible, and not worry if you lose possession of the ball.”
Thornton made it 14 consecutive goals with the first two scores of the third quarter, opening a 16-3 advantage, before C.J. Thorne of Biddeford recorded his second of four goals.
The Tigers went 23 minutes, 28 seconds without scoring.
“I thought it was a good game (for us),” said Trojans attack Noah Edborg, who finished with five goals and two assists. “We played good together. We were just trying to come out fast and get goals in quick.
Thornton’s Taylor Jipson tries to elude the Biddeford defense while on attack.
“I was not expecting a run like (that) at all. We’ve been used to close games recently.”
The Trojans grabbed control late in the first quarter when they scored four times in a 2:24 span.
Man-advantage goals 49 seconds apart by Wyatt LeBlanc (one goal, three assists) and Thomas Levasseur (three goals, two assists) started the run.
Biddeford was still in the game early, trailing by three goals to start the second quarter.
But five penalties – totaling six minutes – in the quarter resulted in four more man-advantage scores as the Trojans pulled away.
“This is a great rivalry, a fantastic rivalry,” Biddeford Coach Jason Martel said. “In the second quarter, (the) penalties got us.
Biddeford’s Mitchell Farley, center, looks for the ball as he’s sandwiched by two Thornton defenders, including Thomas Pike, at right, during the first period.
“It’s hard to stay with a team like Thornton Academy when we spend so much time locked in the penalty box. I think we had five or six solid minutes in the second quarter in the penalty box, and it’s hard to play a man down.”
The Trojans scored four times in 4:44 at the end of the second quarter, with Edborg netting three goals, two of them from John Giroux (two goals, three assists). Giroux had the other, taking a pass from Edborg and finding the back of the net.
“I’ve played with (John) almost my whole life. Last year we started connecting more (offensively), and this year we are connecting a lot,” Edborg said.
Also recording multiple points for the Trojans were Jaden Wells (two goals), Thomas Pike (two goals), Jack Webb (one goal, one assist) and C.J. Labreck (two assists).
Ean Patry made nine saves as Taylor Jipson and Eli Arsenault played strong defense in front of him to limit Biddeford’s chances.
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