‘Cats edge Chiefs to secure P-CEP lacrosse championship
A pair of Plymouth defenders converge on Canton senior Alexander Nielsen during Wednesday night’s game.
Plymouth’s boys lacrosse team captured the 2024 Plymouth-Canton Educational Park crown Wednesday night when it outlasted Canton, 9-8.
All three P-CEP teams finished with 1-1 records against their two neighbors. The Wildcats had to win Wednesday to secure the trophy after they dropped an 11-10 overtime decision to Salem on April 24.
With a victory on Wednesday, the Chiefs would have owned the hardware for the next year as they defeated the Rocks, 8-7, on May 1.
Playing on Senior Night, the winners were fueled by a balanced attack. Ian Timberlake, Sam Plencner and Cam Witt each scored twice, while Ethan Wendland, Charlie Maletta and Chase Knutsen tailled one goal each.
Griffin VanSickle was solid in goal for the Wildcats.
To check out video highlights from the game, click here.
Balanced attack
Canton’s attack was led by two-goal scorers Charles Salowich, Jack Lockhart and Nick Parrish. Gabriel Schmoll and Alexander Nielsen scored once for the Chiefs.
Chief goal-keeper Samuel Kolodzie made multiple point-blank saves.
Plymouth threatened to pull away when Maletta’s goal (assisted by Plencner) stretched its lead to 8-4 with 8:46 to play in the third quarter.
However, the Chiefs netted three straight goals from Salowich, Parrish and Schmoll to pull 8-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
Things got tight
After Knutsen (from Griffin Gallaher) extended the Wildcats’ lead to 9-7 with 9:12 remaining in the contest, Nielsen stuffed the net with just 8 ticks left on a power play to give the Chiefs hope.
Canton won the face-off, however, Schmoll’s centering pass from the right sideline was knocked away by Quinn Fitchett, igniting a team-wide celebration in the south end zone.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
