HAIL TO THE CHIEFS

CHIEFS McCREADY NETS GAME WINNER WITH 7 SECONDS LEFT
COLLINS-HARTWIG REGISTERS 4 GOALS IN LOSING EFFORT
FORGOTTON LESSONS COME BACK TO BURN THE DEVILS

Like a rudderless ship drifting aimlessly through the upper Niagara, the crew oblivious to the impending danger and their unavoidable fate...

(ELMA) The Red Devils lacrosse team finished out its regular season play, falling to the host Iroquois Chiefs 8 to 7 in a non league contest. The Chiefs came into the game with a 5-12 record hoping to "steal one" from the favored Red Devils team who looked to be steering a straight course into the first round of the playoffs. However, somewhere along the line, Clarence lost the focus which had brought them to this point, getting drowned in a myriad of undisciplined penalties, selfish shot selection and sloppy play. The visitors spent most of the time complaining about the referees than actually competing hard enough to win a lacrosse game, their fate appropriately meted out in the final seconds of the game.The Chiefs now own a 7-0 series record against the Red Devils.

...onboard the ship, the captain and his crew were enjoying the cool, calm waters on a sunny afternoon. "Oh, what a gorgeous day!" one remarked. None of the crew paid much attention, off busy attending to tasks of their own...

Both teams struggled to get things going offensively in the first quarter. The hard play of the Iroquois D-poles' Tim Slattery, Nick Kokavand and Josh Walczyk kept the Devils attack in check throughout. However, Jordan Collins-Hartwig ( 4g, 3a ) put Clarence on the board three minutes in, on a transition goal which developed at midfield. Caleb Higgins won a groundball battle and quickly cleared a pass up Collins-Hartwig. After making a dodge or two, Jordan beat his man and fired a running shot from abouit 10 yards off the right slot past Iroquois goalie Scott Lorenz. Lorenz was a difference maker for the Chiefs throughout, stopping 11 shots and using his athletic ability to help break the Red Devil rides. However, Collins-Hartwig put some heat on this one, and the Devils led 1 to 0.

About four minutes later, Collins-Hartwig hooked up with Dan Barron ( 2g, 1a ) on a pretty give-and-go passing play. Collins-Hartwig fired a quick pass into Barron who then fed the Jordan back the ball as he cut through the Iroquois defense. Collins-Hartwig made it count, cranking a shot past Lorenz, making it 2 to 0.

The athletic ability of Clarence has caused problems for opponents all season. However, the Chiefs were equally as quick, and it began giving Clarence trouble towards the end of the first quarter. Iroquois responded on a goal by Adam Nycz. Nycz beat Clarence goalie Ryan Duff ( 11 saves ) on a nifty bounce shot from the crease area. Spencer McCready ( 4g, 1a ) picked up the assist and the Devil lead was cut to one.

The Chiefs would take an undisciplined penalty late in the half and the Red Devils went to work on their extra man offense. Iroquois' defense began to stiffen, limiting the Clarence scoring opportunities and shots. However, with 33 seconds left in the first, Barron would score his first of the day, off a hard bounce shot from 15 yards outside the left slot. The timely goal gave Clarence a two goal cushion once again. The quarter ended 3 to 1 in favor of the Red Devils.

...enjoying the scenic drift down the river, the crew members basked in their good fortune. All the troubles of the past seemed a lifetime away. One of the stewards on the ship was having a difficult time relaxing. He sat by the rail staring into the dark green water. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. An eddy appeared to swirl along the side of the ship...

The momentum began to quickly change in the second quarter. The Chiefs would begin to take control of the midfield area, battling and gathering possession of the valuable groundballs. Iroquois narrowed the gap to one goal just 20 seconds into the second on a shot by Spencer McCready. McCready was simply the best player for the Chiefs throughout the night, showing his competitive spirit almost "willing" Iroquois to the victory. A late first quarter slashing penalty put the Chiefs on the EMO. McCready delivered, ripping one from 10 yards out off the left slot. The game was now 3-2 and a distinct turn in the tide was evident.

As the second quarter progressed, the Chiefs began to pick up some steam as Lorenz and his defense shut the door on the Clarence attack. An alarming trend continued to resurface. The Red Devils, who have flourished throughout the 2007 season by outworking the opposition, were losing many of the one-on-one battles. The scrappy Iroquois midfielders got "dirty" and continually brought their physical style of play to every loose ball opportunity. Finally, with just over a minute left in the half, McCready struck again on a shot from the left slot. The goal knotted the game at 3 to 3 going into halftime, but most importantly brought the Chiefs new-found confidence that they could overtake the Devils in the second half.

...the sudden drop tossed the ships crew across the deck. The jolt now made all the deckhands acutely aware that circumstances had changed. Where once was open and calm water, now existed the beginning of a series of perilous rapids. With little fuel available, the leaders conferred, bravely hoping to avert the threat of the Falls looming in the distance. The changing conditions created absolute chaos aboard ship. A variety of emotions ensued. Some men ran and hid, sensing their impending doom. Some men lashed out wildly, spewing bitterness at the approaching rapids, as if their words could somehow quell the menacing waves. Another group onboard skipped stones off the back of the ship, oblivious to the impending danger ahead...

