WALES — Just when it looked like Morse might get back in the game, the “well-greased machine” that Shipbuilders coach Jay Pauls called Oak Hill/Monmouth/Lisbon pulled away in a big way.

The Raiders ended the first half with five straight goals, started the second half with the next four and ran away with a 19-6 boys lacrosse victory Saturday morning.

“We tried to hang with them,” Pauls said. “I wish it was a little closer.”

The Raiders (9-0) jumped out to a 4-0 lead just over four minutes in when the Shipbuilders (2-7) finally answered with back-to-back goals by Mason Savory and Cayden Green. It was 6-2 Raiders after one quarter, but Morse made it 7-4 midway through the second with goals by Wyatt Hudson and Cameron Footer (man-up).

That’s when the Raiders put on the goal-scoring afterburners. Gabe Samson started the run, Tiger Hopkins scored the third of his six goals, and Xavier Michaud ended the first half with a natural hat trick — with the last two goals coming in the final 30 seconds before intermission.

“Just played some more team lacrosse, moving the ball well today and just keeping their heads in the game and play lacrosse,” said Raiders coach Joe Hinkley, who “(has) a lot of respect for Jay and his teams.”

Hopkins scored a pair of goals out of the gate in the third quarter, Michaud scored another goal with an assist from Hopkins, and then Hopkins scored his final goal before the Shipbuilders got on the scoreboard again with a Gaige Kindlimann tally.

“Good ballhandlers, and they know how to swing the ball around and move it, create those shooting opportunities,” Pauls said of the Raiders offense. “I think the three attackmen are pretty strong.”

Despite the lopsided score, Morse goalie AJ Arsenault did make the Raiders work for many of their goals, stopping 11 shots.

“Their goalie was on-target on all of the shots,” Hinkley said.

“AJ did as best as he could today. He’s been ill, he’s been injured, so this was his first game in a while,” Pauls said.

Michaud equaled Hopkins’ game-high total of six goals, Noah Moring netted a hat trick, Samson had two goals and two assists, and Nate Marcotte scored a goal and dished out three assists. Eight different players registered points for the Raiders. Brandon Glover made six saves in net.

Hudson scored twice for the Shipbuilders, while Sheamus Mann assisted on a pair of goals.

“We only had 13 shots on goal. That’s not enough,” Pauls said.

An upset win by the Shipbuilders would have been “huge Heal points” for a team that Pauls said has “struggled this whole season.”

The Raiders, meanwhile, kept their undefeated start going, and have three regular-season games left before the playoffs.

“Moving the ball well and playing team lacrosse, and staying out of the penalty box” has been the key, according to Hinkley, who is hoping his team can make a postseason run.

 

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