by Marshal Manlove
editor

   What a great game you missed if you didn't go out because of the rain at Polytech for the lacrosse championship. This was what it's all about.
   The Tatnall Hornets were trying to keep from becoming the Buffalo Bills of Delaware lacrosse. If they had lost this championship game, it would have been the third consecutive time they missed out on a title.
    But they didn't lose. Tatnall avenged their only defeat of the year, an 11-9 loss, by defeating the number one ranked Vikings of Cape Henlopen 15-14.
   There were plenty of heroes for both teams. Joe Cahill scored five times for Cape including three in the last five minutes of the game as the Vikes were trying to rally back from a three goal deficit to tie the game. That deficit had been created by a five goal blitzkrieg by the Hornets in a five minute span in the second half of the fourth quarter. Rob Howard scored three of those goals in three minutes and had five in the game.
  Matt Fink scored six goals for Tatnall and had three in the first quarter.
  The teams traded goals for a period and half before Tatnall made their fourth quarter surge. Will Buckley's face off prowess was a key for the Hornets. "I had to get low and box off with my hips. This is unbelievable winning this finally," he said.
  Cape led 11-10 with eight minutes left to go in the fourth quarter. Howard scored to tie the game and Justin Mason put them in the lead 30 seconds later. Howard scored two more times in the next minute forcing Cape to hurry their offense.
  Cahill cut the lead to 14-12 with five minutes and plenty of time to play, but after Fink scored his sixth goal of the contest, the Hornets started to kill out the clock. Cape regained control and Cahill scored with 2:11 left on a power play opportunity.
  Steve Conlon hit the post of the Tatnall goal on the next flurry, but Cahill pulled Cape within one with 1:35 to go.
  The Vikings had one last chance with possession of the ball and a time out with 37 seconds to go. Ed Savarese took what hoped to be the game-tying shot, but Adam Kirby stood large and made the winning save. Matt Fink collected the rebound and launched it clear to Lami Harmon who carried the ball to safety.
  There was an emotional celebration by the Hornet faithful who rushed the field at the end of the contest. Tatnall finished their championship season 18-1.

  Tatnall  15   Cape Henlopen 14

Goals- Tatnall: Fink 6, R. Howard 5, Mason 3, Buckley; Cape Henlopen: Cahill 5, Welsh 3, Conlon 3, Vavala; Assists- Tatnall: Mason 3, Harmon 2, C. Howard, Fink, Gelman; Cape Henlopen: Welsh 4, Conlon 3, Shupard 3, Savarese, Cahill.
Saves- Tatnall: 12 (Kirby) Cape Henlopen: 9 (Keller)