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Other Sports - Lacrosse
Saturday, May 15 2010 11:09

The Brophy Broncos needed 10 seconds to score their first goal Friday night, most of the first half and a spectacular rally to take the lead for good, and everything they had to hold off Chandler for the state lacrosse championship.

Brock Gehlfi scored five goals as Brophy beat Chandler 10-8 in a wide-open, hard-hitting game at Chaparral High School to take the Arizona Youth Lacrosse League Division 1 high school title.

Tucson Catalina Foothills defeated Notre Dame 10-5 for the Division 2 state championship in the first game Friday night.

For Brophy, the victory capped an emotional season, dedicated to Robby Mayasich, a senior who died in March after being struck by a car while participating in a charity run. The team wore T-shirts with Mayasich’s No. 8 in pink — his favorite color — and the slogan “We are one.”

His lacrosse stick, painted pink, was at the scorer’s table for all the Broncos' games.

“Robby was with us the whole season,’’ coach Beau Pich said. “He was with us tonight.”

Gehlfi, a sophomore midfielder who was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, scored the first goal of the game with 11:50 left in the first period.  Andrew Muscara tied it seven seconds later.

Chandler took the lead on goal by Michael Giffen with 10:25 left. Sean LaFlam made it 3-1 midway through the period.

Brophy cut it to 3-2 on a goal by Kevin Murney.

LaFlam made it 4-2 late in the second period. Beyond the score, Chandler was dominating play, and Pich said he was worried.

“We knew had to gain control of the ball,’’ Pich said. “All year long we have done a great job in transition, in pushing the ball up the field.”

Brophy scored four goals — three by senior attacker Adam Fishman — in the final 2:25 of the half to take a 6-4 lead.

“We had just a short time there where we lost our focus,’’ Chandler coach Dave Henning said.

When Gehlfi scored his fifth goal midway through the third period, Brophy had a 9-5 lead.

Chandler came back. Muscara’s goal with 2:14 left in the game cut Brophy’s lead to 10-7. Given Chandler’s explosive potential, there still was enough time for the Wolves to come back.

The Brophy defense and goalie Ryan Manos were able to hold tight until LeFlam scored his third goal in the final seconds.

In the Division 2 title game, Catalina Foothill’s Adam DeLuca scored 30 seconds into the game setting the tone. The Falcons took a 4-0 lead in the first period.

But one of the biggest plays came on defense. Shortly after Deluca’s opening goal, Kory Byas made a save on a breakaway.

“That was huge,’’ coach Matt Hourigan said. “That was big confidence builder for us.”

Coner Koper scored two goals for Notre Dame in the second period, but the Saints were never able to mount a surge.

“When you fall behind early in a championship game, it really fires the other team up,’’ Notre Dame coach Nick Protopopoff said. “It means you have a lot more work to do.  But hats off to them. They’re a well-coached team and they executed well.’’

Ian Brewer scored four goals for Catalina and was named the MVP.  DeLuca finished with two goals and two assists.

Spencer Riley, Kodey Jones and Korey Jones scored goals for Notre Dame, and Ben Gassmann had an assist.

 
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