The third quarter saw back and forth action as neither team could hold more than a one goal lead. The Devils would serve a full six minutes in penalties as they melted down under the conditions of the game (see game 4 - Williamsville East). With all that took place during this highly spirited quarter, it was amazing that the two teams remained still tied at the end. Iroquois started things off first on a nice goal by Dan Warren, beating Duff as he cut through the Clarence defense to fire it in from just outside the crease area. The goal came approximately two minutes in, and gave Iroquois their first lead of the game.

A mere 40 seconds later, Clarence would come back to tie it up on a goal by a heavily determined Jordan Collins-Hartwig. The Devils gained possession and set up in the Iroquois zone. Collins-Hartwig found an opening and fired a hard shot from the left slot at goal. Lorenz got a piece of it but failed to control the rebound. As he has done on repeated occassions, Collins-Hartwig outraced the defenders to the loose ball and deposited it past the goaltender for a Clarence score. The game was deadlocked at four.

Midway into the third quarter a scuffle broke out between the two clubs. After several close encounters in front of the Clarence net, a crosscheck penalty by the Devils set off a meeting of the minds between Duff and an especially frisky Spencer McCready. The resulting fracas cost both players three minutes in the box and left the Devils man down for a minute. The Chiefs would capitalize as A.J. Woloszynski fired one in past backup goalie Jeff Smith from the left slot area. Iroquois now took the lead 5 to 4.

Refusing to yield to the Chiefs, Clarence fought back to tie it in the final minute of the third quarter. Collins-Hartwig looked to steady the ship with an outstanding goal. Collins-Hartwig worked hard behind the net, then curling up in the front, cranked a shot past Lorenz with 43 seconds remaining.

...the ship rocked violently as the rapids slowly began taking their toll on both the ship and its crew. Sensing the impending danger, several of the crew members began pleading for help. Their requests fell upon the indifference of the ferocious water surrounding them. In their final moments of reflection, the troubled sailors accepted the likelihood that the situation would only worsen...

The fourth quarter began with Clarence getting charged with a three minute non-releasable penalty for using an illegal stick. The Chiefs wasted little time, scoring just past a minute into the quarter. The Iroquois EMO was scored on a nice play and setup by McCready. Mc Cready sent a beautiful skip pass across the Red Devils defense to Jordan Schnieder. Schnieder popped it in from the left crease to give Iroquois a 6-5 lead. The Devils fought desperately to hold back Iroquois for the remaining two minutes of the infraction.

...in the midst of the violent spray, a light appeared, much to the delight of all onboard...

During the remaining portion of the Red Devils man down, the Clarence defense successfully captured control of the ball, sending it up to the Iroquois zone. In one of his most important goals of the year, Dave Colicchia fired home a shot from the left crease to tie the game at six.

...the light shone through the haze for a brief moment, giving the crew newfound hope. However, just as quickly as it came, the mirage dissolved deep into the mist. The roar of the Falls was deafening...

With the score tied, both teams scrambled in the midfield area to gain the all-important possession of the ball. However, it was the Chiefs who refused to back down as they seemed to be about a half step quicker than the Red Devils. As fate would have it, the Chiefs hard work paid off on a fluke goal. The Iroquois attack sent as barrage of action towards the Clarence net. Goaltender Ryan Duff, desperate to fight back ensuing engagement of Chiefs, scooped up a ground ball several yards in front of his crease area. However, McCready was there once again, checking the stick of the netminder, sending the ball sailing back into the Clarence goal. With approximately seven minutes left in the game, the Chiefs went up by one.

Approximately 20 seconds later, the Devils would get some help in the form of an Iroquois slashing penalty. The extra man "O" cashed-in on a big shot and goal by Barron. Collins-Hartwig was the setup man. Barron found the seam and fired a bullet past Lorenz to tie the game at seven with six minutes remaining.

...the ship lurched violently upon a large boulder and stopped. The crew could feel the suction of the Falls beneath their feet. What incredible luck! The sailors all rejoiced! Down deep, they all knew something, somehow, would help save the day. However, the stress had taken a toll on the wearied crew, and very few could muster the strength to join in the celebration. Moments later, a giant swell unearthed the vessel from its temporary mooring and the ship began its final approach to the Falls...

The last mad minutes of the game saw the hungry Iroquois Chiefs battle and win several important groundball battles. Clarence's missed opportunities were beginning to catch up with them. Iroquois called a timeout in the last minute of play after gaining possession of a groundball that went out of bounds off of the Devils. The scene appropriately set, The Chiefs worked the ball over to the "hot-handed" McCready. Seeing an opening, McCready let it fly, bouncing the ball past the goaltender with just 7.6 seconds remaining on the clock, giving Iroquois the 8-7 victory. The Chiefs wild celebration stood in stark contrast to the look of despair on the faces of the Red Devils. All desperately knowing that this one got away.

...the ship finally arrived at the edge of the Falls, listed slightly, and stood motionless for a brief second before making its 183 foot descent into the rocks below.

One final chance at redemption. Friday. 5pm.
Playoff game against Williamsville North. Be there!